Being at the back level of the platform we regularly monitor, moderate and observe behaviours from transporters and customers, providing huge insight into how really securing jobs takes place. Personally I myself monitor things and do step in to help out when I can but I feel this post is essential to helping some new site users.
I regularly see 1-2 line replies from transporters to customers which really does not inspire customer confidence especially on new accounts with maybe 0 or little feedback history.
Profile setup
Be sure to at least fill out a half decent profile including your Payload, payment options and a good description of you or your business not including any Company names – Upload a smart cover and profile photo to stand out!
Pricing your first jobs
One thing I see all too often is high pricing for a new transporter, they will join the platform and go in high on their first ever quotes, this makes no sense, you are much higher than site members who have 100-200 jobs under their belts and endless 5 star reviews as a new mover joining the site you need to consider the fact you may have to do a couple of jobs at a lower rate to secure a few reviews and start building up your profile.
Always remember to be as reasonable as possible with pricing, offering a quote for both ways is not how the markets work overall e.g if you are £1.50 a mile and the job is 300 miles that is £450 not £900 – You cannot expect customers to pay for your empty journeys this is a situation as a business you need to resolve by filling spaces. When I see this all too often some of the prices are extreme and not even close to reasonable or just over priced.
The majority of work is transportation rather than breakdown which we understand pricing varies hugely, however in terms of general haulage the prices are different. We are not here to define or set market prices, that is something we are strongly against but if you think you can come with unicorn prices and land jobs the site is not for you. (Sorry to be blunt!)
Placing your quotes essentials
When placing your quotes we have a little extra feature which you should always take advantage of which is ‘send comment as a message‘ this will private message the customer and is the number one winning factor for many of our transporters.
This alone ignites a conversation with them not all will reply but 50% will and they can at least negotiate if they wish to or at least give you some feedback on your quote, here is a short list of what to do when quoting.
- Price the job to your rate by entering the quote amount in the first box
- Write a compelling message about your services usually a few lines will do – Don’t send them huge messages but a nice short outline of your services and a reason why they should book your business.
- Always click the ‘send as message’ when quoting this way they get a quote and a message
Many customers also opt for SMS notifications so they will get your quote straight to their mobile!
Once and if they reply
Once you have a customer on the hook and replying remember to inspire confidence in your services and what you can offer, assure them the service will be smooth and you are experience at what you do, many times I see people saying ‘okay’ or ‘yes sure’ these small liners are not very ideal and do not really push the customer.
Try to keep the conversation short e.g not too many questions but the basics and once they are on the edge of accepting try to push them as fast as possible to delay them seeking cover elsewhere e.g ‘That is great, if you go ahead and accept my quote we can exchange details and finalise the booking‘ many times I see as a moderator open ended conversations that make no sense or do not help get the customer to book.
So remember, engage with the customer – Promptly and give them a reason to book you, once you know it looks a good shot push them to accept the quote as soon as possible! Be as clear as possible and try not to send broken messages.
Avoid direct message prices
Another huge issue I see until transporters get use to the site is them sending messages with a price in, this is against the rules but we do not go heavy on causing a stir about this activity – However yes our site does take a fee from jobs as we have to keep our own business moving and covering costs but when you start sending messages showing cheaper prices the customers start to get confused and even sometimes upset.
This alone inspires them or you to try and break the rules and in many cases turn them away from the platform loosing you the lead.
Always use the quotation system correctly and inform customers they can see the quote on their dashboard and above the message.
To sum it all up
So as you see quoting jobs is easy and well we all understand not all customers reply, many are looking for in a months time or even window shoppers sadly especially in this current climate. However for the customers that are responsive and ready to book you just need to present yourself professionally and correctly and not just one liners.
The website provides tons of transporters work each week and month mostly as you see the site veterans who follow the above principles when quoting work and showcasing their business. Remember to be patient, consistent and put the effort it every single day and you will soon build up your business and account, even if you are only filling empty spaces!
I personally remember using other platforms years ago and when the account was fresh it would take me weeks and sometimes even a month to get my first job even being dirt cheap! So remember keep at it and talk sweet to customers and the number 1 secret? Sending that message with every single quote.
