That is some decent info. I work for CH Robinson. When negotiating, when we give you a rate I wouldn't go more than $400 - $500 over what they offer you. When I give a carrier a rate I try to give myself $200 to work with. Like if I offer $400 I can pay $600 and be right at that break even point but shoot for $550. But if I offer $400 and you come back with $800 - $900 I might say I will check with the customer because I don't want to just say no and sound like an ahole but the truth is I am going to get on the phone and find another option because I don't feel like we would be able to agree on a rate. Probably 90% of our customers have year round rates in place with us and they dont give us more money. We do have some where we can go back to the customer for more money but I know with my customers that is a last resort. Our customers expect us to move their freight at the rates that are agreed upon at the beginning of the year. So if we go back to the customer asking for more money it looks bad on our part. I will usually take a loss on a load before going back to my customer. But it is the same both ways, you guys don't like to get low balled and we dont like you guys to blow our rate out of the water. But anyway, just my point of view, that is what I do but everyone negotiates differently.
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Originally Posted by CHRBROKER32
I could start with brokers and then build up a few contacts among direct shippers. Is this doable or am I daydreaming? I'm thinking basic flatbed with no tarping or maybe to splash and get one of those good-looking-expensive-as-hell quickdraw tarping systems.
