Freight dispatchers play an important part for ensuring smooth operations, cost-effective routes, and more. From your fleet to the destination, there are a lot of factors and parties to consider. You need a dispatcher to manage everything so that you can satisfy your customer, navigate inevitable obstacles, and deliver loads with ease. 

There is some confusion about what a freight dispatcher actually does, which leads some small fleet operators to believe they aren’t necessary. In this article, you will learn the ways a dispatcher can improve your operations and how to select the best independent dispatching service. But first, what exactly are freight dispatchers?

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What Are Freight Dispatchers and What Do They Do?

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Freight dispatchers work out details between fleets and their customers when discussing loads and deliveries. They act on behalf of the fleet owner and can be either employees or independent.

Dispatchers are not freight brokers, although the two are sometimes confused. Unlike dispatchers, brokers are third-parties that arrange the shipment of goods but do not act on behalf of carriers or shippers. Brokers locate carriers who can deliver goods for shippers and negotiate details, making their money based on the difference between the costs of shipping and carrying. They act as a middle man to manage details between the two and will seek out the lowest rate possible for carriers so that they can make a profit. 

While freight brokers serve a valuable purpose, dispatchers provide essential duties for fleets and carriers of any size. From improving routes and schedules to communicating changes to customers, they can help your operation run effectively and efficiently for greater revenue. While dispatchers are obviously a necessity for larger fleets, they are also essential for small fleets, especially if growth is your goal. 

They work for your trucking company in many capacities from back-office support to day-to-day operations. In many cases, they even offer customer service functions, billing, and more. They communicate with your customers and drivers to make sure that everybody is on the same page and to coordinate schedules and routes. 

Because of the long list of business functions they can support, they need great communication skills, customer service abilities, and knowledge of cost-effective deliveries. They must know how to analyze fleet data, investigate weather patterns, manage customer requests, and consider endless variables so that the load gets delivered on time and in one piece. 

Because of all their duties, dispatchers are always needed and the demand will only grow as the transportation industry continues to rapidly grow. By 2045, the country’s system of transport will grow by 40% according to DOT estimates. Not only that, but as the industry grows, it also undergoes fast changes as new technologies make life easier for shippers, carriers, and dispatchers.

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Since dispatching can be complicated and stressful, Nauvus can simplify dispatcher duties by providing them with all the tools they need to support drivers. With a load board, TMS, and instant pay features, dispatchers can focus on managing their fleets and delivering loads cost-effectively and on-schedule.

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How Dispatchers Improve Your Fleet Management

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Freight dispatchers provide many services for your fleet, but the benefits may not be clear. Sure, you probably understand that they can help you save time and take care of some tasks, but regardless of the size of your fleet from 2 trucks to 100, a freight dispatcher can also help you grow into a more profitable, valuable operation.

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Discover the Best Loads

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Load boards provide access to potential delivery options for your fleet. Shippers simply post loads and will negotiate rates with you, often going with the lowest price. You can also post the trucks you have available so that a freight broker can reach out to you on behalf of a shipper. This can work to secure jobs, but it is not the best way to find the most profitable jobs. 

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A professional dispatcher has the expertise needed to locate and negotiate the loads that make you the most money. They can increase your revenue by combining deliveries and finding the best rates. Having an experienced dispatcher makes sure that you always avoid the loads that barely boost profits, or worse lose you money. A dispatcher knows how many trucks you have, what they can deliver, and which routes are best for each truck you own. Simply put, they have experience that can help you increase ROI with more profitable loads. 

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This is especially true with dispatchers using Nauvus Connect because dispatchers have easy access to all the biggest load boards and can easily see and manage everything all in one place. That way they can examine and secure the most profitable ones depending on your fleet size, location, route, schedule, and more. 

Find the Best Routes

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Traffic, construction, bad road conditions, distractions, and slow speed limits all dig directly into your profits. The routes your fleet takes to get to the destination can influence late deliveries, fuel consumption, customer satisfaction, and vehicle maintenance. Dispatchers take all of these factors into consideration to determine the best routes for your business, every time. This also keeps your drivers happy and less stressed, which is a concern for most owners and operators.

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Dispatchers know how to analyze data and decide which routes are most profitable and efficient. They can also adapt to changes and change schedules to keep drivers on the road during the best hours. Never will you worry about losing money due to wrong routes or unavoidable changes to the course itinerary.

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Improve Customer Satisfaction

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Don’t have a customer service representative? That’s okay because your dispatcher can do that too! They can make your customers happier because they tell them about any potential hazards or delays. When your customer has a concern, they will find the answer with your dispatcher.

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Even payments can be made through your dispatcher, which has never been easier than with Nauvus. Not only do payments go through without hassle, but you are guaranteed to receive payment within 24 hours. In addition, Nauvus streamlines all communication from shipper to dispatcher to carrier for fast, easy invoicing and efficient service.

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Manage Driver Relationships

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Your drivers are your bread and butter. Without them, your shipments would never make it to their destination, and you wouldn’t even have a business to run. Since you depend on your drivers, you want to have good working relationships with them. This is especially true when it's hard to find dedicated, reliable drivers.

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Dispatchers can keep your drivers safe and help them navigate obstacles and potential problems they encounter on the road. In addition, dispatchers can monitor driver behavior to identify unsafe driving habits or determine when a driver is sleepy or inefficient. Then, you can reward the best drivers with perfect safety records, efficient delivery, and optimal driving routines.

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Avoid Weather Delays

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Weather delays cost you money. In fact, almost a quarter of all shipping delays are caused by bad weather, contributing to losses of up to $9 billion annually. Without a dispatcher, your trucks are likely to encounter bad weather more often, and this can cause significant issues like expensive wrecks, unfortunate accidents, and late shipments.

When managing a fleet, it is critical to plan ahead and prepare for poor weather conditions, but that can be difficult to do, especially with all the other tasks you have to complete. A dispatcher can navigate through delays, avoid the worst weather, plan for potential changes, and manage schedules to ensure that your entire fleet is always working to increase revenue.

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How to Select the Best Independent Dispatchers

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There are some things you can keep in mind to make sure that you find a superior dispatching service. These considerations are essential for finding effective, professional, and compliant dispatchers to manage your fleet.

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FMCSA Licensed

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All dispatchers must be licensed as a broker by the FMCSA and using non-licensed dispatchers can be a liability for your and your fleet. In fact, your trucking authority could even be rescinded if you use a dispatcher that is not licensed because it is in violation of regulations.

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Examine Costs

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Identify and examine fees and revenues to ensure the most cost-effective dispatching service. With Nauvus Connect, you will only pay 12% fees and get access to a dispatcher as well as various other tools like an all-in-one operating system, instant pay features, 24/7 support, and business management tracking.

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Contract Details

A contract between you and your dispatcher will confirm that they are insured and bonded in addition to licensed, which can reduce the risk of liability for accidents, damage, and any other claims that you may encounter. In addition, you want to examine the contract for conflict of interest as well as anything else that may cause harm to you or your business.

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Nauvus Connect Offers Experienced Dispatchers for Business Growth

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With Nauvus Connect, you not only get access to business management tools and payment services, but you also get your own dispatcher to manage your fleet, secure the best loads, and help you grow your fleet for greater profits. With load boards, scheduling, expense and revenue tracking, and more, Nauvus makes efficient trucking easier than ever before.

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Ready to take your trucking business to the next level? Sign-up for the Nauvus Connect waitlist today!

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