When one day might mean birdseed or mulch and another brings a steady stream of outerwear or toy deliveries from various manufacturers, moving the right shipments to the right stores requires constant communication and a fair number of pivots when obstacles appear out of nowhere. In areas where loads are divided among several stores, the variables increase exponentially. Our longstanding relationship with the client is built on trust, reliability, and no small amount of creative problem-solving as details shift.

Although Travero typically manages specific lanes, the client constantly posts others to the spot market. Our client service representative springs into action to win the bid, schedule pickups and deliveries, negotiate with carriers, and continually confirm details with all parties to keep the process moving smoothly.

Being well-acquainted with the client and its seasonal shifts in inventories makes a big difference. “There’s a seasonality to their shipping and real pressure to deliver on time,” our lead CSR for the account said. “If that load of toys gets sidetracked near the holidays, it's a big deal. If animal feed isn’t on the shelves, it’s a big deal.”

Keeping track of the details sometimes means being a step ahead. When our team notes a slowdown in activity, often just dropping a line to the client to let him know where our trucks are will spark his recognition that loads are waiting, and we’ll get those products moving.

Working across a diverse range of products and shippers means keeping on top of various requirements and particulars, for example; this shipper won’t take appointments but needs an ETA; that one requires 48 hours' notice to schedule appointments. Our team ensures that there is a digital trail of details for each load, and the client trusts us to handle whatever arises: “I take ownership and am part of their team,” our lead CSR said. “I know what the client expects, and he’d rather I handle everything without him having to get involved. I know what he needs, what each shipper needs, and what the drivers need.”

Forging that level of trust has as much to do with our diligence in managing the details as with our team’s ability to build a relationship and understand how the client wants the relationship to work.