How to Master RFPs and Secure Rewarding Future Partnerships in the Trucking Industry with DrayMaster

Envase Webinar Series Recap | DrayMaster: Turn RFPs into Rewarding Future Partnerships

In this webinar, we delved into the world of Request for Proposals (RFPs) in the trucking industry and explored how to leverage DrayMaster’s bid tool to respond quickly and effectively to RFPs. As we navigated through this process, we also explored various features of the DrayMaster Rate Management Platform that help trucking companies grow their business.

Read on for a recap of the webinar, and watch the full recording below.

ICYMI: RFP Season is Having a Late Peak in 2023

We’re predicting a wave of shipper RFPs. Why? Here’s our reasoning:

1. The labor situation on the West Coast in the US has seemingly settled down, but the absence of signed paperwork leaves room for potential disruptions, making shippers cautious.
2. The ongoing strikes in Canada add to the uncertainty, prompting shippers who had been moving goods from Asia to the East Coast to consider rerouting their shipments back west.
3. The drought in the Panama Canal is causing additional concerns, with increased fees and potential ship turnaways, further motivating shippers to explore alternative routes.
4. However, even if shippers are looking to move goods through the West Coast, they may face challenges due to the scarcity of warehousing and distribution space.
5. The overall uncertain environment is likely to drive shippers to issue RFPs as they seek viable and reliable transportation solutions to mitigate potential risks and maintain efficient supply chains.

With this prediction, we’ve been urging carriers to be prepared for responding with bid packages quickly and accurately, for a chance to secure new business that will reap benefits long-term. However, even the thought of responding to a 2000 lane RFP can make you want to call in sick — which none of us can afford. So we brought in our DrayMaster team to show us a better way. Herein lies the purpose of this webinar.

Understanding DrayMaster and Its Purpose

DrayMaster is a rate management platform designed specifically for the drayage space. It was conceived in 2012 by Tom Burke and Travis Barnier, who recognized the need for a more efficient way to handle quoting intermodal rates as a drayage carrier. DrayMaster aims to eliminate uncertainties associated with quoting rates, ensuring a smooth and reliable process for trucking companies.

The Power of the RFP Bid Tool

Responding to RFPs can be a time-consuming and complex process. However, with DrayMaster’s RFP bid tool, this arduous task becomes a breeze. Here’s how it works:

1. Creating a Bid: Start by creating a bid and naming it for easy tracking.
2. Rate Profile Selection: Select the appropriate rate profile for the customer you are bidding for. This ensures that the most accurate rates for that customer are provided.
3. Uploading RFP Data: You can either upload the RFP data provided by the customer by mapping column headings, or use DrayMaster’s template to enter the required information, such as city and state combinations, steamship lines, and hazard details.
4. Quick Rate Calculation: DrayMaster’s bid tool analyzes the RFP data against your rate tariff and quickly calculates line haul charges, fuel surcharges, chassis-related fees, tolls, and total amounts for each lane.
5. Customization and Finalization: You can fine-tune the rates based on customer preferences or your own, and complete the comprehensive bid package with all the pertinent information.

When we asked webinar attendees how long it would take one person on their team to respond to an RFP with 1500 lanes, the average answer was one week. With DrayMaster, this can be done in just a few hours (simply accounting for processing time, not manual entry).

By leveraging the RFP bid tool, trucking companies can drastically reduce the time spent on responding to RFPs, providing a competitive advantage in the market.

DrayMaster’s Tools for Rate Management and Growth

DrayMaster offers a comprehensive set of tools to assist trucking companies in managing rates and growing their business. Some of the features we explored during the live webinar were:

1. Rate Analyzer: The rate analyzer cleans up rate tariffs, identifies errors, and fills in missing information to create a fully digitized and accurate rate tariff for efficient operations.
2. Rate Profiles: Customizable rate profiles enable truckers to cater to specific customer requirements, ensuring accurate and relevant rates for various customers.
3. Community Rates: Trucking companies can post community rates to attract more business opportunities for specific lanes, enhancing their visibility and reach.
4. Unlimited Professional Quotes: Your team can generate unlimited customizable quotes from your tariff, to send to any customer, or even just for internal use.
5. Capacity Calendar: The capacity calendar feature allows truckers to display their available capacity on a weekly or monthly basis, simplifying communication with customers and enabling efficient scheduling.
6. My Directory Listing: A professional business profile that your prospective customers can find in the DrayMaster directory.
7. Web-Connect Customer Portal: The customer portal allows your customers to log in and generate a quote for any of your lanes, without making a single call. This personalized portal can live on your website, and you can link to it in your email signature, making the process more accessible and streamlined.

These are a few of the key features for growth within DrayMaster, and to learn more about each watch through the webinar, or schedule a personalized demo with Travis here

RFPs Shouldn’t be Really Freakin Painful

In our industry, responding swiftly to RFPs is crucial to securing rewarding future partnerships. DrayMaster’s RFP bid tool provides a powerful solution to expedite the bidding process and increase the likelihood of winning business. Furthermore, DrayMaster’s rate management platform offers a range of features that empower trucking companies to grow their business, attract new customers, and streamline their operations. By utilizing these tools, trucking companies can navigate the uncertainties of the drayage rates with confidence, optimizing their performance and profitability.

DrayMaster: Turn RFPs into Rewarding Future Partnerships | Full Webinar

Thank you to everyone who joined live, participated in our polls, and asked questions! It was wonderful to spend time with you, and we hope you had fun and learned a thing or two.

Please reach out to Travis Barnier at travis.barnier@wisetechglobal.com with any questions or comments. If you’d like to schedule a personalized demo, book a time with Travis here.