It has been three incredible years since the launch of our internal CRM, designed to make our freight agents’ lives better and careers more lucrative. The Tallgrass CRM truly sets us apart from other freight brokerages, in large part because it is a literal product of our company culture.

Technology can either power you or drag you down: There is no in-between! And here at TGF, we’re proud of the way our CRM fuels our agents’ businesses. Let’s take a look at how our CRM supports agents and back office staff alike, plus a sneak peek into our plans to continue innovating.

Where It All Began: The Impetus Behind Launching the CRM

We first officially introduced our CRM back in 2021, with groundbreaking features like monthly performance stats and a streamlined shipment booking system. 

A vast majority of agent programs use off-the-shelf CRM systems. With these subpar pre-packaged CRMs, companies and freight brokers are essentially handcuffed to the system’s limited capabilities. These systems aren’t crafted to a freight broker’s unique needs. And their cumbersome features end up wasting time . . . time that ought to be spent serving customers, after all! 

Knowing full-well the headaches other CRMs can cause, and how an inferior system can stunt career growth, we set out to build the best freight CRM in the country. Built by freight experts, for freight experts, it’s the new standard for freight technology. Why? In its first three years, our Tallgrass CRM has allowed us to support our freight agents unlike ever before. 

Since then, the CRM has boasted more than seven production releases, launching everything from small adjustments to totally new features.

“There are so many things within the CRM that make my days easier,” says Tallgrass agent Ryan G. about using the technology, “including checking appointment times, lane history, potential customer information and shipping statistics.” These are just a few of the CRM functions our agents use every single day!

The Highlights: From Key Features to “What If” Tickets

Among the many new features launched over the years, one of the most exciting was the DAT and TruckStop integration that empowers our agents to post their loads without leaving the CRM. We also added invoicing features to make it easier for the back office to invoice customers, freeing up more of their time to serve our agents.

Many of the CRM’s best features would not exist without the input and brilliant ideas of our freight agents! Tallgrass agents are encouraged to submit “What If” tickets any time they have feedback on an existing CRM feature or a suggestion for a new feature that would make their life easier. 

Since the launch of our CRM, we’ve incorporated approximately one “What If” idea every ten days! And because there’s nothing better than getting celebrated for your contributions, we reward team members for their brilliant “What If” ideas. Every “What If” recommendation that comes to life means a $100 cash award! 

Where We Are Now: How the CRM Makes Agents’ Lives Easier

To put it simply, our CRM helps agents earn more money by simplifying their everyday lives. This is the mentality not just behind Tallgrass technology, but Tallgrass as a whole! Everyone at Tallgrass Freight shares this mindset of uplifting one another to greater success, from the leadership to the back office to the tech team to the agents themselves.

When asked exactly how the CRM sets Tallgrass apart, John emphasizes over and over again how it’s just one part of the whole culture that makes Tallgrass an award-winning freight company. In John’s words, “The CRM is supported by an amazing back office; it’s supported by an amazing leadership team. Not only that, while you’re here at Tallgrass you’re supported by other agents and other agencies: people who want to really help you do what you’re doing.”

Looking Forward: What’s on the Horizon for the Tallgrass CRM

The CRM has undergone incredible transformation over the last three years, but we’re not finished yet! We’re always brainstorming new ideas and asking our agents to share their suggestions. We have four major new features planned to launch in 2024 already:

• Franchise Mode, which will add greater flexibility with security assignments and roles for our larger freight agencies

• A notification engine to automatically email customers and carriers about specific events in the system

• A pay-online portal, allowing customers to pay invoices online

• And an upgraded LTL Rating engine to make it even easier for agents to manage their LTL freight

While these features are already being developed for release this year, our tech team is constantly meeting to review agents’ “What If” submissions, so you know there are game-changing updates coming soon!

A Moment of Gratitude

As the saying goes, it takes a village — and that’s certainly the case for our CRM development. All of us at Tallgrass are thankful for John and his outstanding Information Technology team for listening to and serving our agents so well with a CRM like no other. John says he owes the success of the CRM to his development team. “I would not be here without the team members that I have,” he says. “I’m just as proud of what the team has done as I am of the team we’ve created.”

And huge thank you goes out to our VP of Product Development Mike Clemmons for being such an excellent resource, as well as David and Damon for establishing Tallgrass’s beyond-compare company culture having the early vision for all our CRM would do for agents!

“The CRM is part of all that Tallgrass has to offer, and just one aspect of the full package that makes the Tallgrass culture. I’ve never been anywhere quite like Tallgrass.”

— John Ruf

Tallgrass is More Than a Great CRM

The secret’s out: As we celebrate our CRM’s third anniversary, it’s become a crucial resource that helps freight agents do their jobs well and get those top-tier commissions. But it’s only part of what makes TGF the destination network for independent agents. As John explains, “The CRM is part of all that Tallgrass has to offer, and just one aspect of the full package that makes the Tallgrass culture. I’ve never been anywhere quite like Tallgrass.”

Interested in learning more about becoming an agent at Tallgrass and what makes us so different from other freight companies? Contact us to find out more!