There are many independent freight agents in the world — and like any field, some are at the top of their game and others are reaching their potential. So for those who aspire to rise above the rest and be the very best, what does it take to make a great freight agent? What do we look for at Tallgrass Freight, and what qualities do we seek to cultivate in our freight agents?
All of our agents undergo a thorough interview process at Tallgrass Freight, from relatively new freight brokers to those with decades of experience and a competitive book of business. At the end of the day, we’re here to support our agents as they grow and become great freight agents.
Top Five Qualities of a Great Freight Agent
1. Integrity
Integrity is the very essence of not only a great freight agent, but a great person. As Tallgrass VP of Growth & Development Chloe Marshall says, “This industry isn’t exactly known for having integrity. There are lies going around constantly.” And because of that, acting with integrity will truly set you apart. Chloe explains that the agents who build trust with their customers and a reputation for honesty and integrity — with everyone from customers to carriers — will be positioned to thrive.
2. Efficiency
Great freight agents operate with efficiency, day in and day out. There’s no shortage of tasks to accomplish, customers to connect with, loads to track, prospects to call . . . the list is long! And that’s why being efficient as a freight agent is about more than simple time management. It also means being purposeful and strategic with your time, having a clear idea of what you’re going to do each day, and making time at the end of the day to prepare the next day’s game plan.
3. Adaptability
As any freight professional will tell you, this industry can feel like a roller coaster. Great freight agents are adaptable, because navigating the changing tides of freight is necessary to thrive. Freight agents face all manner of challenges day in and day out. You’ll inevitably deal with issues, unexpected delays or other brokers trying to poach your customers. And if you let yourself grow complacent and fall behind on the day-to-day account management or consistent prospecting, you won’t have room in your day to address obstacles when they happen.
“Unexpected things will pop up, and you can’t always be proactive about these emergencies,” explains Chloe. Great agents know how to adapt to changing situations and pivot strategically to stay on top of everything. Being adaptable is about holding yourself accountable to taking care of your daily to-dos while also being prepared to manage unexpected situations and issues as they crop up.
4. Going Above and Beyond
Freight is a cutthroat industry. In Chloe’s words, “It’s a dog-eat-dog world.” If you aren’t at the forefront of your customer’s minds in a positive way, someone else is ready to jump in and lure them away from you. By being a cradle-to-grave freight agent, you establish yourself as not only a broker, but a true partner who will go above and beyond to serve your customers.
Freight customers are always getting calls from other freight agents, which means you need to have a close relationship with your customers and continue to earn their business. When you deliver top-tier service, loyalty is a natural outcome.
5. An Over-Communicator
Great freight agents know how vital communication is in our industry. Proactively communicate with your customers, carriers and anyone else necessary to ensure your business is running smoothly and your freight is moving along as it should. As Chloe says, “Communication is about making sure all of the puzzle pieces connect together, because if one little piece is off, that could derail everything in the operation.”
Over-communicating is equally important when prospecting. Chloe refers to this as “professionally pestering” — persistently following up with potential customers until you get to that decision-maker who books their freight with you.
How Tallgrass Helps Build Great Freight Agents
Of course, we don’t expect freight agents coming through our doors to be perfect agents from day one! Even if they’ve been in the industry for years, there is always room to grow and uplevel. So we’re dedicated to helping our agents become their best and achieve their personal and professional goals.
Transparency
This dedication to our agents starts with complete transparency in the recruiting and interview process. “We’re brutally honest about the expectations from day one,” explains Chloe. “If at any point the agent seems uncertain about the expectations, we talk about it. What part of the expectation do you have an issue with and how can we help you overcome that?”
Strategy
Once an agent is onboarded with Tallgrass, Director of Agent Development Jordan Brady reviews their book of business each week and helps new agents strategize for their day and improve their cold-calling game. Jordan brings a wealth of experience in helping agents build a good sales pitch and know how to win!
And the strategic coaching continues for all our agents. Our team is always here to support our agents, from assistance navigating small hiccups to helping agents hire, scale and expand.
Ongoing Education
There are constantly new tools, new resources, and new technologies in the freight industry, and it can be a lot to keep up with! To help our agents stay ahead of the game, we have a company-wide professional development call every month at Tallgrass where we select a relevant topic to go through with our agents, including things like contract reviews, best practices for claims, business development calls and how to make the most of our CRM and other freight technologies like TruckStop.
Are you the kind of freight professional who doesn’t settle for “just okay,” and aspires to be a great freight agent? Then you’ll be right at home at Tallgrass. Talk to us about how you can become the best independent broker you can be at Tallgrass Freight!
