Oh No! What Do We Do Now?

Oh No! What Do We Do Now?

Have you ever been under a load and then booked one or two more loads to follow it? On paper, the schedule may look like it will work perfectly. But sometimes, one small change can throw everything off.

Recently, we were under a load that we had not picked up yet when we were offered another load. The pickup for the second load was going to be very close to the delivery location for the first load, so we thought we could make it work.

Once we arrived at the first pickup, we tried to contact someone at the consignee to schedule a delivery time. Unfortunately, we did not hear back before accepting the second load. When we finally connected with the consignee, we learned that the earliest delivery time was 9:00 a.m.

The second load had a pickup window between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. and had to be delivered by 2:30 p.m on the same day. It was more than a 300 mile drive, which we estimated would take about six hours.

Clearly, we could not deliver the first load at 9:00, get to the second pickup, drive more than 300 miles, and deliver that load by 2:30 p.m. So, what do we do now?

As soon as we realized there was a problem, we contacted the person who offered us the second load and explained the situation. We also offered possible solutions. Could the customer accept the delivery later in the day? Would they be willing to take delivery the following day? Or could another available truck be found to cover the load?

Under normal circumstances, we prefer not to schedule a delivery and then a pickup on the same day. It can create unnecessary pressure and leave very little room for unexpected delays. In this case, however, the schedule looked manageable when we accepted the load.

So, how do you handle booking multiple loads? Do you string several loads together? What happens when one load gets delayed or canceled? Do you remain committed to every load, regardless of the circumstances, or do you cancel the loads you can no longer reach? This might mean driving many miles without pay to honor the commitments made. 

For us, the goal is simple. Honor every commitment made and do everything possible to meet the customer’s requirements. Sometimes, however, circumstances arise that we could not have known about or controlled.

When that happens, communication is everything. Being upfront, explaining the situation, and offering solutions can go a long way toward protecting both the customer relationship and your reputation.

Here’s to millions of safe, profitable and COMMITTED miles.

Kelly Plumb