What is the work of a freight dispatcher and how to open a business in this area from scratch. Freight Dispatcher for Private Drivers Freight Dispatch Services

Currently, the transportation of goods by road is very much in demand. It is freight transport that is the most affordable, efficient and simple way of delivery, as it requires a minimum number of approvals and documents.

In addition, most of all administrative procedures are carried out, which are the link between the transport company and the sender of the goods. Today, private dispatchers for cargo transportation are individuals or organized companies whose tasks include searching for orders for cargo transportation, as well as their full support. The differences between citizens and organizations are not significant, since they perform the same functions, the difference is only in the number of completed transactions.

private dispatchers for cargo transportation solve a number of problems

Private dispatchers for cargo transportation have as their task the search for new customers, both among carriers and shippers, the development of the most optimal route, a preliminary calculation of the cost of services, the preparation of the necessary accompanying documentation, as well as the collection of information and the provision of information on passing cargo. Organized private dispatch services can sometimes provide armed escort for especially valuable cargo.

Cargo transportation with a private dispatcher from Mobile Logistics has a number of advantages:

• Our prices are the lowest for cargo transportation with a private dispatcher
• Cargo transportation with a private dispatcher is carried out by qualified professional drivers and loaders
• In our fleet only modern and comfortable cars
• Cargo transportation with a private dispatcher with Mobile Logistics saves time and money

Sometimes private dispatchers for cargo transportation, who have certain experience and knowledge, accompany cargo transportation, office moving, not only in Russia, but also abroad. As a rule, such support is carried out on the territory of the CIS countries and the Customs Union, in which domestic legislation is similar to Russian. In this case, in addition to their direct duties, they perform the functions of a private customs broker.

Cargo transportation with dispatcher

As a result of his activities, a private dispatcher gains experience, analyzes, systematizes, updates and develops a customer base. If a citizen acts as a private dispatcher, then it will not be difficult for him to subsequently find a job in a large transport company. To work as a private dispatcher, you must have Internet access, a multi-line telephone and a notepad for notes.

The private dispatcher sets the work schedule on his own, but, as a rule, this is an irregular day. Also, the basis for the success of such a dispatcher is his tact and courtesy in dealing with customers at any time of the day. Depending on the number of completed transactions, the income of a private dispatcher directly depends.

Many important links are involved in the process of cargo transportation, one of which is the cargo dispatcher. What is this specialist? What is his job? How to become a freight dispatcher and open your own business in this area? You will find answers to all the questions raised in our article.

What is the activity of a freight forwarder

Freight dispatcher is an important link between the cargo owner and the carrier

The dispatcher is a production link, which is responsible for establishing communication between the cargo owner and the carrier. More specifically, he selects the appropriate transport for delivery, based on the requirements of the owner of the cargo, and tracks its movement along the entire route up to the destination. In addition, the dispatcher is responsible for coordinating the interaction of several customers in the process of delivery of groupage cargoes, or those cargoes that are transported by additional loading.

As soon as the cargo arrives at the appointed place, the work of the freight forwarder is considered completed, and he receives a predetermined percentage of the total amount of the contract (usually 10-15%).

In order to find an option that suits the customer in a short time, the freight dispatcher must have sufficient experience and knowledge in the industry, be polite, sociable, always collected and stress-resistant. The last component is especially important, since the freight forwarder, being a kind of bridge between the customer and the contractor, is responsible to both of them - in some situations even financially.

Interaction through a freight dispatcher is, of course, mutually beneficial for both customers and deliverers. Cargo owners save their time on searching for carriers, and those, in turn, do not have to constantly scour in search of free and return cargo.

How to start your own trucking business

Before you open your own business in the field of cargo transportation, carefully study the current situation in this segment: how crowded it is with competitors, what methods they use to attract customers, their strengths and weaknesses. This information will help you build your own strategy and avoid repeating the mistakes of others.

If you do not have large funds, you can open an office at home

After that, decide on the scale of future activities and, accordingly, the legal form. If you are planning to open a small company, then a home office and registration as an individual entrepreneur will be enough. Well, if the budget allows you to immediately launch a wide range of activities across the entire range of services, then you can’t do without renting a room and registering an LLC.

The type of activity you need according to OKVED is “Organization of cargo transportation”.

In the second case, you will have to equip the office with the necessary equipment to the maximum and resort to hiring employees. With the economy option, a multi-channel phone, reliable unlimited Internet and your own strength are enough.

Not only the size of the staff and premises for work, but also such an important issue as having your own fleet of vehicles depends on your financial capabilities. If there are enough funds, then you can purchase a certain number of cars in the property. If the budget is not so large, then there is the option of renting vehicles. Well, for those who decided not to spend money right away, there remains only an intermediary role between the shipper and the carrier.

In order for your business to be known, it must be heard. And how to achieve this? That's right, with advertising. We recommend using all possible sources: advertisements in newspapers, a video or a ticker on TV, roadside billboards (if funds allow) and, of course, the Internet. Pay special attention to the last method of promotion, since, according to statistics, 80% of all cargo transportation transactions take place via the Internet. Go to popular resources, forums, communities on social networks, leave information about yourself, send letters of cooperation, arrange fan mailings. In the future, the expansion of your company's customer base will be mainly due to word of mouth.

We also recommend that you go through the catalog of enterprises in your city in order to determine which of them, due to their production activities, may need to transport cargo. Once you've identified a list of such companies, let them know about your business via email or phone call. If there is an opportunity to pay a personal visit, it should not be neglected either.

Documentation in the trucking business should be taken as seriously as possible.

Your interaction with both carriers and cargo owners will take place on the basis of contracts, according to which you search for customers and suitable vehicles, respectively - this applies to both LLCs and individual entrepreneurs. In general, documentation should be taken very seriously. If you yourself do not have the necessary competencies, seek the help of a lawyer. Every little thing must be taken into account in order to avoid possible misunderstandings and misunderstandings.

For example, an application for transportation should contain the following data:

• type of vehicle;
• vehicle number;
• place of cargo loading;
• place of unloading;
• type of cargo;
• its mass;
• volume.

Check the signatures and seals of the parties involved in the shipment. Cargo transportation is paid in cash upon unloading or by bank transfer after receipt by the cargo owners of OTTN. All documentation on applications and contracts is available for free on the Internet, for example.

Video: How to start your own business in the field of cargo transportation

Whether the trucking business succeeds or not depends on a number of factors, but, above all, on you personally. If your approach to doing business is professional and conscientious, your methods are unique and innovative, and your communication style with customers and carriers is friendly and open, then luck will pay attention to you.

Logistics is a promising area of ​​business, where there is a pronounced lack of qualified specialists. Since this activity involves remote work, most logisticians prefer to turn their own home into a kind of control room. Below we propose to consider the questions of what a home-based freight dispatcher is, where to start and how to properly organize this business.

A freight dispatcher is a person who helps to contact the cargo owner with the direct executor

The most profitable areas of logistics

The high level of income of representatives of this profession is pushing an increasing number of people to master the necessary skills. However, many overlook the number of loads in this area. That is why, before talking about how to become a logistician, let's pay attention to the main nuances of this direction.

In logistics, there are three separate areas that allow remote work:

1. Dispatching service- an employee in this area acts as an intermediary between the truck driver and the customer. The duties of the dispatcher include receiving calls from potential customers, appointing a contractor, as well as calculating the cost of the cargo transportation itself. In addition, the representative of this direction should deal with the coordination of various details of the delivery. In most cases, the customers are small companies that do not have trucks. The work of the dispatcher is carried out in shifts and is highly paid. The lack of necessary practical knowledge makes this vacancy desirable for women on maternity leave.
2. Logistics sales manager– the duties of a representative of this direction include comprehensive measures to attract potential customers. A logistics services manager must constantly study changes in the market, as well as maintain a database of potential and regular customers. The duties of representatives of this profession include the preparation of reports and the conclusion of contracts, as well as the promotion of the company on the market. Managers work directly with manufacturing enterprises and companies that produce marketable products. The level of income of a representative of this area depends on the number of deals made, since the salary is calculated on the basis of percentage deductions.
3. Logistics- the most valuable personnel in this field of activity. The logistician's task includes coordinating the work of the warehouse, tracking the status of transportation, calculations aimed at reducing costs, selecting customers and developing a route. Most often, a company acting as a supplier of inventory items is engaged in hiring these specialists.

What does it take to become a logistician?

Unfortunately, the current level of domestic education is insufficient for the education of highly qualified professionals. Therefore, you can get the necessary knowledge only in private courses or during practice. However, before starting to deal with logistics, a minimum set of theoretical knowledge is required.

Only a competent and experienced freight forwarder is able to find for the client in a short time the transport necessary for the delivery of various types of goods

The ability to understand the types of vehicles, knowledge of the most popular routes, classification of inventory items and methods for calculating the most convenient way to the destination will allow you to get the maximum income from this activity.

In order to work from home, you should take a number of logistics training courses:

1. ESHKO course. This course includes thirty individual lessons with experienced teachers. The average cost of a month of training is about ten dollars. Training is carried out remotely with the help of special magazines that consider the main tasks encountered during practice;
2. Logistics course provided by the Lectorium website- This program is based on fifty videos and sixteen practical tasks. The duration of the training is about 4 months. The development of this course was carried out by specialists from the St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. Training is provided online free of charge.
3. Training courses at the Moscow State Technical University. During the passage of this course, students will be faced with solving eight problems taken from practice. Students of this course will gain knowledge about the rules for choosing a carrier, calculating fuel and lubricants, as well as working with various trekking systems. The organizers of this course provide their students with the opportunity to visit companies involved in cargo transportation. The cost of a full course of study is about 25,000 rubles.

However, in order to feel confident in this profession, you need to acquire additional skills. Constant self-improvement and acquiring new knowledge increases the chances of getting a highly paid position. Considering the question of how to make money on cargo transportation, you need to focus on the need for the following knowledge:

1. English language. Knowledge of English opens up the prospect of cooperation with foreign companies, which significantly increase potential income.
2. Knowledge of computers and applications. In order to work as a freight dispatcher, you must be able to work with Microsoft Excel. It is in this program that the majority of economic and statistical calculations and the execution of current documentation are made.
3. Marketing and communication technology. The task of the dispatcher includes constant contact with carriers and customers. That is why the logistics service employee must be endowed with communication skills and the ability to resolve controversial issues.
4. Time management. The dispatching service of cargo transportation must be in touch within twenty-four hours. Most dispatchers work in shifts, which requires the representatives of this profession to be able to plan their own time.
5. Knowledge of the geographical features of the regions. An employee of a logistics company must know all the geographical features of the regions that will be encountered in the work. The logistician's task is to work with a map, analyze climatic conditions and study the socio-political situation in the region where the main activity will be carried out.

In most cases, the organization acting as the employer is responsible for the training of controllers. In order to assess the prospects for this professional area and career growth, one should begin one's development as a specialist from the position of a dispatcher.

The dispatcher at home is a special employee who is responsible for receiving and transmitting information

Work mode and income level

Despite the prospect of a high and stable income, it should be understood that logistics is a complex task that requires a person to constantly process large amounts of incoming data. The ability to make decisions in stressful situations is not available to everyone, therefore, before diving into this area, you should carefully analyze the tasks that you will face during your work life.

The average monthly income of a beginner in this field is about 15,000 rubles. A real specialist in this field is able to earn up to 250,000. It is important to note that this level of income can only be obtained if you are permanently employed in one organization. Specialists of the middle category, working at home, earn about 70,000 rubles.

It should be clarified that the amount of monthly income is directly dependent on the type of activity. Working as a home-based trucking dispatcher involves a shift schedule, which means that employment will be only 10-12 days per month. In most organizations using the services of remote dispatchers, the daily rate is about 1,000 rubles. Thus, the amount of monthly income will be about 15,000 per month.

A manager in the field of sales of logistics services does not receive a fixed rate, but a certain percentage of the contracts he has concluded. Despite the fact that the representative of this direction works in a standard schedule, the number of deals made has a wave-like character. Based on this, it is rather problematic to calculate the level of monthly income.

Let's look at an example of a deal. Imagine that the sales manager managed to conclude a contract worth 25,000 rubles. In this example, the income from the conclusion of the contract will be about 7,000 (30%). With proper organization of labor activity, the number of transactions can reach ten. Based on this, we can say that this lesson can bring about 70,000 rubles every month.

The average salary of the logisticians themselves is from 120,000 rubles and more. Work as a logistician at home is carried out in the form of outsourcing. This means that your main task will be to constantly find and attract new customers. The employers of "home" logisticians are most often small companies that do not need to use such services frequently. The conclusion of an employment agreement on remote work with large enterprises is complicated by the format of this activity.

Freight dispatcher at home - a very convenient job for cargo owners

Necessary equipment

The presence of theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of logistics is not enough to start working. For remote work, it is necessary to properly prepare the workplace in order to avoid possible interruptions.

In order to carry out dispatching services for cargo transportation, you need a modern computer with broadband Internet access. At your fingertips should always be a smartphone that also has an Internet connection. Most professionals in this field use several phones in order to always be in touch.

A special program for receiving incoming calls must be installed on your computer. For greater mobility, you will need to purchase a special headset. Since the task of the dispatchers is to print various documents, you will need to purchase a printer and scanner. In the work of managers, a digital signature is often required in order to be able to conclude transactions via the Internet.

The average cost of organizing a workplace is about 50,000 rubles. Therefore, before purchasing the necessary equipment, it is worthwhile to consider in advance the area in which you are going to carry out your activities.

Where to look for clients

Considering the question of how freight dispatchers work, special attention should be paid to the methods of finding potential customers. The main client base in this type of activity consists of small enterprises engaged in trading activities and production. In addition, organizations engaged in the rental of warehouse space or the provision of forwarding services can become your clients. Vacancies in this business area are divided into two main areas:

• vacancies for beginners with a minimum pay;
• vacancies for professionals with extensive practice.

Transport services have been in great demand in recent years and, as practice shows, they give a good profit.

It is best to work at home with vacancies from the first option, since this practice will allow you to gain experience and gain the necessary knowledge for further development as a specialist.

You can find the first employers on various job sites, freelance exchanges and professional forums.

Often, novice logisticians begin their professional career by sending resumes to companies involved in cargo transportation. In order to get your first order, you need to find several shipping companies in your area and visit their web pages. Such sites often contain a "vacancies" section. When sending your resume to the employer's email address, you should indicate in advance that you are looking for a remote job.