Before I get into how the Swap Body solution provides a significant value-add to truck providers, I want to preface this blog by saying I come from a background of selling truck leases direct to businesses. So, I understand the challenges faced by truck providers when it comes to winning business from tough competitor accounts and companies that “have always done it this way and it works, so we aren’t changing.” The purpose of this article is to connect the dots between that world and the Demountable solution so you, as a truck provider, have a much clearer path when knocking on those tough doors. So let’s get into it…
There are many reasons behind why companies decide to buy from certain individuals, but I think we can all agree that trust plays a huge part. This becomes even more apparent when you are selling a significant change in how a company operates or buys. By truly understanding a company’s obstacles and operational needs, you as the sales person can really recommend the best solution, prove it out, and earn your customer’s trust by doing so. The Swap Body solution through Demountable Concepts provides a great way to achieve this new level of trust and show your clients that you aren’t just selling them a truck, but a better way of running their delivery operations.
The Swap Body solution focuses on many areas of the operation including warehouse loading costs, warehouse operation efficiencies, driver up-time, delivery volume, and fleet costs. Working with you and your client we’ll uncover all of the information about their operations required to recommend the best way to leverage our system. We will provide you the support and knowledge necessary to go to your client and “save the day”...ultimately winning more deals and getting more equipment on the road.
In general, when it comes to warehousing, there are many inefficiencies. Product is often staged at dock doors waiting for trucks to return in order to load. This results in multiple product touches, less warehouse space to work with, and extra labor after hours to load the product once trucks return. So, if you hear your client talk about 2nd shift or overtime loading, OR you see product jamming up their warehouse space near bay doors, Swap Body should become a topic of conversation.
Having to wait for trucks to return also restricts how much product companies can distribute in a day because they need the truck at the dock to load. Without owning extra power units, they would never be able to offer same day deliveries or multiple delivery shifts.
Speaking of extra power units, this brings me to my next item…fleet cost. Let me go back to value. As a truck provider, I’m sure you work hard to bring in the most business possible. There is a delicate balance between that, and building a relationship with your customer. Doing the right thing by the customer is a sure shot way of generating more revenue and getting more trucks on order as a whole. With our solutions you can provide the value of fleet optimization and increased utilization. If you see a client with trucks consistently sitting at the warehouse and being loaded daily to turn deliveries quicker, this is a huge sign that they are ready for Demountable.
What about remote distribution? Well let’s talk about regional warehousing. In the hub-and-spoke method, you have a main distribution center that feeds multiple, regional warehouses. These regional warehouses are more often cross-docks taking product from a line-haul trailer and cross-docking it into delivery box trucks. This results in more product touches, additional labor, and millions of dollars of facility overheads. If your client operates regional warehousing within 300 miles of a DC, definitely get us involved. It’s worth a look into the Warehouse on Wheels solution.
Let’s not forget about the remote distribution drivers. On one hand, it’s not uncommon to have line-haul drivers trying to fight traffic during the day just to get to a cross-dock, resulting in more driver labor and late deliveries. On the other hand, some companies send their box truck drivers direct from a DC to the final mile market resulting in 2-4 hours of windshield time before even making their first delivery! Not to mention the 2-4 hours they have to account for on the return trip. This is extremely inefficient and needs to be addressed by using our remote Warehouse on Wheels solution.
You are probably thinking...“OK, so we covered the issues, how do we solve them?” Check out this truck dealer webinar I hosted recently that discusses the value our solution provides, and how it addresses these issues head on.
After you’ve reviewed how we can help, reach out to us. We can provide online meetings, company specific webinars, virtual or in-person equipment demonstrations, customer visits and even facility tours. We are pulling from 30+ years of business history and building these systems for companies across many different industries. Chances are, we’ve run into any issues you’ve faced before, so don’t hesitate to get us involved. We look forward to working with you, creating a partnership with you, and ultimately getting more equipment on the road FOR you.
