Every transport company owner wishes to have their trucks running around the clock. But in reality – this is hard to achieve. Why? 1. It is difficult to find customers who will allow deliveries or pickups after-hours – many business owners find that to grow and secure new contracts, they need to invest in more trucks to service them. This is because the trucks they already have, are fully committed during normal day-time operating hours. An alternative is to subcontract the work to third parties, but this means giving away margin and control which is not ideal. 2. Empty container parks are often closed at night – so how would the transport operator return containers when the container depots are closed? 3. Drivers – Business owners have found the right customers, but they just can’t find the drivers. As far as the first two points are concerned, smart transport operators find customers that will provide night access and combine this with container re-use or exchange via the MB platform. This provides them with an instant approval, eliminating the need to engage with shipping lines that are closed. It also removes the need to return the container to the depot. It’s a great…
Exchanges: Why they can be a game-changer for your business
Here we are at the start of a new year and it’s always a good time for reflection and to set new goals. There is no doubt the last two years have arguably been the most challenging years we’ve ever seen and although we still have some challenges ahead of us, I’m optimistic that 2022 will be a better year for our industry and our customers. Here at MatchBox Exchange (MB), we believe the role we play within our industry is not only to provide innovative digital solutions for the container logistics industry, but to also help the industry adopt new thinking and new operating models that will deliver a better, faster, and smarter transport network. Offering smart digital products and services is one part of the solution but without adopting the right mindset it’s very likely you will not fully exploit the benefits these tools can offer your business. We call this mindset “THE MATCHBOX EXCHANGE MINDSET.” So, what is it exactly? Well before I get into explaining what it is, let me paint a picture of the current challenges faced by our industry and how adopting the MatchBox Exchange mindset can help. Today the container logistics industry is facing major challenges…