Optimize RFQ Season with AI: Faster Quotes & Better Rates for Freight Forwarders
RFQ (Request for Quote) season can be brutal, especially for small and mid-sized freight forwarders. With limited resources, lower negotiating power, and time-consuming manual processes, it can feel like an uphill battle leading to missed opportunities and higher costs.
But what if there was a way to level the playing field?
That’s where AI steps in, helping forwarders streamline their processes, secure better rates, and stay ahead of the competition.
3 Challenges Freight Forwarders Face During RFQ Season
RFQ season presents numerous hurdles for freight forwarders, including:
- Limited Resources
Most small and mid-sized FFWs don’t have the infrastructure or manpower that larger competitors have. With only a handful of employees handling the RFQ process, mistakes can slip through the cracks and resources can be stretched thin.
- Lower Negotiating Power
Freight forwarders with smaller shipment volumes often have less leverage when negotiating rates with carriers. Larger companies with higher volumes can secure better terms, leaving smaller forwarders to pay higher prices and hurting their ability to win contracts.
- Manual Processes & Operational Inefficiencies
Many FFWs rely on manual processes to gather data, track shipments, and compile quotes. These outdated systems lead to delays, missed opportunities, and operational headaches - errors that no freight forwarding company can afford.
How AI is Optimizing RFQ Timing & Strategy
The good news is that AI can resolve many of these challenges. AI-powered tools are transforming how freight forwarders approach this RFQ season, providing access to real-time data, automation, and predictive insights that enable smarter decision-making and more efficient processes.
Tracking Market Trends & Anticipating Demand Fluctuations
AI can continuously monitor market trends and anticipate demand shifts, allowing FFWs to time their RFQs more effectively. By analyzing data like shipping, columns, rate fluctuations, and economic indicators in real time, AI can pinpoint the most effective time to issue an RFQ. Whether forecasting seasonal slowdowns or anticipating price hikes driven by capacity shortages, adopting AI can give FFWs the ability to track the present and predict the future.
Gaining a Competitive Edge with AI
One of AI's most significant advantages during RFQ season is the ability to enhance negotiation power. Here’s how:
Real-Time Rate Comparisons
AI-powered tools like Starboard enable FFWs to compare rates across multiple carriers instantly. This real-time data gives smaller forwarders a competitive edge, as they can tap into up-to-the-minute pricing trends and adjust their strategies accordingly. By knowing exactly where the market stands, FFWs can negotiate rates that larger competitors might traditionally dominate.
Enhanced Negotiation Power
With a clearer understanding of market dynamics, FFWs can negotiate better rates with carriers, even with lower volumes. AI allows FFWs to push for more favorable deals, armed with data that shows when carriers are likely to be more flexible due to changing capacity or demand.
Streamlined Operations
AI also eliminates the operational inefficiencies that slow down RFQ processes. By automating data entry, managing rate sheets, and ensuring real-time accuracy, AI drastically reduces the time it takes to respond to RFQs. Instead of spending hours gathering quotes, correcting errors, and manually updating information, freight forwarders can rely on AI to do the heavy lifting. This enables teams to focus on more strategic tasks.
The Future of RFQ Season
AI’s ability to streamline processes, provide real-time insights, and enhance negotiation strategies will be critical for future-proofing operations. By adopting AI-powered tools, freight forwarders can win more RFQs with faster quotes, better rates, and fewer errors.
Ready to streamline your RFQ process with AI? Book a demo today and see how Starboard can transform your business
About Starboard
Our flagship products, Starboard OS and Starboard Quote Tools, harness the power of AI and live API integrations to help freight forwarders win more business and deliver best-in-class shipment execution.