Stop Bidding Blind: How to Win More Contracts
Picture this: you spot an interesting freight request, Milan to Berlin, general cargo, dates that fit your schedule. You bid €1,200, confident it's competitive.
Hours later, you discover that another carrier won the contract. But what did they bid? €1,150? €1,000? And more importantly, how much was the shipper willing to pay?
Completely in the dark, you might have left €200 on the table by bidding too low. Or lost it by €50 when you could have made a counter-offer.
This is bidding blind. And in road freight, bidding blind means losing margins and contracts.
Truckscanner Premium: Streamline Negotiations with Complete Information
Truckscanner was built to cut the paperwork and speed up negotiations between shippers and carriers. Even with the free version, you get access to a digital archive of verified documents, allowing shippers and carriers to exchange certifications without wasting time on emails and phone calls.
But with Truckscanner Premium, you go further: not just digital documents, but also real-time strategic insights that turn every negotiation from endless back-and-forth into a fast, informed decision.
You get access to three exclusive pieces of information that no other freight exchange offers to streamline your negotiations:
1. Shipper Credit Rating: Know Who You're Working With
Before making any bid, you know exactly who the shipper is. The credit rating shows you:
- Creditworthiness: assess the company's financial stability
- Years in business: established company or recent startup?
- Estimated turnover: actual size of the business
- Payment reliability: how much you can trust their punctuality
Why it's essential for freight contracts: Not all shippers are equal. A company with a low rating might pay late or cause collection issues. With the credit rating, you know whether it's worth lowering your price to win that contract or if you're better off looking elsewhere.
Practical example: You see two similar freight requests. One from a shipper with a high rating and a track record of 30-day payments. The other from a shipper with a low rating and zero references on the platform. For the first, you can offer standard terms. For the second? Either ask for immediate payment or it's not worth the risk.
2. Shipper Budget: Your Secret Weapon to Win
This is the golden information that helps you win freight contracts.
When the shipper posts a load, they enter the maximum budget they have available. With Premium, you see that budget.
If the shipper has already received bids lower than their budget, you'll see the current lowest bid instead of the initial budget.
How it works in practice:
- Shipper posts a request with a €1,500 budget
- You see "Available budget: €1,500"
- Another carrier bids €1,200
- You now see "Lowest bid received: €1,200"
The competitive advantage is huge for winning contracts:
- You know the maximum price the shipper would pay
- You know if other carriers have already bid and how much
- You can make surgical bids that beat the competition while maximising your margin
Real case: Budget €1,500, lowest bid received €1,300. Without Premium? You'd shoot in the dark, maybe €1,100, losing €200 in margin. With Premium? You bid €1,250 and win the contract with optimal margin.
3. Direct Shipper Contact: Call and Close
Have questions about the freight request? Want to clarify some details before bidding? With Truckscanner Premium you get the direct phone number of the shipper's contact person.
Call, clarify, bid, close the deal.
While your competitors wait for replies via chat or email, you've already spoken with the client, understood exactly what they need, perhaps even built a rapport.
And when the bids come in, the shipper remembers you.
A direct phone call isn't just about speed. It's about relationship, trust, professionalism. It's the way to turn a cold transaction into a partnership that generates recurring contracts.
Practical Strategies to Win More Freight Contracts
Strategy 1: Competitive Bids with Maximum Margin
Without Premium: You bid €1,000 hoping it's low enough to win the contract.
With Premium: You see budget €1,400, no bids received yet. You bid €1,350 and win. You've earned €350 more compared to shooting in the dark.
Strategy 2: Tailored Payment Terms
Without Premium: You ask for standard 60-day payment terms for all contracts.
With Premium: You see the shipper has a low credit rating. You offer a competitive price but ask for 15-day or upfront payment. Protect your cash flow.
Strategy 3: Build Lasting Partnerships
Without Premium: You win a contract, know nothing about the client, and that's the end of it.
With Premium: You see the shipper has significant turnover and a high rating. You call, introduce yourself, make an excellent impression. This contract is the first of many. Long-term strategic partnership.
Losing Cycle vs Winning Cycle
Losing Cycle (Without Premium)
- You see an interesting freight request
- You bid blind
- Too high? You lose the contract
- Too low? You lose margin
- You never know how to improve your strategy
Winning Cycle (With Premium)
- You see an interesting freight request
- You check the shipper's credit rating (reliable?)
- You see the available budget (how much can I ask?)
- You call for clarifications (build relationship)
- You bid with solid data (maximum margin, minimum risk)
- You win more contracts, learn, optimise, grow
Truckscanner Premium: The Complete Ecosystem for Carriers
Premium insights aren't isolated. They're part of an integrated ecosystem to win contracts:
✅ Shipper credit ratings to assess reliability
✅ Budgets and competing bids to maximise margins
✅ Direct contact to build relationships
✅ WhatsApp notifications to react immediately to requests
✅ Premium web showcase to receive direct quote requests
✅ Verified digital documents to speed up negotiations
✅ Transport statistics to optimise profitability
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the shipper know I can see their budget?
Yes, Premium shippers know they share this information with Premium carriers to speed up negotiations and reduce the time to close contracts. It's transparency that benefits everyone.
Can I still bid higher than the budget?
Absolutely. If the budget is €1,000 but you offer a premium service (newer vehicle, guaranteed delivery times, additional insurance), you can justify €1,200. The shipper will consider the added value.
What if the rating is low but I'm interested in the contract?
You can still bid, but adjust your terms: upfront payment, clear guarantees, agreed penalties. The credit rating helps you protect your business, not automatically exclude opportunities.
How much does Premium cost?
Premium includes not only these exclusive insights, but also WhatsApp notifications, professional web showcase, advanced routing, complete statistics and much more. An investment that pays for itself with just one better-won contract per month.
Stop Losing Contracts and Margins. Start Winning with Data
In road freight, information is profit. Every day you lose contracts because you don't know how much to bid, who you're dealing with, whether that client will pay on time.
Truckscanner Premium gives you the answers before you bid. Credit rating, shipper budget, direct contact. Three pieces of information that turn blind guesses into winning strategic decisions.
The difference between a carrier that survives and one that thrives is this: solid data to win more contracts, informed choices to protect margins, direct relationships for lasting partnerships.
Activate Truckscanner Premium today and discover how much the right information is worth to win the most profitable contracts.
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