'Low prices' doesn't often mean 'low costs'

ABF routinely provides exceptional service, and occasionally that’s a problem. It’s a little like great food. When that’s all you have, you never really think about how good it is. Personalized service works the same way. Sometimes you don’t notice it until it’s gone. Of course, when that happens, most people usually want it back.

That was the case with a Kansas City-based furniture manufacturer. For years, they routinely chose ABF to handle their transportation needs. And, for years, ABF routinely provided personal service with customized solutions to their special freight requirements. Everyone was happy. Then, on the promise of significantly reduced costs, the manufacturer decided to allow a third-party logistics company to handle all their freight needs.

It turned out to be an empty promise. Oh, the logistics company handled their freight all right; they just didn’t handle their needs. Soon, damages and claims were hitting the ceiling. Costs were skyrocketing. The manufacturer was swamped by complaints from unhappy customers. And, worse of all, the new carriers hired by the logistics company didn’t seem to care. Two things quickly became clear: 1) “low prices” don’t often translate into “low costs”; and 2) inferior service has a corrosive effect on customer satisfaction.

Thankfully, ABF is once again their carrier of choice. They choose ABF because 99 percent of the shipments we’ve handled during the past five years were delivered claims-free. During those rare instances when a claim was filed, 99 percent of the time it was settled within 90 days. In fact, we were named both Best in Claims/Loss Prevention and Best in Security by the American Trucking Associations -- an industry first.

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Do you have a similar situation? Or perhaps you'd like to give us some feedback. We'd love to hear from you! E-mail us at marketing@abf.com.