The service choices are many to start with—take European road freight, for example. A business can choose from a groupage service, part-loaded direct trailer, full trailer, express van or courier, import or export, all depending on their current needs. Is it budget-related or time-sensitive, or are they happy to accept recommendations based on mutual trust?

The USP of a broker such as Espace Global Freight, is that we don’t have to be any type of booker either. If our model were centred around a groupage operation, 90% of our week would be concerned around filling the trailer which was booked to leave on Friday. We wouldn’t be able to offer our clients options, and we wouldn’t be particularly interested to do so either. As things stand, we’re in the best position to give them what they should have, a choice of what service they book based on a balanced of relationship and trust, cost and transit time.

On that basis alone, brokers will always have relevance on the market. What’s important though is the continual development of the services a broker can offer. In November, you may recall, we launched our own 3PL operation based in Birmingham. Interest in the service has been high from existing and new clients alike; one such client has recently awarded us their Home Delivery contract for garden furniture sold at nationwide retail centres. Without taking the plunge into 3PL, it’s an opportunity we’d never have been able to take.

I’m working closely with the rest of the Directors at Espace to deliver two planned new services this year. Once launched, they will be continually developed just as our 3PL is developing to deliver our strategic goals and more importantly, to tailor them to our clients needs.

Perhaps if you enter a lull towards the Easter holidays, reflect on the question of “what type of freight mover are you?” If you’d like some advice on ways you can lessen your spend or de-risk your supply chain, give us a call. We’ll be only too happy to chat through your options.