Hello,
So here I am posting again and providing a little summary of my endeavours as a new owner operator during the previous month.
I know that what I am about ask is closely guarded secret, but desperation leads me to ask anyway.
I have spent the last month trying to get a single regular client from where I would be able generate as much income that would sustain my business and pay for my costs only let alone paying myself any wage at all.
I tried to profile potential companies based in London (Since my business located near Heathrow.) that would be willing to enter into an agreement with my business. I have identified a potential customer as a commercial entity, medium to small sized business, (larger entities I have found rarely willing to deal with owner drivers) with the regular need to import and/or export large volumes of goods.
Despite of my best efforts however I am struggling to compose a comprehensive list of such business entities and even more so to find details such as e-mail addresses or telephone numbers of decision makers within those organisations.
If I try my luck and attempt cold calling businesses I rarely able to make it further then the reception staff. The call instantly get classified as an “unwanted marketing call”, and leads to not much of a result.
I have tried mass e-mailing, cold calling, personal visits but nothing seems to work. The daily costs are mounting up on me right now and I see no light at the end of the tunnel.
The only work I would be able to get is from other haulage companies and return loads sites at rates that would generate losses should I have choose to undertake them.
I see many owner drivers in the road carrying out work for larger companies like Royal Mail and Tesco’s. Every haulage company seemed to have a link to Royal Mail and I do not understand how contracts are formed and how service provider and supplier finds each other. Are hauliers approaching their preferred client or mainly the client finds the contractor? Is it all down to connections and networking between people and companies built over long years?
How could a new company build up reputation and build connections the best way?
Some companies based in the midlands on freight exchange sites are advertising loads from London. How on earth are they come across those contracts? Clearly some of those haulage business are able to source more work that exceeds their capacity to carry out those contracts.
My prices are very competitive and by no means above even the bottom of the average rates charged.
If you can please shed some light in me as I would love to know what am I doing wrong or what I could be doing better to be able to make the tiniest of progress.
I would appreciate any ideas, that has the slightest possibility of generating a few leads.
Many thanks to all who have helped so far by sharing your experience and hints.
Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year to all!!!
Kind regards,
Lucas