Stop Waiting for the Market to Change: Start Creating Opportunity
I’ve heard this statement over and over in recent months:
“We’re just waiting on the market to change.”
That mindset has caused too many companies to sit idle, cutting expenses, blaming market conditions, and lamenting revenue losses instead of finding ways to create opportunity. But here’s the reality:
How can you win if you’re waiting?
Shipper Expectations Aren’t Standing Still
Shippers’ expectations of their service providers are higher than ever. They’re not just tracking rates or on-time performance anymore; they’re expanding scorecards to hold carriers and brokers accountable across their entire supply chain.
Take “time to schedule,” for example. It’s now common to see this metric appear on carrier scorecards, measuring how quickly you can secure appointments after a tender. That’s not a minor detail. It’s a signal that execution speed and efficiency are becoming strategic differentiators.
The Disconnect Between Shipper KPIs and Your Goals
Too often, there’s a gap between what shippers expect, what your internal teams target, and what leadership defines as success.
You might set internal goals around shipment volume or margin, but your customers’ KPIs are rarely the same.
Many reps walk into quarterly business reviews with one question in mind:
“How do we get more freight?”
But your shippers have a different question:
“How are you helping us achieve our goals?”
If you’re not prepared to answer that, you’re missing the real purpose of the conversation.
Ask the Question That Changes Everything
One of the most valuable questions you can ask a customer, ideally during onboarding, is:
“What would success look like to you?”
It’s simple, but powerful. This question opens the door to understanding their pain points, challenges, and priorities. It allows you to tailor solutions that move the needle for them. Skip it, and you risk chasing metrics that create work for your team but are of no value for your customer.
That’s wasted time, effort, and trust.
Value Is Earned, Not Assumed
In nearly 20 years in the transportation industry, I’m still surprised how rarely these conversations happen. Your customers are constantly being pitched by new providers, sometimes daily, each promising better service or lower rates.
But how often do you invest the same energy in reminding your customers why you are their best partner?
The companies thriving right now aren’t waiting for the market to rebound. They’re aggressively delivering value back to their customers through data, visibility, and proactive service.
Some providers are using facility-level data to help shippers identify tendering patterns that improve appointment selection and reduce carrier dwell time. Others are bringing technology partners into direct conversations with shippers to solve operational pain points, such as dock labor allocation or scheduling bottlenecks.
That’s how you create opportunity in a flat market.
There Are Two Types of Companies
There are those who wait:
Waiting for things to change.
Waiting for budgets to open.
Waiting for someone else to make the first move.
And there are those who do:
They initiate change.
They adapt to the market.
They create budgets and influence roadmaps.
They don’t wait for opportunity; they build it.
Which one are you?
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