Choose the best offer
You have posted a transportation request on Transportscanner. Transport companies will review your request and contact you. Regularly, they will request some additional information, but a direct quote is also possible. What do you pay attention to when comparing these quotes? In addition to these tips, we recommend that you read the article on doing business safely through Transportscanner carefully.
Price and Quality
Your cargo must get to its destination safely and quickly. In addition, price is at least as important to most people. No one wants to pay top dollar for transportation. In transportation, as in most industries, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Carriers often work with mileage rates. With this rate, a carrier should be able to cover all of its costs (and have some left over, of course!). Some providers are able to work at a very low hourly rate. In practice, we regularly see that such companies do not hold themselves to the same standards as companies with somewhat higher mileage rates. This can mean, for example, that the transport company does not have the right papers or insurance. And this, in turn, can make you, the customer, suffer.
One price is not the other
Tips for comparing price quotes
In practice, carriers' prices can vary considerably. It is essential to compare quotes fairly. When you compare quotes side by side, one may seem cheaper while it turns out to be more expensive. Keep the following things in mind when comparing various quotes:
- Price including/excluding VAT? The price for consumers will usually be displayed including VAT, but always check this carefully. You don't want to be surprised if VAT is charged afterwards.
- What do you get for the fee? What is included in the price? Perhaps the most important: Is everything included that should be included? Is an all-in price actually quoted or are there hidden costs that could potentially be your responsibility? Think about fuel, additional fees, tolls, insurance costs, are there any call-out fees? Although most companies will work with a clear project rate where everything is included in the price, it is very important to always check this carefully.
- Payment terms. When are you expected to pay the bill? Is a down payment expected? Is this down payment reasonable? By what means can you pay? Make sure these arrangements are well written down and that you receive a receipt. This is something you never want to have any discussion about.
- Is the offer realistic? With this question, you think foolishly for a moment whether the offer is not too good to be true. If an offer seems way too cheap, it is often too good to be true. If too few hours are written out in advance, the bill comes later. Also keep a close eye on what exactly is being quoted.
Check out our checklist for secure business through Transport Scanner.
Quality does not have to be expensive
How good is a transporter?
When determining the best quote, price is important, but it should not be decisive. The workmanship of the transporter is most important. But how do we determine which transporter that sent me a quote is the best?
- First of all, all companies on Transportscanner.co.uk have been extensively checked for their paperwork.
- Companies on Transportscanner comply with our Quality Mark and must adhere to our Code of Conduct at all times. This does not mean that you should not also check the various companies yourself. Is the company affiliated with trade associations or does it have other quality marks? More tips in our article on doing business safely via Transportscanner.
- In the transportation world, there are many specialties. However, transporters regularly transport outside their own specialty. We prefer to let transporters through Transportscanner do what they really have a lot of experience in. So always check a company's company page to see if they have the right papers in their pocket to transport your cargo.
- It is always wise to look up a company online. Does the company have reviews on Google or on social media? Reviews often give a rough idea of how reliable a company is.
Do the Transporter Check
Sure your transportation company is right for your transportation?
Every Transportscanner company is thoroughly vetted. We check the most important permits and quality marks. This gives you, the customer, an overview of what a company is and is not allowed to transport.
How do I check my chosen carrier?
- Go to the Business Directory.
- Find the company you want to partner with.
- If the company's paperwork has been checked and verified by us, this check mark
appears behind the company's name. - On the company page of a verified company, you can find the various permits and check whether the company is allowed to perform your transport.
appears behind the company's name.