Super Sized Logistics: You Don’t Need the Calories

Super Sizing

You remember how it used to go back in the good old days. You’re in the McDonald’s drive-thru. A slight breeze is wafting in the opened car window, and you’re ordering a large order of fries to go with your Big Mac. That’s when the voice from the small box asks, “Would you like to super size that?”

I’m sure you didn’t always go with the super size, but on this particular day, the sun is shining, and you’re really hungry and still in pretty good shape (after all it’s 2003), so of course. Why not super size that order of fries and the Coke too?  A super size order of French fries won’t hurt. Just this once. “Yes, I’ll supersize that.” You say. 

And you receive an order of French fries that comes with approximately 540 calories and a whopping 26g of fat. Here’s the problem, the average adult only needs about 44-78 grams of fat per day if they are consuming 2000 calories. That’s a quarter of your daily calories and half the fat. And I’m betting every time any one of us ordered that super size French fries, we scarfed it down in less than five minutes.

Maybe you remember, maybe you don’t, Morgan Spurlock’s documentary called Super Size Me. The documentary follows Spurlock’s one-month McDonald’s-only diet. The negative impacts on Spurlock’s health are astonishing. After one month of eating only McDonald’s (and saying “yes” every time he was asked if he wanted to “super size” it), Spurlock gained 24.5 pounds. His cholesterol was a whopping 230. His liver was fatty; he increased his risk of both heart disease and failure by 2X; and he was depressed and suffering from massive headaches.

The movie was released in 2004 and McDonald’s stopped super sizing fries and sodas in 2004. Coincidence? Who knows. McDonald’s claims the decision to discontinue super sizing was mere menu simplification.

So what’s with all the super size talk on a logistics blog?

It’s possible that you, like me and all the folks who super sized fries and drinks, have been operating under the illusion that bigger is better. Here at AM Transport, we know lots of companies make the decision to work with big brokers because they assume the big guys have more to offer–more resources, more capacity, more technology, more, more, more.

It’s a big (and faulty) assumption, and it could be affecting the financial health of your company. The truth is a big broker can be like that super sized order of fries. You think you’re getting a bargain, but what you’re really getting is more calories and less substance.

More Calories: Less Substance

Here’s how that works. During the sales process you are talking to the experts–senior level tech and sales staff. They know what they’re talking about because their job is to sell you. But what happens when you buy? That’s where the troubles begin.

You see, those experts are on other sales calls, and now your account has been assigned to a group of junior associates following a decision tree. These kids handling the day-to-day aren’t career logistics professionals with experience and autonomy, they’re recent college graduates looking for a leg up the corporate ladder. They can’t make quick decisions for a couple of reasons–they don’t know enough and they have to wait for higher-up approval.

And what about all that great, high-level, load-optimizing, technology? The truth is, you and your company need technology customized to your specific needs. What you need is data, so you can consistently improve. You need tracking and visibility and access to paper work. 

If you’re working with a big broker, it’s very likely you’re paying for technology you’ll never use, technology you’re never taught to use. Yes, logistics technology is better-than-ever, but if it’s not flexible (cloud-based) accessible (PC, mobile, home-based) and designed with your company in mind to provide you with move-the-needle reports, you’re taking in a lot of fat and salt you don’t need.

You don’t need the 42oz Coke and the 7 oz French fry.

Here at AM Transport, we believe that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work. We’re not so big that we can’t get to know you, and that’s what we do. We want to understand exactly what you need, so we can create solutions that will not only help you save money, but will simplify your processes and allow you to make data-driven decisions.

We’ll get to know your lanes and your networks, so we can put small, service-oriented fleets on dedicated routes and lanes for you. The carriers we work with are small businesses with experienced drivers and excellent reputations. No longer will you have to worry about dropped loads and shoddy service.

Our team members are career professionals. They aren’t kids trying to climb the corporate ladder. They are cross-trained. When you work with AMT, you’ll have a single point of contact, and you’ll harness the power of our committed team members. We don’t have a voicemail because we answer our own phones. Not just during business hours. 24/7/365 days a year.

Our technology is customized for your needs. You’re never going to pay for anything you can’t use. You’ll have access to our online portal, so load information and paperwork is always just a click away. We provide 100% tracking on every load because it’s what you deserve.

The big guys can’t make these promises because they don’t have the time to get to know you and your business. And they don’t know the superior small carriers we’ll introduce you to.

Morgan Spurlock found out that super sizing endangered his health. And coincidentally or not, McDonald’s quit super sizing their Cokes and their fries in 2004. You don’t need the extra fries, you need a broker you can trust. A broker with the time and energy and expertise to save you money, so you can get back to doing what you do best. That’s a promise we can make, and you don’t have to super size anything!