So we have talked about what it means to guarantee a shipment, but what’s the difference between making a “guarantee” on a shipment and making it a “hot shipment?” Good question, but first let’s do a little background.
FreightPros is a third party full service freight broker. What this means is that we handle every aspect of your shipment, from pickup to delivery; not to mention building you a BOL, disputing invoice charges, and a host of other services. One of those services is the ability to make your freight “hot.”
It’s important to understand that a hot shipment is not a guaranteed shipment. A guaranteed shipment is a shipment that has been guaranteed to be delivered by a certain date, agreed upon by the carrier and the broker. There is an additional charge for this service and the service is listed on the freight bill of lading.
A hot shipment, on the other hand, is an internal process that is available to FreightPros customers. When a shipment is considered “hot” that means we have all eyes on the shipment from pickup to delivery. That includes daily freight tracking as well as constant communication with the freight carrier.
Of course, if a shipment is guaranteed to deliver by a certain date and the agreement is not met, you will not be responsible for the freight shipping charges. Not so with a hot shipment.
Because there are no additional charges associated with making a shipment “hot” there can be no guarantees when it comes to the delivery of the freight. For example, we can track a hot shipment daily and be in constant contact with the carrier letting them know the importance of the freight and when it is supposed to deliver.
But if the carrier is delayed for whatever reason, and the shipment is not delivered on the estimated date of arrival, all freight charges still apply to the broker and customer.
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If you’re familiar with the freight shipping industry, you understand that delays are occasionally inevitable and all transit times are estimated. The purpose of a hot shipment is not to eliminate freight delays, but rather to pay enough special attention so that, in the event of a delay, no time is wasted in fixing the issue and getting the freight moving again as soon as possible.
In the end, if you are worried about your freight getting delivered on time, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Pay the additional fee and guarantee the shipment. If you are not willing to pay the additional fee, it can sometimes be possible to get with your freight broker and make a shipment “hot.”
It’s not available for all shipments or carriers, but contact your online freight broker to learn more about hot shipments.