Do you want to start a truck dispatcher company and need to write a plan? If YES, here is a sample truck dispatcher business plan template & feasibility report.
One of the many business opportunities under the value chain of the general freight industry is truck dispatch business. If you live in the united states, you will agree that there are a host of truck dispatching companies that are making money from this line of business.
The truck dispatcher business is indeed a thriving business that has loads of players making huge profits from the industry. One thing is certain, if a truck dispatcher company is well positioned, it won’t be too long before trucking companies and truck owner operator businesses start patronizing their services.
If you want to partake in this thriving industry, then you need to obtain all the necessary license and permits. Although there are competitions at various levels in the industry, but if you are able to come up with a good business strategy, then you are sure of getting your own fair share of the available market.
Below is a sample truck dispatcher company business plan template that will help you successfully launch your own business.
A Sample Truck Dispatcher Business Plan Template
1. Industry Overview
Although truck dispatcher business is a business value chain under the General Freight Trucking industry, but their modus operandi is very like a call center or telemarketing services business. Truck dispatcher companies offer key services that ensure that truck drivers have cargo to carry and stick to their appointed arrival times and destinations.
Truck dispatcher companies are the pillar of the trucking industry, helping truck drivers to concentrate on routes and roadways and to safely deliver their cargoes. The General Freight Trucking industry is made up of operators that provide freight truckload trucking.
These carriers provide full-truck movement of freight from origin to destination. The shipment of freight on a truck is characterized as a full single load not combined with other shipments.
A recent report published by IBISWorld shows that the industry performance is broadly determined by the health of the US economy, with growth prompted by rising consumer spending, manufacturing output and trade volumes.
However, the innate volatility of fuel prices impacts the industry each year, as operators generate a large portion of revenue from fuel surcharges. The industry is dependent on fuel surcharges to mitigate the effects of changes in the price of fuel on operating costs and profit.
Revenue will typically decline in line with falling fuel costs, although declines in this input price can also result in rising industry’s services. The General Freight Trucking Industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in countries such as United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Australia and France et al.
Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are about 599,140 licensed and registered general freight trucking companies (truck dispatcher companies inclusive) responsible for employing about 1,223,507 employees and the industry rakes in a whopping sum of $189 billion annually with an annual growth rate projected at 1.9 percent between 2014 and 2019.
No company can boast of having the lion shares of the available market in this industry. One good thing about starting a truck dispatcher business is that even if you decide to start it in a city in the United States, your market will not be restricted to just the city where your business is domiciled, but the whole of the United States will be your target market.
Many thanks to the internet that has made the world a global village. All you need to do is to strategically position your truck dispatcher business on the internet and you will be amazed at the rate owner truck operators and trucking companies interested in outsourcing their dispatching or telemarketing related services to your organization.
2. Executive Summary
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is a licensed truck dispatcher company that is fully equipped with the latest technology in the telemarketing and call center industry. Our truck dispatcher call center will be located in the heart of Fort Wayne – Indiana, U.S and we are positioned to work for a wide range of clients ranging from religious organizations, to political parties to corporate organizations.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. will operate as an outbound and inbound truck dispatcher call center; our service offerings will revolve around ensuring that truck drivers have cargo to carry and stick to their appointed arrival times and destinations, helping truck drivers to concentrate on routes and roadways and to safely deliver their cargoes.
Coordinate shipping operations with drivers, suppliers, and receiving customers, work with company drivers and coordinate with other carriers to find available drivers to cover loads of freight. Schedule truck arrivals for product pickup and delivery and tracks the progress of transit to ensure on-time deliveries.
Our business goal is to work towards becoming one of the leading truck dispatcher companies in the whole of Indiana and in the nearest future compete with the leaders in the industry not only in the United States but also on the global stage.
We are not ignorant of the fact that building a standard dispatcher company from the scratch requires huge capital base especially for the purchase of world – class call center equipment and software applications et al, which is why we have perfected plans for steady flow of cash from our business partners.
We can confidently say that we have a robust financial standing and we are ready to take on any challenge that we encounter in the industry. We are well – staffed and well – equipped to run 24 hours a day and 7 days a week with a well – planned shift system.
We will ensure that all our employees are selected from a pool of qualified and customer centric people in and around Fort Wayne – Indiana. We will make sure that we take all our workforce through the required trainings that will position them to meet the expectation of the company.
At Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. our client’s best interest will always come first, and everything we do will be guided by our values and professional ethics. We will ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the highest standards by meeting our client’s needs precisely and completely.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is owned majorly by Peter Banks and his wife Liz Banks. Liz Banks is a certified call center administrator, she has over 15 years’ experience in the telemarketing and call center industry.
Her husband Peter Banks has 23 years’ experience in the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry and he will be the administrative head of the business. He has an MBA from the University of Indiana and he has occupied senior managerial roles before joining his wife to start Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc.
3. Our Products and Services
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is going to offer varieties of services within the scope of the truck dispatcher line of business in the United States of America.
Our intention of starting our truck dispatcher business in Forth Wayne – Indiana is to make profits from the industry and we will do all that is permitted by the law in the US to achieve our aim and business goals. Our business offerings are listed below;
- Ensuring that truck drivers have cargo to carry and stick to their appointed arrival times and destinations
- Helping truck drivers to concentrate on routes and roadways and to safely deliver their cargoes.
- Coordinate shipping operations with drivers, suppliers, and receiving customers, work with company drivers
- Coordinate with other carriers to find available drivers to cover loads of freight.
- Schedule truck arrivals for product pickup and delivery and track the progress of transit to ensure on-time deliveries
4. Our Mission and Vision Statement
- Our vision is to become the number one truck dispatcher company in the whole of Fort Wayne, Indiana within the first five years of starting the business.
- Our mission is to build a world class truck dispatcher company that will become the preferred choice for a wide range of owner truck operators and trucking companies in the United States of America.
Our Business Structure
The success of any business is to a larger extent dependent on the business structure of the organization and the people who occupy the available roles. Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. will build a solid business structure that can support the growth of our truck dispatcher company.
We will ensure that we hire competent hands to help us build the business of our dream. The fact that we want to become one of the leading truck dispatchers in the whole of the United States of America makes it necessary for our organization to deliberately build a well – structured business from the onset.
Will work hard to ensure that we only attract people with the right mindset to help us achieve our business goals and objectives in record time. Below is the business structure that we will build Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc.;
- Chief Executive Officer
- Dispatch Center Manager
- Admin and HR Manager
- Marketing and Sales Executive
- Accountant
- IT manager
- Truck Dispatchers
- Front Desk Officer
5. Job Roles and Responsibilities
Chief Executive Office:
- Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training, coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies, and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job results
- Responsible for providing direction for the business
- Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall organization’s strategy.
- Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
- Evaluates the success of the organization
Information Technologist
- Manage the organization website and server room
- Responsible for continuous update of our online platforms
- Ensure that our payment platform is secured 24 / 7
- Responsible for installing and maintenance of “Private Automated Business Exchanges” (PABX), telephones, computer software and hardware for the organization
- Manage logistics and supply chain software, Web servers, e-commerce software and POS (point of sale) systems
- Responsible for continuous upgrade and maintenance of IT systems
- Handles any other technological and IT related duties.
Admin and HR Manager
- Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for the organization
- Maintains office supplies by checking stocks; placing and expediting orders; evaluating new products.
- Ensures operation of studio equipment by completing preventive maintenance requirements; calling for repairs.
- Defining job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
- Carrying out induction for new team members
- Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
- Responsible for arranging travel, meetings and appointments
- Design job descriptions with KPI to drive performance management for clients
- Regularly hold meetings with key stakeholders to review the effectiveness of HR Policies, Procedures and Processes
- Facilitate and coordinate strategic sessions.
- Work directly with clients in a non-advising capacity, such as answering questions, scheduling appointments and making sure all training concerns are properly taken care off
- Oversee the smooth running of the daily office activities.
Marketing and Sales Executive (Business Developer)
- Identify, prioritize, and reach out to new partners, and business opportunities et al
- Identifies business opportunities; follows up on development leads and contacts;
- Responsible for supervising implementation, advocate for the customer’s needs, and communicate with clients and music artists
- Document all customer contact and information
- Represent the company in strategic meetings
- Help increase sales and growth for the company
Accountant
- Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the organization
- Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and accounting reports
- Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
- Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting for one or more properties.
- Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
- Responsible for administering payrolls
- Ensuring compliance with taxation legislation
- Handles all financial transactions for the company
- Serves as internal auditor for the company
Truck Dispatch Center Manager
- Fulfill an administrative role by filing the appropriate paperwork, monitoring driver progress, processing orders and managing driver concerns.
- Responsible for managing the daily running of the dispatch call center, including sourcing equipment, effective resource planning and implementing dispatch call center strategies and operations;
- Carrying out needs’ assessments, performance reviews and cost / benefit analyses;
- Responsible for setting and meeting performance targets for speed, efficiency, sales and quality;
- Ensuring all relevant communications, records and data are updated and recorded;
- Advising clients on products and services available;
- Liaising with supervisors, team leaders, operatives and third parties to gather information and resolve issues;
- Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of industry developments and involvement in networks;
- Monitoring random calls to improve quality, minimize errors and track operative performance;
- Handling the most complex customer complaints or enquiries;
- Responsible for coaching, motivating and retaining staff and coordinating bonus, reward and incentive schemes;
- Responsible for forecasting and analyzing data against budget figures on a weekly and/or monthly basis.
Dispatchers/Call Center Agents
- Ensuring that truck drivers have cargo to carry and stick to their appointed arrival times and destinations
- Helping truck drivers to concentrate on routes and roadways and to safely deliver their cargoes.
- Coordinate with other carriers to find available drivers to cover loads of freight.
- Schedule truck arrivals for product pickup and delivery and tracks the progress of transit to ensure on-time deliveries
- Ensures that all contacts with clients (e-mail, walk-In center, SMS or phone) provides the client with a personalized customer service experience of the highest level
- Consistently stays abreast of any new information on the company’s promotional campaigns etc. to ensure accurate and helpful information is supplied to clients when they make enquiries
6. SWOT Analysis
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. engaged the services of a core professional in the area of call center consulting and business structuring to assist the organization in building a standard truck dispatcher company that can favorably compete with other leading truck dispatcher companies in the United States of America.
Part of what the business consultant did was to work with the management of the company in conducting a SWOT analysis for Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. Here is a summary from the result of the SWOT analysis that was conducted on behalf of Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc.;
- Strength:
Our core strength lies in our service offerings, the power of our team and the state-of-the-art dispatch center equipment and software applications that we have. We have a team that can give our clients value for their money. We are well positioned in the heart of Fort Wayne and we know we will attract loads of clients from the first day we open our truck dispatcher center for business.
- Weakness:
As a new truck dispatcher center in Fort Wayne – Indiana, it might take some time for our organization to break into the market and attract some well – established corporate clients; that is perhaps our major weakness. Another weakness is that we may not have the required cash to pump into the promotion of our business the way we would want to.
- Opportunities:
Consumer spending reflects growing demand for goods and services, thereby driving retail and manufacturing activity. Consequently, an increase in spending also leads to an additional need for the movement of general truckload freight, boosting demand for industry services.
Going forward, consumer spending is expected to increase in 2019, representing a potential opportunity for the industry.
- Threat:
Technology and the internet which of course is a major tool for the advancement and gains achieved in the telemarketing and call center industry and can easily be leveraged by trucking companies and owner truck operators. Of course, this can pose a threat to the industry.
The truth is that with the advancement of technology, it is now easier for trucking companies and owner truck operators who are our major clients to leverage on software applications to conduct their telemarketing, market research and communicate with their clients.
7. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Market Trends
The Telemarketing and Call Center industry that majority of the operation of a truck dispatcher business is linked to is indeed witnessing a steady growth over the years especially in countries such as the United States, China, India, Philippines and even in the united kingdom.
Though some players in this industry would prefer to build their call centers in places where they can maximize profits; countries like India, China and The Philippines readily comes to mind One good thing about starting a truck dispatcher company business is that even if you decided to start it in the United States of America, your market will not be restricted to businesses in the U.S.; the world will be your target market.
All you need to do is to strategically position your truck dispatcher company on the internet and you will be amazed at the rate people and business interested in outsourcing their customer care or telemarketing related services to your organization.
The industry has experienced steady growth over the last five years as the US economy picked up traction. The trend is that domestic industry has largely been outsourcing operations to low-wage countries for a number of years, which has historically resulted in limited growth.
In line with healthy growth, call centers have increasingly used technological advancements, including cloud-based systems, social media, voice recognition software and other broadband-enabled technology, to become more efficient. As technology becomes less costly and more accessible for industry operators, numerous new entrants have been enticed into the industry.
8. Our Target Market
The target market for a truck dispatcher company covers a wide range of trucking companies, owner truck operators, and any player in the general freight trucking industry that operates independently and also every businesses and organizations that are involved in transporting goods and services from one location to another.
In view of that, we have created strategies that will enable us reach out to various organizations and individual who we know will need our services. We have conducted our market research and survey and we will ensure that our truck dispatcher center attracts the kind of clients we would love to work with.
Our Competitive Advantage
We are mindful of the fact that there are competitions in the telemarketing and call center industry and the General Freight Trucking industry in the United States of America, hence we have been able to hire some of the best business developers to handle our sales and marketing.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. might be a new entrant into the General Freight Trucking industry, but we are coming into the industry with core professionals and of course a standard truck dispatch center with the latest equipment and software applications in the industry.
Our employees will be well taken care of, and their welfare package will be among the best within our category in the industry meaning that they will be more than willing to build the business with us and help deliver our set goals and achieve all our aims and objectives.
9. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is established with the aim of maximizing profits in the General Freight Trucking industry and we are going to do all it takes to attract our target market. Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. will generate income by offering the following services;
- Coordinate shipping operations with drivers, suppliers, and receiving customers, work with company drivers
- Coordinate with other carriers to find available drivers to cover loads of freight.
- Schedule truck arrivals for product pickup and delivery and tracks the progress of transit to ensure on-time deliveries
10. Sales Forecast
One thing is certain when it comes to truck dispatcher center services; it is always cheaper for organizations to outsource this service. This goes to show that any truck dispatcher center that is well positioned will always attract clients.
We are well positioned to take on the available market in Fort Wayne – Indiana and beyond and we are quite optimistic that we will meet our set target of generating enough profits from the first six months of operation and grow the business and our clientele base beyond Fort Wayne – Indiana to other cities in the U.S.
We have been able to examine the truck dispatcher center market, we have analyzed our chances in the industry and we have been able to come up with the following sales forecast. Below is the sales projection for Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc., it is based on the location of our business and other factors as it relates to truck dispatcher startups in the United States;
- First Fiscal Year (FY1): $250,000
- Second Fiscal Year (FY2): $350,000
- Third Fiscal Year (FY3): $600,000
N.B: This projection was done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the assumption that there won’t be any major economic meltdown and there won’t be any major competitor offering same services as we do within same location. Please note that the above projection might be lower and at the same time it might be higher.
- Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy
Our sales and marketing team will be recruited based on their vast experience in the General Freight Trucking industry and they will be trained on a regular basis so as to be well equipped to meet their targets and the overall goal of the organization.
We will also ensure that our excellent service delivery speaks for us in the marketplace; we want to build a standard call center that will leverage on word of mouth advertisement from satisfied clients.
Our business goal is to build our truck dispatcher company business to become the number one choice in the whole of Fort Wayne – Indiana which is why we have mapped out strategies that will help us take advantage of the available market and grow to become a major force to reckon with not only in Fort Wayne – Indiana but all across major cities in the whole of the United States of America.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is set to make use of the following marketing and sales strategies to attract clients;
- Introduce our business by sending introductory letters alongside our brochure to players in general freight trucking industry, organizations and businesses that move goods from one location to another and other key stake holders in Indiana
- Advertise our business in relevant freight forwarding magazines, newspapers, TV, and radio stations.
- List our business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
- Attend relevant international and local telemarketing and dispatcher center expos, seminars, and fairs et al
- Create different packages for different category of clients in order to work with their budgets and still deliver top notch services
- Leverage on the internet to promote our business
- Engage in direct marketing approach
- Encourage word of mouth marketing from our loyal and satisfied clients
11. Publicity and Advertising Strategy
We have been able to work with our brand and publicity specialists to help us map out publicity and advertising strategies that will help us walk our way into the heart of our target market.
We are set to take the General Freight Trucking (Truckload) industry by storm which is why we have made provisions for effective publicity and advertisement of our truck dispatcher company. Below are the platforms we intend to leverage on to promote and advertise Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc.;
- Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms
- Sponsor relevant TV shows and radio programs
- Maximize our official website to promote our business
- Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Google+ and other platforms (General Freight Trucking (Truckload) online forums) to promote our business.
- Ensure that our we position our banners and billboards in strategic positions all around Fort Wayne – Indiana
- Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
- Advertise our truck dispatcher company business in our official website and employ strategies that will help us pull traffic to the site
- Brand all our official cars and ensure that all our staff members wear our branded shirt or cap at regular intervals.
12. Our Pricing Strategy
The nature of truck dispatcher center services makes it easier for operators in this industry to charge her clients commissions or fees based on the nature of job/project to be carried out, the timeline the project is to be delivered, the workforce required to execute the project and of course the resources needed to complete the project.
At Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. we will keep our fees below the average market rate by keeping our overhead low.
- Payment Options
The payment policy adopted by Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is all inclusive because we are quite aware that different customers prefer different payment options as it suits them but at the same time, we will ensure that we abide by the financial rules and regulation of the United States of America. Here are the payment options that Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. will make available to her clients;
- Payment via bank transfer
- Payment via credit cards
- Payment via online bank transfer
- Payment via check
- Payment via mobile money transfer
- Payment via bank draft
In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will enable our clients make payment for services rendered without any stress on their part.
13. Startup Expenditure (Budget)
The cost of setting up a truck dispatcher center to a larger extent has reduced from what it used to be; many thanks to the advancement of technology and perhaps the internet.
These days it is now easier to see people set up smaller truck dispatcher centers in their office’s facilities with little or no stress. However, this is what it would cost us to start Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. in the United of America;
- The total fee for incorporating the business in the United States of America – $750.
- The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license – $2,500
- The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility with enough space for standard call center in a business district 6 months (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $80,000.
- The Cost for equipping the truck dispatcher center (telephone boxes, headsets, server room, computers, software applications, “Private Automated Business Exchanges” (PABX), printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $70,000
- The cost of launching our official Website – $600
- Budget for paying at least 10 employees for 3 months and utility bills – $80,000
- Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
- Miscellaneous – $1,000
Going by the report from the research and feasibility studies, we will need about $300,000 to set up a medium scale but standard truck dispatcher center in the United States of America.
Generating Funds/Startup Capital for Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is owned and managed by Peter Banks and his wife Liz Banks. Both of them will be the financier of the business, but may likely welcome other partners later which is why they have decided to restrict the sourcing of his startup capital to 3 major sources.
- Generate part of the startup capital from personal savings
- Source for soft loans from family members and friends
- Apply for loan from the bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $100,000 (Personal savings $80,000 and soft loan from family members $20,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan facility of $200,000 from our bank. All the papers and documents have been duly signed and submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be credited.
14. Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
Part of the plans we have in place to sustain Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. is to ensure that we continue to make available a wide range of truck dispatcher services, deliver quality services, improvise on how to do things faster and cheaper.
We are not going to relent in providing conducive environment for our workers and also the required trainings that will help them deliver excellent services at all times.
We are quite aware that our customers are key component to the growth and survival of our business hence we are going to continuously engage them to give us ideas on how to serve them better. We will not waste time in adopting new technology, best practices and diversifying our services once the need arises.
Peter Banks® Truck Dispatching Company, Inc. will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to ensure that our staff welfare are well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to drive our business to greater heights and training and retraining of our workforce is at the top burner.
We know that if that is put in place, we will be able to successfully hire and retain the best hands we can get in the industry; they will be more committed to help us build the business of our dreams.
Check List/Milestone
- Business Name Availability Check:>Completed
- Business Incorporation: Completed
- Renting of Office cum Call Facility: Completed
- Setting Up Of The Truck Dispatcher Call Center Facility: In Progress
- Intellectual Property Protection and Trademark: Completed
- Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
- Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
- Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
- Application for business license and permit: Completed
- Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
- Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
- Generating part of the startup capital from the founder: Completed
- Applications for Loan from our Bankers: In Progress
- Writing of Business Plan: Completed
- Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
- Drafting of Contract Documents: In Progress
- Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
- Printing of Promotional Materials: Completed
- Recruitment of employees: In Progress
- Purchase of truck dispatcher call center equipment, software applications, furniture, office equipment, electronic appliances and facility facelift: In progress
- Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
- Creating Awareness for the business (Business PR): In Progress
- Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement: In Progress
- Establishing business relationship with key players in the General Freight Trucking industry: In Progress