For our latest customer spotlight, we heard from Lisa Barot and Mike Trivedi of Omni1 Logix. They shared how they use DAT tools, their business goals, and their take on the state of the industry.
From their website:
“At Omni1 Logix, we excel in simplifying complex transportation needs. With a specialized focus on Retail Inside Pick Ups & Deliveries, full truckloads, LTL, consolidation & de-consolidation, and drayage logistics, we’re your go-to solution for seamless and efficient supply chain management. Our expert team navigates the intricacies of the transportation landscape, delivering tailored solutions that optimize your operations and drive success. Partner with us for reliable, cost-effective, and comprehensive logistics support that propels your business forward.”
When was the brokerage founded, and what prompted you to start?
Lisa: Omni1 Logix is a 3PL. We started in 2020. I have a background in logistics going back almost two decades. The reason we decided to open Omni1 Logix was to build a bridge between shippers and carriers to make things smoother, while also trying to simplify the complexity of transportation.
Do you specialize in specific freight types or markets?
Mike: Not necessarily. The idea was to come in and become a different brokerage where you can tell a shipper that an alternative option might be a little better fit for you or that this might not be in your best interest. At the same time, we want to get a better deal for the carriers.
We understand that this could lead to less business at some point in the short run. But over the long run, we believe this approach would create more trust on both sides – with shippers as well as with carriers – and will look out for everybody’s interest, at least with those who appreciate honesty and integrity, and those are the people we have always wanted to be associated with professionally and personally. Not looking for just short-term gains. Not looking to get rich overnight. We’re looking out for our interest in the longer term. We are here for the long game.
Lisa: I have seen a lot of difficulties on the carrier side. One of them is carriers not getting the feedback given by the shipper or customer after a broker quoted the rates a carrier has provided. Usually, the carrier is replaced by a cheaper carrier to work with instead of informing them or sharing their feedback. And most of the time, shippers have not been told that what a carrier is asking for as a fair price is actually their cost to operate. I want Omni1 to build a bridge between the shipper and the carrier so that we can help both, and I would say mitigate those issues as much as possible. We at Omni1 not only want to be a strategic partner for our shippers/customers, but also want to be strategic partners for our carriers.
What products or tools do you use every day?
Mike: DAT is a very helpful tool for any new carrier relations, and working with a repetitive carrier is every broker’s dream. It is. We all want to build a relationship and work with the same carriers as many times as possible. But for a new broker, how will a carrier know you unless they know how much volume and business you have? DAT is a valuable resource to brokers, especially the small to mid-sized ones, in that it gives the carriers some valuable and reliable info and background, including, but not limited to, credit ratings, as well as verified broker profiles.
Lisa: The reason we were able to accommodate box trucks, for example, was because DAT was able to provide us box truck drivers. I would say until the past three years, we haven’t used another load board other than DAT. For search capacity, our best tool has been DAT. Carriers rely on DAT, just as much as brokers do. This becomes even more true and applicable in an ever-changing market scenario, and to gauge market sentiment even on a broader level.
What are some short-term or long-term business goals? What are you working toward?
Mike: Our long-term goal is to be one of the most successful full-service brokerages in terms of building long-term relationships. We want our customers to not just work with us for one year – we want them to work with us for a long time. We want them to count on us. We are available all times, anytime. Our KPIs are a 94 to 96% on-time delivery and pick-up rating. We thrive on excellent service, great communication & accountability for all our clients and carriers. Our underlying goal is to build long-term relationships as the most reliable brokerage.
Lisa: Our goal is to have testimonials from our customers and our carriers that are equal. We want our carriers to work with us forever and so too for our customers. We want our carriers not just to be in business, but to grow with us and with our customers. We strive to make it a win-win-win situation. No broker or shipper can handle all the freight on their own. Even though they have assets. We all need more trucks on the road, and for that, we want all of them to work with us. We want to be a successful, reliable, multi-million-dollar full-service brokerage.
How can DAT support those goals?
Mike: So, every morning we hold a meeting with our career relations team, and after that, our team searches for trucks on DAT. That’s the first thing we do, regardless of what loads we have incoming. We know it ahead of time, so they’re prepared the day before.
Lisa: We call the carriers that posted trucks on DAT for upcoming loads, and we request the carrier to do a setup with us. Most of the time our Carrier Sales team conveys to the carrier that we want them to work with us for a long time. So, the next time we have a load, we tell them they may not see us posting on DAT first, they’ll hear from us first, and then you’ll see that we posted it on DAT. We have found some very loyal and reliable carriers through DAT by doing that.
We have also used Rate View by DAT for quoting & negotiating prices. DAT had supported Omni1 from day 1 to build a great partnership with carriers.
