Start with the lane that moves the needle

• Tell me about the single shipping lane that matters most to your team by volume or value, and how it behaves across a typical month.
• How many weekly moves does that lane see in an average month? Options: 0-10, 11-50, 51-200, 201-500, 500+
• Describe the typical shipment profile your team ships on that lane, including average weight, pallet count, special handling needs, and how often partial loads occur.
• Who on your team is responsible for day-to-day tendering and tracking for that lane? Options: Transportation manager, Logistics coordinator, Procurement lead, Operations supervisor, Other
• Which carrier types currently handle most of that lane's volume for your team? Options: Large national truckload carriers, Regional truckload carriers, Asset-light brokered carriers, LTL carriers, Intermodal operators, Dedicated contract carriers, Other

When service gaps happen, where do you feel them first

• If your primary carrier mix failed to accept tenders for four consecutive business days during a peak month, what downstream processes for your team would break first and why?
• Walk me through a recent service failure on any critical lane, how your team discovered it, and the operational impact it caused.
• Estimate the average delay your team experienced per shipment during the last peak season for that lane, in hours.
• Give an example of a claim or cargo loss your team managed in the past 24 months and how long resolution took.
• Which single operational failure for your team — tender acceptance, on-time delivery, visibility gap, or claims handling — would make you start a formal broker change discussion immediately? Options: Tender acceptance, On-time delivery, Visibility gap, Claims handling, Other

Carrier behaviors that erode confidence

• Name the carrier behavior your team has seen most often that erodes confidence in current partners.
• How often does carrier acceptance for your lanes fall below your minimum threshold? Options: Almost every week, Monthly, Only in seasonal peaks, Rarely or never
• List the performance metrics your team reports to procurement for carrier reviews, and which ones trigger formal follow up. Options: Load acceptance rate, Tender response time, On-time delivery, On-time pickup, Claims frequency, Visibility completeness, Cost per shipment, Other
• Who on your team owns carrier scorecards and how often are those scorecards updated? Options: Transportation manager, Logistics coordinator, Procurement lead, Operations director, Other
• If a lane's acceptance stayed below your threshold for three consecutive months, what immediate actions would your team require from a new broker?

When pricing pressure shows up in your P&L

• When during the last two peak seasons did spot rate spikes force your team to approve rates above budgeted targets? Options: Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Holiday weeks, Did not occur
• Describe how your team currently protects volume and rate stability when markets tighten, including contracted lanes, blocks, or spot buying practices.
• Select the maximum premium over your target rate your team will authorize during a capacity crunch. Options: 0-2%, 3-5%, 6-10%, 11-20%, 20%+
• Would your team consider a managed carrier network that benchmarks lane-level rates and shows ranked options by total landed cost? Options: Yes, Maybe, No
• Imagine a 10% average rate increase is required to avoid stockouts for the quarter, would your team proceed, pause shipments, or escalate to procurement? Options: Proceed, Pause shipments, Escalate to procurement, Other

Who must be convinced and how they judge success

• Identify the stakeholders who must sign off before a pilot can start and the single metric each will insist on seeing.
• Pick up to three KPIs your team uses to determine success, ranked by importance. Options: Load acceptance rate, On-time delivery percentage, Tender response time, Claim resolution time, Visibility completeness, Cost per shipment, Carrier acceptance within SLA, Other
• Rate the visibility quality your team currently gets for top lanes based on tracking frequency and data accuracy. Options: Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, Not measuring
• Tell me how often your procurement lead runs formal broker performance reviews and which outcomes trigger re-evaluation. Options: Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-annually, Annually, Ad hoc
• Suppose a pilot misses your minimum acceptance or on-time target for a lane, who on your team could veto continuing the engagement and how quickly would they act?

Technical and operational gates we cannot ignore

• Suppose your TMS API access is limited to a single person who will be unavailable for three weeks, how would that affect your team's ability to meet an integration timeline?
• Confirm which systems your team must integrate for order, tendering, and tracking, choose all that apply. Options: Your TMS, ERP, WMS, EDI gateway, Carrier tracking portal, Other
• List the internal roles and headcount your team can allocate to tech integration and carrier onboarding, including an owner and a backup for each role.
• Is your shipment data already mapped to consistent fields for pickup windows, commodity description, dimensions, and declared value? Options: Yes, fully mapped, Partially mapped, Not mapped, Unknown
• Identify any contractual or insurance gates that would stop carrier onboarding for your team and who manages those gates.

The other paths your team is weighing

• Select the approach your team is most likely to keep using if you decide not to change brokers. Options: Keep incumbent broker, Expand internal carrier sourcing, Use multiple spot brokers, Contract directly with carriers, Shift volumes to a 3PL network, Other
• Tell me about any internal proposals your team has seen that recommend solving this without an outside broker, and who proposed them.
• Choose which factors would have to be true for your team to keep the current approach, pick all that apply. Options: Short term rate guarantee from incumbent, No change in acceptance or visibility, Internal bandwidth to manage carriers, Sunk cost concerns, Procurement preference to stay, No strong alternative available, Other
• Estimate how quickly an internal solution could be stood up for pilot lanes given your current headcount and tools. Options: 0-2 weeks, 2-6 weeks, 6-12 weeks, 3+ months, Not feasible
• Imagine the incumbent offered a three month rate hold but no improvements to acceptance or visibility, would your team consider staying? Options: Yes, Maybe, No

Deal makers, deal breakers, and how you decide

• Name the one measurable improvement your team would need to see in a pilot to sign a standard commercial agreement within two weeks.
• Pick the minimum pair your team will accept during a 90 day pilot. Options: Acceptance 95% / On-time 95%, Acceptance 92% / On-time 92%, Acceptance 90% / On-time 90%, Acceptance 85% / On-time 85%, Other
• Confirm the commercial and legal approvals your team needs to finalize an agreement and the typical lead time for each.
• Would an SLA that includes defined penalties for missed acceptance improve your team's willingness to move forward? Options: Yes, Maybe, No
• Answer whether a procurement demand for 90 day payment terms would be a deal killer for your team, negotiable with exceptions, or manageable. Options: Deal killer, Negotiable with exceptions, Not a deal killer, Requires executive approval

If you were to say yes, when would you start

• What single scheduling constraint would force your team to delay a pilot beyond your target go live window?
• Pick your preferred pilot scope from these options. Options: 3-5 representative lanes, Single-lane deep pilot, Regional cluster of lanes, Mode-specific pilot (truckload or LTL), Other
• Provide the name, role, and best contact method for the person your team will treat as the day to day owner for the pilot.
• Mark any known timeline risks that could push go live beyond your target window. Options: Integration delays, Carrier onboarding delays, Procurement sign-off delays, Data quality issues, IT resource unavailability, Regulatory approvals, Other
• Are you prepared to make a decision to run a pilot within the next 30 days if the seller meets your integration and performance gates? Options: Yes, Maybe, No

• Solution Experience Session

• Confirm the current state and its cost
• You confirm the demonstrated workflows eliminate the manual rework and acceptance gaps described in Discovery.
• Provide lane-level shipment history and current carrier performance for the proposed pilot lanes.
• Map failure modes to lane profiles
• You agree on 2-3 pilot lanes and the KPIs to validate acceptance, on-time delivery, and visibility latency.
• Deliver a tailored lane-rate benchmark report and recommended price bands for the proposed pilot lanes.
• Prove increased acceptance using the managed carrier network
• Define pilot success criteria and go/no-go thresholds for acceptance rate, on-time delivery, and visibility latency.
• You surface any remaining gaps that must be addressed before a pilot decision.
• Schedule the pilot kickoff window and identify integration owners for TMS endpoints and tracking feeds.
• Prove lane-level rate benchmarking and pricing guardrails
• Prove visibility and exception workflow for the same scenario
• Validate the presented future state

• Solution Experience Session
• Solution Experience Deck
• Solution Brief

• meeting
• slides
• document

• Carrier Onboarding and Credentialing
• Lane-Specific Contract Rate Publication
• TMS Integration and EDI/API Setup
• Real-Time Track-and-Trace Implementation
• Load Tendering and Execution
• Proactive Exception Management and Escalation
• Claims Handling and Recovery Support
• Load Optimization and Consolidation
• Freight Invoice Audit and Payment Support
• Capacity Sourcing for Peak and Surge
• Intermodal and Specialized Freight Coordination
• Emergency Backup Carrier Activation
• Cargo Insurance and Risk Placement

Carrier Onboarding and Credentialing

• Which carrier credentials must be verified before a carrier is active on a lane (for example MC number, USDOT, insurance certificate, W-9, signed indemnity)? Options: MC / DOT / carrier authority, Primary liability insurance certificate, Cargo insurance certificate, W-9 / tax form, Signed operating agreement or indemnity
• Specify the minimum insurance limits you require for liability and cargo coverage by mode and service level (for example $1M liability, $100k cargo for LTL) Options: Standard minimum acceptable, Higher limits required for specialized freight, Tiered by lane risk, Custom (describe below)
• How many qualified carriers per lane should be onboarded and credentialed before you consider the lane ready for production? Options: 1-2, 3-5, 6-10, More than 10
• Are there specific safety or performance thresholds you require from carrier records (for example CSA BASIC scores, out-of-service rates, cargo claim frequency)? Options: Yes, No
• Describe the document formats and delivery method you require for credentials (for example PDF insurance certificates emailed, automated certificate-of-insurance (COI) verification feed) Options: PDF via email, Upload to secure portal, Automated COI verification feed, Other
• Provide the acceptance evidence that will validate carrier credentialing is complete for a lane (for example COI expiration dates captured, MC verified, approved carrier list signed off)

Lane-Specific Contract Rate Publication

• Please list the lanes (origin ZIP or city to destination ZIP or city) you want prioritized for published contract rates.
• Specify the pricing structure you require for each lane (for example per-mile, flat lane rate, tiered weight bands, fuel surcharge formula). Options: Per-mile, Flat lane rate, Weight bands / tiers, Fuel-surcharge formula, Minimum charge + per-mile
• Within what tolerance should spot or marketplace rates be allowed to deviate from the published lane rate before an exception is required (for example 5%)? Options: 0% (strict), Up to 3%, Up to 5%, Up to 10%
• List the service-level codes or delivery windows you require tied to rate cells (for example standard ground, expedited next-day, liftgate, appointment-required). Options: Standard ground, Expedited / next-day, Liftgate, Appointment delivery, Hazmat / special handling
• How will you want published rate tables delivered or accessed (for example SFTP CSV, API endpoint, rate card PDF), and which format does your TMS accept? Options: SFTP CSV, API / JSON, Flat file via portal, Human-readable rate card
• Provide the acceptance criteria that will confirm lane rate publication is correct (for example publish done when sample of 25 historical invoices reconcile within agreed tolerance or rate table loads successfully into your TMS)

TMS Integration and EDI/API Setup

• Identify the TMS endpoints and interface types you need connected (for example EDI X12 204 tendering, 214 status, 210 invoicing, REST API shipment create and update). Options: EDI 204 tender, EDI 214 status, EDI 210 invoice, REST API create/update, SFTP flat file
• Specify the required field mappings and mandatory fields from your TMS for tendering and tracking (for example SCAC, carrier MC, BOL number, PO number, pickup ready time).
• Provide sample payloads or extracts we can use for mapping (for example a 204 tender XML/EDIFACT sample or your TMS CSV export) Options: Attach sample 204/CSV file, Provide API swagger / spec, We will share extracts in onboarding
• Confirm the test window and test-data requirements you need for integration validation (for example 2-week test window with 10 test tenders and 20 test status updates). Options: 1 week, 2 weeks, Custom (describe)
• How will you monitor integration health post-go-live and which alerts should trigger for failed EDI/API messages (for example failed 204 ack within 2 hours)? Options: Email alerts, Dashboard alerts, Pager / phone escalation, Ticket creation in ITSM
• Provide the acceptance criteria that will validate successful TMS integration and EDI/API mapping (for example 100% test 204 acknowledgements, field mapping accuracy >= 98%, automated 214 updates received within agreed latency).

Real-Time Track-and-Trace Implementation

• Specify which tracking events you require from carriers for each shipment (for example pickup, in-transit checkpoint, delivery, proof-of-delivery image). Options: Pickup, In-transit checkpoint, Pre-delivery ETA, Delivery with POD image, Exception event
• Indicate the tracking latency SLA you require for location updates (for example location update every 15 minutes, or ETA updates at key milestones). Options: Real-time (~<1 min), Every 15 minutes, Hourly, Per checkpoint
• Describe the telematics or device constraints carriers must support (for example ELD-based location, EDI 214 location format, or carrier portal ping). Options: ELD/GPS feed, Carrier API, Carrier portal / web webhook, Manual check-ins only
• Which shipment metadata must be visible in the track-and-trace feed (for example PO number, SKU, pallet count, weight, special handling codes)?
• How should you receive visibility alerts for high-risk shipments (for example email, SMS, TMS alert, platform notification)? Options: Email, SMS, TMS alert, Platform notification, Dedicated Slack/Team channel
• Provide any regulatory or compliance data that must be recorded with tracking (for example hazmat placard numbers, temperature logs for cold chain).

Load Tendering and Execution

• Identify the tendering workflows you use today and want supported (for example automated TMS tender, broker-to-carrier portal, manual email/phone tenders). Options: Automated TMS tender, Broker portal tender, Manual tender by email/phone, Marketboard bidding
• Specify the acceptance SLA for carrier load acceptance on tendered loads (for example carrier must accept within 30 minutes or within business hours). Options: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, Same business day
• Indicate required tender attributes that must be included on every tender (for example BOL number, commodity NMFC, pallet count, dims, weight, appointment windows).
• Describe your exception handling preference when a tender is rejected (for example automatic re-tender to backup carriers, manual reassignment). Options: Auto re-tender to backup list, Manual reassignment by operations, Escalate to account manager
• How many daily or weekly tenders do you expect on average per prioritized lane (for capacity planning)? Options: Less than 10/day, 10-50/day, 50-200/day, 200+
• Which proof-of-delivery artifacts are mandatory for settlement (for example signed paper POD, photo of delivery, electronic signature via driver device)? Options: Signed POD, POD photo, Electronic signature, Carrier invoice only

Proactive Exception Management and Escalation

• Describe the exception types you want proactively monitored (for example missed pickup, ETA deviation >2 hours, temperature excursion, detention). Options: Missed pickup, ETA deviation, Temperature excursion, Detention, Damage reported
• Indicate the threshold that should trigger a proactive exception alert for on-time delivery (for example ETA change >30 minutes, or stop missed). Options: >15 minutes, >30 minutes, >1 hour, Missed stop
• Specify who on your team should be alerted and their notification preference for high-priority exceptions (for example operations manager by SMS, logistics coordinator by email). Options: Email to ops, SMS to coordinator, Platform alert, Create ticket in service desk
• How should escalations be routed when an exception is unresolved after the initial SLA window (for example escalate to account manager after 2 hours)? Options: Escalate after 1 hour, Escalate after 2 hours, Escalate after same business day, Custom escalation cadence
• Identify the key metrics you want tracked for exception management (for example mean time to acknowledge, mean time to resolution, % exceptions closed within SLA). Options: Time to acknowledge, Time to resolution, % within SLA, Repeat exception rate
• Describe any automated remediation actions you want enabled for common failure modes (for example auto-reassign to backup carrier when primary rejects). Options: Auto-reassign, Auto-send contingency plan, Manual review required

Claims Handling and Recovery Support

• Which claim types must be supported end-to-end (for example lost shipment, visible damage, concealed damage, shortage)? Options: Lost, Visible damage, Concealed damage, Shortage, Theft
• Specify the claim submission artifacts you require for each claim type (for example BOL, delivery photo, carrier incident report, commercial invoice).
• Indicate the target claim acknowledgment and initial response time you expect from the claim handler (for example acknowledge within 24 hours, initial investigative response within 5 business days). Options: Acknowledge 24 hours, Acknowledge 48 hours, Initial response 3 days, Initial response 5 business days
• Describe the party responsibilities you require for claims investigation and recovery (for example who procures salvage, who files with carrier insurer). Options: We handle investigation, You handle investigation, Shared responsibility (describe)
• How do you prefer claim recoveries and settlements to be reported and tracked (for example monthly recovery report, per-claim status dashboard)? Options: Per-claim dashboard, Monthly recovery report, Quarterly summary
• Are there minimum documentation timeframes for filing a claim you must comply with (for example file with carrier within 9 days for visible loss)? Options: Yes, No

Load Optimization and Consolidation

• Identify the SKU, pallet, and packaging constraints that impact consolidation (for example pallet height limits, stackability, hazardous classification).
• Specify the consolidation horizons you want considered (for example daily consolidation, weekly consolidation windows, cross-dock batching). Options: Daily, Weekly, Cross-dock, On-demand
• Indicate the cost versus service tradeoffs you are willing to accept for consolidation (for example up to 24-hour pickup delay to save X% in freight). Options: No delay tolerated, Up to 12 hours, Up to 24 hours, Custom tradeoff
• Describe the KPIs you want tracked for optimization (for example load fill factor, cost per CTM (cost-to-move), pallet utilization). Options: Load fill factor, Cost per shipment, Pallet utilization, Transit time change
• How many SKUs or weekly shipments are in the candidate consolidation pool for the lanes you want optimized? Options: Less than 100 SKUs, 100-500 SKUs, 500-2,000 SKUs, 2,000+
• Describe any customer-facing constraints that prevent consolidation (for example appointment-only customers, live receiving windows, store-allocated deliveries).

Freight Invoice Audit and Payment Support

• Specify the invoice types and formats you need audited (for example carrier invoice EDI 210, PDF, or TMS-generated invoice). Options: EDI 210, PDF invoices, TMS export, Other
• Identify the audit rules that must be enforced (for example verify billed weight vs actual weight, accessorial validation, fuel surcharge formula). Options: Weight verification, Accessorial validation, Fuel surcharge check, Duplicate invoice detection
• Indicate the allowable variance before an invoice is rejected or queried (for example >5% weight variance or unexpected accessorials). Options: Reject if >1%, Reject if >3%, Reject if >5%, Custom threshold
• How should disputed invoices be routed and tracked (for example create dispute ticket, notify accounts payable, pause payment until resolution)? Options: Auto-create dispute ticket, Notify AP and hold payment, Pay and reclaim after
• Which payment providers or AP processes must invoice outputs be compatible with (for example ACH batch formats, CSV for AP system)? Options: ACH batch, AP CSV, ERP integration, Other
• Describe required reporting cadence and KPIs for audit and payment (for example weekly disputed invoice list, monthly cost variance report). Options: Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, On-demand

Capacity Sourcing for Peak and Surge

• Indicate your peak and surge windows by calendar dates or seasons (for example November-January, monthly promotional weeks).
• Specify the incremental capacity you need during peak (for example additional percentage of baseline volume or X extra trucks per week). Options: 10% uplift, 25% uplift, 50% uplift, Custom
• Describe any lane-level restrictions during peak that affect sourcing (for example restricted appointment slots, limited loading hours, weight embargoes).
• Identify the sourcing channels you want used for surge capacity (for example contracted carriers, spot marketplace, intermodal alternatives). Options: Contracted carriers, Spot marketplace, Intermodal, Third-party capacity partners
• How should premium pricing be handled during capacity crunches (for example fixed cap on uplift, pass-through market rates, pre-negotiated surge rates)? Options: Fixed cap on uplift, Pass-through market rates, Pre-negotiated surge rates
• Describe any forecast or PO cadence you can provide to improve capacity planning (for example weekly rolling 8-week forecast, daily volume windows).

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Order Form & Rate Schedule
• Service Level Agreement (SLA)
• Claims & Liability Addendum
• Carrier Onboarding & Exceptions Addendum
• Data & Integration Addendum
• Governance & Escalation Plan
• Termination & Transition Services Agreement

• Go-live Health Check (weeks 1-4)
• First Measurement Review (weeks 4-10)
• Acceptance Gate Review (around day 90)
• Quarterly Operational Success Review (ongoing)

• Schedule a targeted carrier performance detailed review if a persistent carrier-related issue is driving KPI degradation.
• Restate acceptance criteria and targets
• Produce a clear pass or fail record for each Operational Scope acceptance criterion with documentation of the decision.
• If any criteria failed, agree a timebound remediation and retest plan that closes the acceptance loop.
• Confirm the incumbent wind-down state and ensure a path to a single active operational system.
• Publish the acceptance record and associated evidence to the shared workspace and link it to Operational Scope.
• Open remediation tickets for any failed criteria with retest dates and verification steps.
• Execute the incumbent wind-down checklist including contract disposition, data archive, and removal of active access where applicable.
• KPI trend review
• Confirm whether on-time delivery rate and average claim resolution time remain within Operational Scope targets or require escalation.
• Agree the top 3 enhancement or operational improvements to be delivered in the next quarter with target dates.
• Ensure the open issue backlog is shrinking and that no high-impact incidents remain without a remediation plan.
• Publish the quarterly KPI dashboard and highlight variances versus Operational Scope targets.
• Create implementation tickets for the prioritized enhancements with proposed timelines.
• Reconfirm success criteria and owners
• Confirm integrations are transmitting expected payloads and there are no critical data gaps.
• Have a prioritized list of open issues with target resolution dates for each item.
• Validate initial carrier onboarding count and confirm whether pilot lanes are actively tendering.
• Run an integration health report and circulate results to the project channel.
• Open remediation tickets for critical blockers with target completion dates.
• Capture early adoption metrics including active users, carriers onboarded, and pilot lane tenders for the next meeting.
• Present first period KPI data
• Determine whether load acceptance rate and on-time delivery rate are trending toward the Operational Scope targets.
• Agree a prioritized remediation plan with milestone dates that addresses the top 2 root causes driving KPI gaps.
• Confirm data sources and cadence for subsequent KPI reporting leading into the acceptance gate.
• Implement the agreed remediation steps and publish a milestone calendar for KPI recovery.
• Create a carrier performance update listing low-acceptance carriers and actions to improve acceptance.
• Schedule the acceptance gate review and circulate required data extracts one week prior to that meeting.
• Deployment and integration validation
• Open issue burn-down
• Root cause diagnosis for KPI gaps
• Present outcome data against each criterion
• Define corrective actions and timelines
• Document pass/fail and acceptance decision
• Enhancement request backlog and prioritization
• Onboarding and usage signals
• Confirm path and timeline to acceptance gate
• Blockers and open issues
• Remediation plan for failed criteria
• Governance and cadence confirmation
• Incumbent wind-down confirmation
• Agree immediate remediation actions