Scooting through the digital highway for auto shipping quotes can often be as tumultuous as bumper-to-bumper traffic on a Monday morning. You’re not out to win a game of digital hide-and-seek with middle-men seeking auto transport leads for brokers. You want a straightforward, realtime transport quote that doesn’t come with a side of unsolicited sales calls.
Well, you’re in luck! This guide is your GPS through the maze of the auto transport industry.We’ll steer you toward direct providers and show you how to avoid those pesky lead aggregators.
How Do You Become a Lead for Brokers and Get Hundreds of Annoying Calls and Messages?
Expression of Interest
Becoming a lead for brokers typically starts innocently enough. Let’s say you’re in the market for a new car, and you’ve decided to explore the ‘auto shipping option. You hop online and start checking out different websites offering auto shipping services. You’re merely window-shopping at this point, but by expressing your interest in a service, you’ve already set the ball rolling.
Providing Contact Information
Next, you get some ‘auto shipping quotes’ to compare prices. You fill out a form online, providing your name, email address, phone number, and sometimes even your home address. This is where the real fun begins. By handing over this information, you have become a juicy lead for brokers.
Consent to Contact
Often, when filling out these forms, you might glance over the tiny checkbox at the bottom that says something along the lines of “I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy.” It looks harmless enough, so you check it off without giving it a second thought. But this little act of consent can open the floodgates of calls and messages. It’s not uncommon for these terms to include your agreement to be contacted or for your information to be shared with partners or affiliates.
Becoming a Hot Commodity
So now, you’re officially a lead. Your information is either kept by the company you approached (if they have an in-house sales team) or it is sold to brokers. real time transport, then sends your contact details to various sales representatives. And guess what? They’re all eager to contact you to promote their products or services.
The Aftermath
Remember when you were just casually browsing for auto transport services? Well, now your phone is buzzing non-stop, your email inbox is overflowing with promotional messages, and you’re left wondering how you got into this mess.
This, my friend, is how you become a lead for brokers and get hundreds of annoying calls and messages.
Remember: Not all leads result in such an avalanche of contact attempts. It mostly depends on the company’s policy and how they handle leads. But forewarned is forearmed! Always be cautious when providing your contact information online.
How to Avoid Being a Lead and Get Direct Quotes in Real-Time?
While it may seem frustrating to avoid becoming a lead while also accessing real-time quotes, there are certain strategies you can employ to guard against unsolicited calls or messages.
Use Anonymous Browsing
Browsing in incognito or private mode while hunting for auto shipping quotes online can serve as your invisible cloak, preventing your data from being harvested. For instance, using Google Chrome’s incognito mode or Safari’s private browsing feature ensures your browsing history, cookies, and site data aren’t stored, making it harder for auto transport companies to target you as a potential lead.
Direct Approaches
Reaching out to service providers directly through their official websites or customer care lines can help you get realtime transport quotes without becoming an auto transport lead for Brokers. For instance, using a live chat feature on a company’s website allows you to ask questions and receive quotes immediately without providing your contact information.
Check the Terms and Conditions
Before you hit ‘Submit’ on any form, ensure you’ve thoroughly perused the privacy policies and terms of service. A 2018 Deloitte survey revealed that 91% of Americans consent to legal terms and service conditions without reading them. By doing so, you might be inadvertently agreeing to be contacted or have your information shared.
Opt-Out Features
If you’ve already provided your contact details, it’s not the end of the world! Look for opt-out features that prevent third-party communication. For instance, a simple check box stating “I do not wish to receive further communication” can help you stay off these lead lists.
The goal is to get the information you need without becoming fodder for the lead-generating machine.
How to Ensure You Work With a Broker and Not a Lead Aggregator?
Understanding the Difference Between a Broker and a Lead Aggregator
Let’s start with the basics. Essentially, a broker is a professional facilitating transactions between a buyer and a seller. In terms of auto transport, a broker works with carriers and customers to arrange vehicle shipping but mostly represents customers, ensuring their rights and assets are protected during shipping.
On the other hand, a lead aggregator collects information from potential customers and sells it as leads to various brokers or carriers. So, if you want to avoid your personal data being passed around, working directly with a broker is a smart move.
Research: Understanding a Company’s Business Model
To distinguish between a broker and a lead aggregator, it’s essential to research the company you’re interested in. For instance, if the company promotes “auto transport leads for brokers” on its website, they’re likely a lead aggregator. A broker, however, will talk more about providing “auto shipping quotes” and their direct services.
Explicitly Ask: Are You a Broker or a Lead Aggregator?
Don’t shy away from asking directly whether a company is a broker or a lead aggregator. After all, it’s your right to know who’s handling your personal data. For example, during a phone call or online chat, simply ask, “I’m interested in real time transport for my vehicle. Is your company a broker or a lead aggregator?”
Review Terms and Conditions
A thorough examination of the company’s privacy policy and terms of service can also provide insight. If they mention selling your data to third parties or use ambiguous terms about data handling, you might be dealing with a lead aggregator.
Testimonials and Recommendations: A Reputation Check
Another effective way to ensure you’re working with a broker is to check out testimonials and recommendations. A broker with a great reputation will likely have positive reviews from satisfied customers who received direct service.
Legal and Industry Requirements: Are They Met?
Lastly, checking if a company meets legal and industry requirements can further affirm its credibility. A genuine broker will have the necessary certifications, licenses, or memberships with industry associations. For instance, in the U.S, brokers in auto transport must have a Broker Authority license issued by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration).
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is an auto transport broker?
An auto shipping broker is an entity that helps people move vehicles from one location to another and is an intermediary between people and carriers. Having a trusted broker means you are secured from scams, your vehicle is insured during the transport process, and everything is handled in an organized manner without much of your involvement. A broker also has a brick-and-mortar institution, so you have someplace to go to if things get complicated with your shipping.
What is Easy Auto Ship a Legit Broker?
Yes, 100%, and that’s not just us saying this. FMCSA gave us a license to operate, BBB gave us an A+ rating for our credibility and business practices, FORBES gave us the best car transport company award for our superior performance at a fair price, and over 5,000 people gave us excellent ratings for our customer service and the top level shipping experience we deliver.
How long has Easy Auto Ship been in business?
Established in 2013, Easy Auto Ship has been in the business for a decade, and customer response has been nothing short of incredible. People from around the U.S and even outside rely on us to safely move their vehicles.
How do I know if an auto transport company is legit?
Check their MC# on the FMCSA website, check their BBB profile, check their review on Google, check their website to get a feel if they’re professional or not, check their physical office location on Google Maps, call their official number on the website and ask questions about shipping process and see how knowledgable and cooperative they are. These things will give you an idea of their legitimacy and professionalism.
What is the most trustworthy car shipping company?
There are a few trusted auto transport companies, including Easy Auto Ship, mainly because we’ve nearly 5,000 reviews to show our credibility, A+ BBB rating, and Best Car Transporter award from Forbes, and we’ve been featured by a ton of 3rd party websites like Move.Org, MoveBuddha, Jalopnik, Consumer Affairs, and MarketWatchto name a few.
What is the cheapest company to ship your car?
Trust us when we say that you do not want to work with the cheapest car shipping company out there. Their auto shipping quotes might be low, but their actual auto transport service will be the absolute worst. They’ll cut corners to make their profit, and you know what happens when corners are cut; compromises need to be made. Instead, you need a company that offers a fair pricing model based on what you get and pay for. Easy Auto Ship works on this model.