Top Tips on bidding

One of the most frequent questions we get asked at DQC, is “How can I ensure my Bids are successful?” Particularly for our newer verified and accredited Transporters, who often have no or little feedback to show, successful bidding is a necessity. We are confident that our marketplace is one of the most easy to place bids on, so here are a few top tips to try and help you place successful bids

Only bid on jobs you can commit to

Having a quote accepted which you then cannot commit to can lead to negative feedback. Make sure you only bid on work that you know you can complete. If you know you have taken on jobs which then affect availability to complete bids you have placed, remember to remove your bid, or send the customer a message to remind them to check your availability before booking.

Bid often and in high volumes

Bid on as many jobs as you can to increase your chances of getting your bid accepted. On average, it takes new transport companies between 60-80 bids, before getting their first accepted job. Check your bids regularly to check if you have been sent any questions via the customers, and also to remove any bids you can no longer commit to.

Plan routing to ensure maximum potential

It is worth remembering that a high volume of our customers are looking for a quote to judge whether it is worthwhile placing bids on items from ebay, gumtree etc, so you need to bear in mind that the customer may not accept your bid straight away. Planning set routes for certain areas in advance can help maximise the chance of accepted bids. If the job is listed as flexible, ask the customer if they have dates in mind so you can see where the job can fit in.

Engage with the customer from the moment the bid is placed

When you place your bid, there is the option to send the customer a message alongside the bid. This is the customer’s first impression of you, so try to engage with them in a sort of mini profile. If you don’t have a lot of feedback because you’re new, explain this and be friendly and approachable so they can have confidence in choosing a lesser known transport provider. You can never ask too many questions. Remember….on a site like this, with a large volume of transport providers bidding for work, COMMUNICATION IS KEY. When a quote is accepted, we expect you to contact the customer within a few hours, even if it’s just to say an initial Thank You for choosing to book with you. Good Communication leads to positive feedback which will boost your profile immensely.

Be realistic in your pricing and capabilities

Be accurate with your bids, decide your price and stick to it. Be realistic in your pricing, don’t bid too high and price yourselves out of the running, and don’t bid too low that it then becomes unrealistic for you to complete the job. If you are a new provider and are happy to lower your rate in order to complete your first few jobs, let the customer know that you can do this as this may encourage them to help out a newer provider. But, make sure you are completely happy with the bid before you place it. Do not charge any hidden extras e.g. toll charges, ferries etc. Make sure this is all included in your initial bid. Ask the customer questions about their item in case you think there is a possibility the job may need two men for example.

Ask for feedback

If you know you have done a good job, and that the customer is pleased with you, then don’t be afraid to ask the customer to leave feedback for you. This will boost your profile and encourage further customers to book with you.

By using these tips, we hope you will be able to get the most out of DQC and it’s customer base.