Dealerships face a growing need to ship cars for many reasons, such as to trade with another dealership to keep inventory levels up, deliver a vehicle to a customer’s home, or obtain new inventory from auction houses. In the past, coordinating a traditional vehicle shipment was anything but easy.
Car dealers now have more tools available than ever, allowing them to take a hassle-free approach to auto shipping. However, the rise in technology means shifting between apps, finding the right integrations, and vetting software companies.
Eliminate even the traditional technological hassles by partnering with Super Dispatch. Our simple, all-in-one solution makes shipping cars from your dealership easy and efficient. Check out a free demo of Super Dispatch to test the platform for yourself and see how easy car dealership shipping can be!
The Growing Need for Car Dealership Shipping
They say you can have anything delivered these days, including a new car. As more and more consumers shift to buying products online, a growing number of car buyers want their cars shipped to them.
There are many reasons why a customer may want a car shipped to them instead of driving it home from the lot. For instance, the Honda Civic in neon green that caught their eye is only available in California. Or that special edition classic car that’s perfect for the showroom floor only comes from an auction across the country.
The pandemic in 2020 caused shortages of crucial components for building cars, including microchips, and dealers continue to struggle to keep inventory on lots. Another significant need for auto transport services is to obtain new inventory whenever possible, allowing dealerships to stay stocked with popular models.
Plus, the rise in platforms, such as Vroom and CarMax, means dealerships are turning to car shipping services to expand their services. Dealerships rely on auto transport companies to fill their lots, move dealer trades, and rotate inventory between locations.
It’s because of the need to move vehicles, either between dealerships or to customers, that car transporting continues to rise in importance. Make the shipping process more manageable by investing in the right tool to manage the job. Super Dispatch provides users with an all-in-one platform for managing vehicle shipping.
Understanding Car Dealership Shipping
Looking at car dealership shipping on the surface, it seems like a straightforward process—moving a car from one lot to another or to a customer. However, the reality can be far more complex. Several factors contribute to how the process works, and even more factors contribute to the overall cost of shipping a vehicle.
You might already have a preferred carrier. However, if you are looking for a new solution or just starting out, the auto-shipping process has a few steps, such as using a suggested pricing tool to price a load. Carriers can then choose to negotiate or accept this price.
Costs also depend on the type of shipping. For example, enclosed auto transport costs more than open transport because trucks can carry more vehicles using the latter method. Plus, long-distance vehicle transport costs more than shorter-distance trips.
Next, the auto transport service will arrive at the dealership to pick up the car. During this phase, the carrier will verify the load, check insurance coverage, inspect the vehicle, and other specifics about the load and destination.
The Logistics of Car Dealership Shipping
Dealerships must manage many moving parts when shipping a vehicle. The logistics of car dealership shipping can include everything from managing deliveries to filing invoices and everything in between. Dealerships can be responsible for:
- Scheduling pickups and deliveries – Coordinate delivery times for vehicle pickups and drop-offs. Ensure you stay on top of local laws that may restrict days and times when scheduling your car deliveries.
- Choosing suitable carriers – Find the right car shipping carrier, communicate with drivers, and keep important files in a centralized location with the help of Super Dispatch. Partnering with a suitable carrier can save you time, money, headaches, and customer satisfaction. With Super Dispatch, every carrier is vetted and verified, and shippers can easily access all compliance documents to ensure reliable transport.
- GPS tracking and optimization – Leverage GPS tracking for automated status updates and better transport visibility. This tracking can improve communication with your internal departments through proactive coordination of the next steps.
Although the responsibilities can feel overwhelming, Super Dispatch can help streamline car shipping logistics. Book a demo to learn how Super Dispatch can help your dealership engage in a more straightforward shipping process.
The Shipping Process: From Pickup to Delivery
While door-to-door shipping is becoming a popular shipping method for consumers, it’s not all that different from other streamlined processes. Implementing the right solution to aid the shipping process can protect against issues that pop up. Here’s a look at how a solution like Super Dispatch can help streamline your shipping process:
- Load board booking: Find reliable and vetted carriers from Super Dispatch’s Super Loadboard. Our load board invites shippers and carriers to speed up the process through digital booking and negotiations. Gone are the days of picking up the phone and prolonging the dispatching process.
- Loading onto carriers – When pickup time comes, the carrier will load the vehicle(s) onto their trucks. Drivers will complete the required paperwork and inspections, which you can log using Super Dispatch’s all-in-one auto transport software.
- Vehicle inspection upon delivery – Vehicles also undergo inspection on the other end of the delivery, and all parties complete an electronic proof of delivery (ePOD). Dealers will also need to fill out a bill of lading, which the best car shipping carriers will ask for immediately. Using SuperPay, carriers can complete a digital delivery verification to help dealers seamlessly process carrier payments—all within one platform. Mitigate the risk of lost or double payments with Super Dispatch.
Following these steps helps protect dealerships and carriers from potential issues that can arise from shipping a new vehicle. Super Dispatch simplifies the process thanks to the all-in-one design, custom integrations, and dedicated support. Contact us today to start using Super Dispatch to ship new and used cars from your dealership!
Choosing the Right Car Dealership Shipping Partner
Finding the right car dealer shipping partner can take time and effort, especially as high-quality providers typically have a backlog of work, leaving less desirable options available. You can mitigate some risks by doing some due diligence and looking for these details:
- The auto transport service complies with the Department of Transport and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- The company you work with should also have experience shipping vehicles and have a good track record.
- Be sure to check customer reviews or contact other dealerships to obtain first-hand experience working with a particular carrier.
Using Super Dispatch, you can find high-quality providers, book and manage loads, handle bill of lading (BoL), and manage invoices—all in one platform.
Super Dispatch is the end-to-end platform that eliminates slow and manual processes to help you streamline your car shipping and communication. Plus, Super Dispatch’s Super LoadBoard makes it easy to trust carriers thanks to the verified marketplace that helps vet potential partnerships.
Streamline the Shipping Process With Super Dispatch
Shipping a vehicle involves several steps, from pick up to transport and, finally, delivery. Plenty of paperwork is involved to ensure all parties remain legally compliant, covered by insurance, and reputable. However, with the right tools, you can simplify the process and unlock more time for selling.
Dealerships have many reasons for shipping cars, but that doesn’t mean the process has to be a hassle. Super Dispatch makes it simple for dealerships, shippers, auction houses, and brokers to ship vehicles. Check out Super Dispatch and effectively manage your business from a one-stop platform that meets your custom needs.
