The Internet Truckstop is an example of a business that followed these principles. When Moscrip started his firm, five years ago, he went to brokers with a load matching service that had no carriers and no freight. At the TBCA convention in 1995, he presented an idea. Entrepreneurial members bought into the concept and supported it. Today, The Internet Truckstop is the largest load matching service on the Internet. As of the early March date of the convention, its service had over 18,000 sign-ons, growing to 19,500 as of mid-May. The site represents 353,000 power units. This includes 426 companies with more than 100 trucks and 12,810 companies with 10 trucks or less.

    Moscrip explained that his firm achieved its #1 position by knowing their key customers - brokers and carriers - and by getting feed-back, understanding the challenges and values, being on top of the technology, transportation and supply chain trends and knowing the competition. In a business where value-added service and upgrades are constant, says Moscrip, "There is no other way to do business."

    The Truckstop team talks with thousands of truckers at major trucking shows where they exhibit and sponsor cyber cafes, such as the shows in Louisville and Dallas. Actually watching truckers use computers on site, they can see where improvements can occur, where the user process can be more explicit and where user questions can be answered before they are asked.

    The same process is followed with brokers and other transportation intermediaries. Truckstop personnel have a third ear tuned to "If only we could . . ." The majority of their development is based on features and user patterns that customers say they would prefer. This includes the revolutionary "instant notification" service.

    In the Technology Building at the firm's corporate headquarters, technical personnel share notes daily on requests from brokers and carriers. Moscrip himself attends the TIA convention to hear from brokers and see the competition in action.

    Searching for ways to cut time for brokers, The Internet Truckstop has added various services to their site. One of them is insurance verification.

    "Think of the time you save, not having to call and fax and correspond back and forth with a carrier for their insurance information," said Moscrip. Brokers confirmed that this service alone could save hours a day from the way things are typically done today.

    Moscrip advised brokers that, "Your website should help you create and maintain relationships." It should offer visitors services:

• That they can use
• That they like
• That they do use

    Urging his audience to move their operation to the Internet, Moscrip assured brokers that this does not mean giving up personal interaction. He pointed out that the way to allow transportation professionals to concentrate on personal customer service is by maximizing automation.

    "Your website frees employees to make personal calls to customers and handle exceptions," he pointed out.

    Brokers must become conversant with three types of Internet process, according to speaker Gary Wilson, PhD of the Center for Business and Economics, Elmhurst College. He said the progression relates to evolving levels of computer-assisted communication:

• Person-to-person
• Person-to-computer
• Computer-to-computer

    E-mail is the means for the first usage - person-to-person. From executives to dispatchers, e-mail has become the communication of preference in the transportation field. Speed of communication is ultra-important in the fast-changing environment of transportation. Huge efficiencies are achieved where brokers and their customers are able and willing to master this method.

    The next step is person-to-computer, where the customer can go into their partner's computer and pull out the information desired. An example is the well known FedEx shipment tracking system, widely used by customers. Another is posting accounts payable to the Internet, to eliminate the need to make or receive calls for payment.

    The third generation of access will be when the customer's computer can go into the brokerage computer to check on progress, rate service and create reports.

    Moscrip challenged brokers to be pro-active with technology.

    "Instead of expecting your suppliers or customers to initiate technology, make yourself more efficient," Moscrip advised.