THE SHORT ANSWER
How should a broker respond to “you are too expensive”?
Clarify what the customer is comparing, understand the consequences of a service failure and explain the work included in your quote. Prove relevant value instead of insisting that brokers are always cheaper.
Watch the original lesson.
Are Freight Broker’s Too Expensive? The Answer May Surprise You ↗
Freightskills · Luis Uribe. This lesson reflects its original recording period.
How should a broker respond to “you are too expensive”?
Start by understanding the comparison. Is the customer looking at the same lane, equipment, timing and service requirements? Is the alternative a direct carrier, another broker or an older rate that no longer describes the move?
Luis recommends asking questions before defending the price. A customer’s concern may be perfectly reasonable. You need to understand it before deciding whether to explain your service, revise the proposal or accept that the opportunity is not a fit.
Discuss what happens when the plan changes
Ask who handles the work if the original truck becomes unavailable. What is the effect on the receiving operation, production schedule or customer promise? Let the customer describe the consequences rather than assuming every delay creates the same cost.
A capable brokerage can add value by sourcing alternatives and coordinating the response. Explain the process you actually provide, including communication and approval of any changed costs. Do not promise that replacement capacity will always be available at the original rate.
Make the service specific
Describe the work included in your quote: carrier sourcing and qualification, scheduling, shipment updates and help resolving exceptions. Use examples you can substantiate. A claim that you offer “the best service” gives the customer little to compare.
A strong direct carrier relationship can also be valuable. Your job is to explain where your service fits this customer’s needs, not to dismiss every alternative. Some shipments will fit your model better than others.
Agree on a useful next step
If the customer sees value, ask for a shipment or scenario where the difference matters and quote it accurately. If price remains the deciding factor, determine whether you can meet the requirements sustainably before changing the rate.
Luis’s lesson is to connect the price with the work behind it. Earn the opportunity by making that work clear, then deliver it. The long-term relationship depends on the result, not how convincingly you win an objection on the phone.
