How Freight Brokers Can Hire Using Near-Shore Staffing

May 15, 2025

How Freight Brokers Can Hire Using Near-Shore Staffing

Historically, freight brokerages have relied on hiring domestically due to concerns about time zones, communication, and regulations. However, near-shore staffing is changing that by offering skilled talent in nearby countries with minimal communication barriers.

A clear appeal of this arrangement is fewer costs compared to the traditional brokerage model. But saving money is not the only win. Near-shoring helps freight brokers grow, supported by dedicated teams with specialized skill sets.

Let’s explore how this staffing approach works and cover its benefits, challenges, and best practices.

What is Near-Shoring in the Freight Brokerage Industry?

Near-shoring refers to strategically hiring personnel from neighboring countries. This allows U.S. freight brokerages to expand their teams with skilled professionals who work in similar or overlapping time zones.

Common near-shore regions include Mexico, Colombia, the Caribbean, and Canada. This staffing model differs from traditional offshore outsourcing that engages staff from Asia and other regions operating in vastly different time zones. The proximity advantage creates numerous operational efficiencies that distant outsourcing cannot match.

Many of the top freight broker companies now use the strategy to fill a range of roles, including sales support, load coordination, and customer service.

What are the Benefits of Near-Shore Staffing?

The near-shore staffing model offers freight companies several compelling advantages. Consider the following:

Wider talent pool: Near-shoring allows you to tap into a talent pool of motivated and skilled professionals beyond the domestic job market. The continued growth of the freight brokerage market, expected to hit 90.7 billion by 2031, makes more staffing options invaluable.
Cost effectiveness: Employing talented individuals at much lower salaries than local hires is an obvious draw. You don’t have to worry about office space costs either. Near-shoring savings could be up to 40%.
Flexibility: The flexibility lets you adjust your staffing levels to meet market shifts, cover emergencies, and develop new opportunities.
Good teamwork: Closer time zones make communications and collaborations easier and faster.
Competitive edge: Reducing costs, boosting operational efficiency, and onboarding ambitious hires potentially gives your brokerage a major competitive advantage.

These benefits make near-shore staffing an attractive option for brokerages that want to optimize operations and reduce costs, all while maintaining high service standards.

Roles Freight Brokers Can Fill With Near-Shore Staffing

Let’s look at some of the vital roles that near-shore personnel handle in the freight and transportation space.

Load coordination and dispatch: Near-shore team members can excel in these roles, including load booking, dispatching, and shipment tracking.
Customer service and account support: Near-shore staff provide proactive support in servicing clients. They handle inquiries, updates, and other essential communications. They can also manage documentation and contracts.
Carrier relations: Outsourced teams assist with carrier compliance checks and onboarding. They manage communications and help cement relationships with your transportation partners.
Sales support and lead generation: Trained team members can add value to lead generation and research, qualification, appointment setting, and CRM management.
Documentation processing: Administrative tasks like invoice processing and document management can be confidently assigned to near-shore administrators.
Back-office support: Near-shore personnel streamline operations by supporting functions like payroll, basic accounting, and general admin.
Tech: Third-party solutions providers like Lean Solutions Group help brokerages build their ideal technology systems.

How to Hire Using Near-Shore Staffing

Follow these steps to build an effective nearshore team:

Assess your staffing needs: Evaluate your current workloads and pressure points. Identify which roles can be feasibly outsourced. It’s also a good idea to asses how technology and automation can be intergrated.
Choose the right near-shore staffing partner: Look for industry experience in logistics and freight, and check testimonials. The top companies have multiple offices in different regions. Some popular staffing providers are Lean Solutions, Rapido, and Valaroo.
Define job descriptions: Create clear job descriptions. Think about SOPs and KPIs.
Interview and selections: Agree on a virtual interview process with your staffing partner. Evaluate candidates carefully, and consider probationary periods to test their fit.
Onboarding and training: Besides job-specific training, ensure the team member has access to all the resources, tools, and information they need to do their job.
Compliance and data security: Obtain confidentiality agreements to cover data privacy compliance. Consult legal experts to navigate tax and compliance requirements for international hires.

Challenges and Solutions of Near-Shore Staffing

Hiring near-shore staff brings great advantages, but there are a few challenges.

These are the most common issues and the best practices to overcome them:

Communication and Culture

Differences in communication styles are sometimes inevitable. To manage this, encourage openness and provide context when assigning tasks. Regular check-ins, shared team goals, and collaboration tools like Slack and Microsoft Teams bring everyone onto the same page.

Tech reliability

Some regions may face internet or power issues. Partner with third-party providers who verify that candidates have suitable workspaces with backup systems. Consider cloud-based apps for easy connectivity.

Managing productivity

Managing remote teams can be tricky without clear oversight. A successful process starts with proper onboarding and job orientation. Set clear KPIs and use a task-tracking system. Regular, transparent reviews are also valuable. Don’t forget to celebrate successes to keep your employees motivated.

FAQs

1. Are near-shore and offshore services the same?

Near-shore and offshore services are not the same. Near-shore services involve nearby countries with similar time zones. Offshore services are typically farther away, with greater time zone and cultural differences.

2. Is near-shore staffing reliable?

Yes, when working with vetted providers, near-shore teams can be highly reliable, professional, and possess the necessary skills to help your brokerage grow.

3. Is being a freight broker hard?

Freight brokering is demanding because of the importance of managing vital deliveries on schedule. High customer service expectations come with the territory. However, it’s a rewarding career for those who thrive in fast-paced environments and are committed to excellence.

In Summary

Near-shore staffing is revolutionizing freight brokerages, enabling them to build cost-effective, efficient, and scalable teams. But as the industry evolves, continual learning and skills development are key to sustained success.

90-Day Freight Broker is the most comprehensive industry course available today, covering far more than the freight broker basics. It equips both new and more experienced brokers to level up quickly through proven methodologies and insider strategies developed by industry veterans. If you feel 90-Day Freight Broker can accelerate your brokerage’s success, connect with us today.

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