The dedicated profile page for every service provider on uShip is getting a major overhaul.
If you’re a transporter, this facelift essentially eliminates the need for your standalone business website. If you have one or are considering one, this saves you thousands of dollars on a webmaster who creates, hosts, edits and manages the site.
By providing this invaluable piece of online real estate at no cost — something the company has done since Day 1 — uShip acts as the marketing and sales department to tens of thousands of providers. In fact, 41,000 active providers to be more precise.
At a time when online reviews are critical to customers’ buying decisions, this profile page plays a vital role in your business success. It openly displays credentials, feedback ratings, unbiased customer reviews, logistics experience, photos, and more.
A cornerstone of this profile page — uShip’s Ratings and Reviews system, the thing that enables trust between complete strangers — is also undergoing an upgrade of its own.
The biggest change in this revamp? Along with existing positive, negative and neutral feedback, cancellations and past customer reviews are now factored into the overall 5-star rating.
This means shipping customers can more quickly and easily understand a carrier’s past performance, experience, and know-how.
Transporters should know that their existing uShip service history will remain intact — that’s not going anywhere — but with cancellations now included, we anticipate ALL providers will see a minor drop in their overall star rating (roughly .25-.50 of a star). This should not be cause for alarm as all service providers will experience this.
While cancellations are inevitable, what speaks volumes about your service quality and professionalism is how you handle those situations. Those providers who leave customers with last-minute cancellation and don’t communicate effectively will now see those experiences reflected in their overall rating for potential customers to see. Handling it well can truly set you apart.
Profile Page Updates
So, what’s new? Plenty! Here’s the new look of your profile:
The first thing you’ll see is the addition of the Profile Card. This is the section on the top left of your profile with at-a-glance info about your business. Here’s where you find your photo, broker or carrier tag, star rating and a “Would Use Again” rating (your historical overall positive feedback rating).
Up-front Reviews
As shipping customers will tell you, the first thing they look for in reviewing a carrier is their star rating and feedback. Because of this, we’ve put reviews front and center within your profile. Now, users can sort and search your reviews to find feedback that’s most relevant to their shipment.
Shipment Insights
Beyond user ratings, your new profile also features Shipment Insights, which put your performance on display with info like the number of shipments completed, any categories you are ranked in, and your cancellation rate.
Profile Page Badges
Another front-and-center feature is Badges. These badges indicate important details about you and your business. Potential badges include:
- Number of years on uShip
- SaferWatch Monitored badge (if applicable)
- Location tracking
- Military Status Verified
- Power Carrier or Power Broker status
- Making the Most of Your New Profile
The goal of these updates is to quickly and accurately give shipping customers a comprehensive view of you as a carrier. The update empowers these customers with the tools to determine whether a given carrier is a good fit for them. At the same time, these updates give carriers the chance to stand out and highlight their qualifications.
To really help your profile page shine, we’ve got some suggestions:
- Take the time to write a bit about your business in the “Bio” section. It’s your opportunity to tell customers what you’re all about in your own words.
- List any details about your Terms & Conditions that customers should know before booking with you.
- Encourage your customers to leave reviews as often as possible.
- Add photos of your equipment and team; this gives your company a human element.
- List the types of equipment, trucks, and trailers you have.
- Don’t forget to add details about your fleet and drivers.
Ready for your close up?
