How to negotiate payment terms for your small transportation business

Cash flow in any business is important, but especially in trucking and transportation businesses that are responsible for paying drivers weekly, or even daily. 90-day, 60-day, or even 30-day payment terms from retail clients can force small businesses to struggle with cash flow or worse yet, shut down entirely.  

However, businesses offering transportation services have a lot of leverage. Pinpointing the value you provide to your retail clients is key in payment term negotiations.  

Our host, Nick Hancock, chats with Openforce Chief Revenue Officer and renown industry executive Natalie Putnam to learn more about what trucking and transportation companies can do right now to negotiate with their clients and keep a positive cash flow. 

The Gig Academy host

Nick Hancock, Openforce Gig Academy Podcast Host and Customer Success Manager of Key Accounts Nick monitors all areas that pertain to and affect the gig economy and IC model to best advise and meet the needs of Openforce’s clientele. Prior to working at Openforce, Nick worked in the dental manufacturing industry and has a background in insurance as a producer.

Nick has a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies of Humanities from Northern Arizona University. Nick resides in Phoenix, Arizona where he and his wife recently welcomed their firstborn daughter in October 2021.

About this episode’s guest

Natalie Putnam, Chief Revenue Officer at Openforce Natalie Putnam is a results-oriented executive with over 30 years of experience in logistics. She is acutely tuned in to the market and is instrumental in developing and communicating growth strategies with Openforce’s executive leadership team.   

Natalie understands the challenges of operating a trucking fleet in the logistics industry and specifically as an independent contractor in the final mile environment. Her marketing experience and leadership of large sales teams create the unique combination of skills best suited to address the rapidly growing logistics contracting market. 

One of Natalie’s passions is helping companies evolve using technology, especially to enable the freedom and productivity of contractor workforce models. She serves on the advisory board of AWESOME, a women’s logistics and supply chain leadership organization, and is a board member and advisor to ALAN (American Logistics Aid Network).  

Prior to joining Openforce, Natalie was most recently the CEO of DeliveryCircle, a technology company and final mile provider. She also served as VP of Marketing Strategy at Ryder, VP of Sales & Marketing at KC Southern Railroad, Chief Commercial Officer at Verst Logistics and SVP of Sales at YRC Freight. 

About Openforce Openforce is the leader in technology-driven services that reduce operating costs and mitigate risk for companies using independent contractors. Their cloud-based applications help companies and contractors alike achieve more sustainable, profitable growth by removing financial, operational, and compliance barriers to getting business done.