BizTech: Best website, FreightCenter.com
Featured in the Tampa Bay Business Journal - March 18, 2011
FreightCenter.com is an online third-party logistics company that has doubled its annual revenue and tripled its work force since the recession began in 2007, according to a previous report by the Tampa Bay Business Journal. Matthew Brosious, president, started the company in 1998. It operates similar to Expedia or Priceline, with shipping companies bidding for business instead of travel-related businesses.
Roughly 80 percent of FreightCenter’s volume is business-to-business traffic.
In 2010, the company initiated a complete overhaul of the site and layout to better serve customers, according to award nomination materials. The goal is to simplify the freight shipping process for all consumers and businesses.
When the redesign was launched, the company noticed an increase in traffic to the site and in activity and actions from the homepage. The company requested that actual leads and Web traffic numbers shared with the judges not be published.
FreightCenter considers a successful lead to be when a visitor registers for an account either through the complete registration form or a smaller, quicker registration option attached to every quote form on each page of the website. Hundreds of new registrations come in daily, in addition to the number of existing customers running new quotes and generating leads. Direct calls are also coming through to the site from prospects that prefer to register with an account manager.
The company has been able to fine-tune the consumer experience on the website by testing content, placement of buttons, call to action, layout, wording and images. Landing pages have also been beneficial by offering specific information and sales pitches depending on the type of shipping or search terms used.
FINALISTS
- Bayshore Solutions for client Jacobsen Homes
- CNC Ventures Inc. dba Timeshare Lifestyle
- McNichols Co.
- Tampa Downtown Partnership
- Wildfire Marketing Group
