Now that you know you will be going through your initial negotiation, there are a few things you need 
to be doing NOW. This it true no matter how far off it may seem. If you ask anyone who has already been through one, they'll most likely tell you that a solid understanding of where you currently stand (number-wise) is the foundation of a meaningful and successful process.
Not only will doing the things we are about to mention help you get more of what you want, but being prepared will dramatically lower your stress levels.
Most of us, when embarking on a journey to somewhere we've never been, get the map out (or today "Google It") to see where it is we are going. We then PLAN on how to get there.
You can PLAN your journey to your ideal ISP Destination by doing the following things:
Editor's note: I would be remiss if I didn't preclude these helpful hints by saying that using the eTruckBiz For FXG System, will accomplish the following things for you...auto-magically!
1) Compile And Understand Your Data
You can't know where you're going until you know where you've been. Your historical settlement data holds the key to revealing where you are, so you can plan on where you want to go.
Additionally, compiling your past settlement data will give you the basis to understand and compare the quality of FXG's initial and subsequent offers.
You must have a reference point from which to start. If not, you might as well just give your negotiator the keys to your negotiation, because you'll have no idea where you are going. They're not likely to take you to anywhere that will be fun. You can bet they'll be happy that you're not prepared!
The more data you have, the better and more confident you'll be about planning your side of the negotiation.
2) Become "Per-Stop, Settlement Aware"
If I asked you how much your van availability revenue is, on a per-stop basis, would you know the answer? How about, what your current fixed vs. variable settlement percentages are?
You need to start understanding, on a per-stop basis, the elements that make up your current settlement.
A successful negotiation will include a per-stop charge that more than adequately covers your per stop costs. Hopefully, you'll do your homework well BEFORE it is time to negotiate, to know what this means.
Here's a hint: you can't just look at your settlement totals (IC) to figure this out.
3) Learn To Translate "IC" Into "ISP"
You need to understand what revenue components make up your current settlement, and then how they would translate into an ISP settlement structure.
How do you do this?
Well, here's the bad news: You probably can't. You could try to do this on your own, but if you make a mistake, it will cost you thousands of dollars.
Here's another tip: Don't ask your negotiator. They won't tell you. And if they did, it will be too late at that point. Oh, and your buddy that you know in another state that already went through the process, probably didn't know either.
Here's the good news: We know how to do this.
Unless you use us to help you, there is really not a easy way for you to do this. Sadly, it is at the heart of the whole process. This is how you make sense of it all from your point of view. It will put you at a tremendous disadvantage if you are not able to make sense out of IC data in an ISP format. You'll be playing checkers while FXG plays chess.
Look, let's face it. Most folks are not going to know how to prepare for, and then successfully carry out their first negotiation. There's no real way to prepare for it on your own, because the format and execution is all structured by FXG, in FXG's format, and by FXG's rules. Rules that you can't learn until you go through a negotiation.
Sure, the nice folks at FXG are going to try to guide you in what they want you to do and how they want you to carry out the negotiation. They will be setting all the rules 
by which you'll play. They have all the data. They know where they want to take each and every negotiation, before it starts.
Doesn't sound very fair and balanced does it?
But there is hope.
You can conduct a successful negotiation if you adequately prepare and understand what's going on.
This is where we can help you. 
The eTruckBiz For FXG system has the ability to take your past data and turn it into the information you need so you can plan your destination. You don't have to go directly to theirs.
You need to know where you want to go BEFORE you start the negotiation.
FXG certainly will.
You'll want to end up somewhere between where they want to take you and where you'd like to go. This is a better place than where they want to take you.
You must do your homework (or let eTruckBizForFXG do it for you) in order to come up with your destination, and your map on how to get there.
