Winning work as a haulier is one challenge. Protecting that customer base and growing it into a reliable foundation for the future is another. Many small and mid-sized haulage companies find the transition difficult.
Direct Connect Logistics is one company that has achieved it. Founded by Rhys Hackling, the business has grown from two trucks to a fleet of 18 and has become a leading haulage partner in just over a decade. With long-standing haulage customers and more than 6,000 reviews on Haulage Exchange, it has become known for consistency, reliability and loyalty.
We spoke to Rhys about the decisions that shaped Direct Connect Logistics, the lessons he learned from past ventures, and his advice for hauliers who want to build lasting customer relationships.
What we’ll cover
Fleets, bookings, subcontractors, compliance & payments.
With HX, you can manage them all in one place.
Laying the foundations for a haulage business
Direct Connect Logistics was built on a clear vision from the start. Founder Rhys Hackling had already been running vehicles within his air conditioning ducting company, giving him first-hand experience of transport and fleet management.
When the construction downturn and subsequent recession of late 2011/early 2012 forced that business to close, he took the lessons learned and channelled them into creating a dedicated haulage company with growth and professionalism at its core.
1) Turn challenges into opportunities
The ducting industry gave Rhys valuable foresight. He had noticed that ducting always lagged behind construction by around 12 months. When new builds slowed in 2011, he knew a downturn was coming. Within weeks the ducting business was losing heavily, but the transport side was still performing well.
That contrast convinced him to focus on haulage. More importantly, it taught him to think beyond the day-to-day and to factor wider industry cycles into his decisions.
By recognising the warning signs and acting on them, Rhys laid the groundwork for Direct Connect Logistics to be resilient from the start.
2) Define your business identity
One of the earliest decisions was how to position the new company. Rhys describes two models that logistics companies can adopt:
- Solutions-based companies, which secure work first and then source whatever vehicles are required.
- Service-based companies, which run a defined fleet and concentrate on keeping those vehicles busy.
Direct Connect Logistics chose to be service-based. Every asset had to earn its keep, which meant building a model around utilisation and consistency.
And if they needed specialist vehicles for one-off loads, they could rely trusted subcontractors to get the job done.
Haulage Exchange provided the ideal platform for that approach, connecting the company’s vehicles with loads and reducing the risks of idle capacity.
3) Set professional standards from day one
From the outset, professionalism was at the centre of operations. Vehicles were kept spotless, drivers wore uniforms and PPE, and paperwork was completed with care. When working as a subcontractor, Direct Connect Logistics avoided heavy livery to ensure their haulage customers saw them as a representative of their own business, not a competitor.
Drivers were trained to introduce themselves as working on behalf of the subcontracting customer, reinforcing trust and presenting the right image. Blank PODs were used as standard to avoid confusion and to protect customer relationships.
“Drivers are the face of your company. Customers often judge you by the driver who turns up.”
Even the smallest details were considered. Drivers were equipped with first aid kits, accident report packs, sanitiser, and welfare items like “wee bags” to safeguard their health during long shifts.
For Rhys, these touches matter: they support driver wellbeing while also demonstrating to haulage customers that the company takes professionalism seriously.
Turning one-off jobs into repeat contracts
One of Direct Connect Logistics’ first jobs on HX turned into a breakthrough. A company in Banbury, struggling to cover new haulage contracts, gave them a chance. Impressed by the service, they offered repeat work and even paid in 14 days to support a new business. Within weeks, Direct Connect Logistics was running multiple vehicles a day for them.
This pattern has repeated many times. A £500 job grew into £48,000 of work in a single week. Another one-off booking became a customer still with them a decade later.
Drivers as ambassadors: why your staff shape customer loyalty
Scaling isn’t just about haulage vehicles — it’s about people. Rhys believes drivers are the most important factor in customer retention.
The key, Rhys believes, is communication. Haulage customers trust subcontractors who keep them informed, particularly when problems arise.
He recalls a subcontractor who suffered a puncture shortly after loading. Because the driver informed him immediately, he was able to update the customer and keep the job on track. “That honesty,” he says, “is what makes haulage customers come back.”
Direct Connect Logistics also invests in training HGV drivers to present themselves as working on behalf of the contractor, never directly soliciting work. They’re uniformed, equipped, and prepared to represent the brand with professionalism.
This, he argues, is often what keeps haulage customers loyal. “At the end of the day, the driver is who the customer sees. If they trust the driver, they’ll trust you.”
Do your homework: how to spot the right haulage customers
Not every haulage customer is equal, and Rhys encourages hauliers to research before investing time in relationships. Haulage Exchange’s feedback and payment records are one of his go-to tools.
By checking account age, number of completed jobs, and payment history, Direct Connect Logistics can identify reliable partners. He contrasts a small but active depot of Speedy Freight, which had logged over 16,000 completed jobs, with other large companies that showed very little trading activity.
This level of research, he says, saves wasted effort and helps focus on the right opportunities.
Retaining customers for the long term
Direct Connect Logistics has haulage customers who have been loyal for over ten years. That loyalty, Rhys explains, comes down to three things:
- Consistency
- Fairness
- Communication.
Many new haulage customers arrive because their previous hauliers failed on those basics. Undercutting, he warns, is rarely the answer. “If you win work by being the cheapest, you’ll never escape that position,” he says.
Instead, Direct Connect Logistics has built a reputation on stable pricing, reliable service, and professional drivers.
“Even a £50 job can lead to a major contract if you do it properly.”
Rhys also stresses the importance of diversification. “Customers come in waves,” he says. “Some will be busy for months, then quiet. You need enough waves so you’re never left exposed when one slows down.”
When to subcontract: honesty and standards matter
As the business grew, Direct Connect Logistics also relied on haulage subcontractors for niche work — from specialist freight to overseas loads. Transparency was always the rule.
If they couldn’t cover work directly, they told customers it would be outsourced but still managed to Direct Connect’s standards. That honesty reassured customers, while still allowing the company to deliver solutions outside its own fleet’s scope.
Use technology to focus on customers, not admin
Haulage Exchange has been central to Direct Connect Logistics’ success for more than a decade.
For Rhys, it is far more than a platform for haulage return loads. Its mapping tools, invoicing, SmartPay and driver apps reduce admin and give him back time to focus on customers.
Switching to HX invoicing alone saved him two days of work every week. “That change,” he says, “freed me to grow the business instead of drowning in paperwork.”
He has also been involved in testing new features like diary management tools, which he believes will transform scheduling for fleet managers.
Using data for sustainable growth
Scaling too fast has ended many small hauliers, but Direct Connect Logistics grew in careful, deliberate stages. From two vehicles, they expanded to four, then six, 12, and finally 18.
Each step was driven by evidence, not guesswork. Rhys monitored daily demand on Haulage Exchange as a barometer for the wider market. If volumes were consistently high and the company was only winning a handful of jobs, he knew there was room to expand. If volumes dipped, he held back. This disciplined approach stopped the business from overreaching.
“Expand only when you know the work is there — and when you have the people to deliver it.”
Look beyond today’s workload
Rhys stresses that growth decisions shouldn’t be based solely on how busy you are right now. Seasonal demand can create false confidence, while quieter periods may mask longer-term opportunities.
Instead, he advises hauliers to look for consistent patterns across weeks or months.
Use customer data as a guide
Customer relationships also provide valuable signals.
If clients start asking for more work than you can handle, that may justify adding capacity. Equally, if a single customer accounts for most of your workload, it’s a red flag against immediate expansion.
Building a balanced portfolio of customers reduces the risk of sudden drops.
Factor in wider market conditions
Beyond HX volumes and customer requests, Rhys encourages hauliers to pay attention to industry and economic cycles.
Construction trends, fuel prices, and changes in regional freight demand can all shape whether it’s the right time to grow. His own experience in ducting taught him that downturns rarely arrive overnight — warning signs often appear months in advance.
Balancing data with people and systems
Finally, he reminds hauliers that growth is about more than trucks.
Service levels can quickly suffer if drivers, admin systems, or cashflow aren’t ready for expansion. Matching new vehicles with the right staff and processes ensures customers continue to receive the same level of service, even as capacity increases.
This cautious, data-informed strategy allowed him to grow steadily while maintaining the reliability and standards that kept customers loyal.
Final advice for hauliers
From his experience building Direct Connect Logistics, Rhys leaves three lessons for companies looking to protect and grow their customer base:
- Know what type of company you are. Decide whether you’re service-based or solutions-based.
- Build relationships early. Even small jobs can develop into long-term partnerships.
- Scale carefully. Growth should always match demand and be supported by the right people and systems.
Looking ahead, Rhys believes the fundamentals of retention and growth will remain unchanged.
“Customers will always want reliability, honesty and good communication. Technology helps, but at the end of the day, it’s about trust.”
Frequently asked questions
How can a haulage company win repeat work?
By delivering consistent service, communicating clearly, and pricing fairly. Customers return to hauliers they can trust.
What do haulage customers value most in a haulier?
Professionalism, proactive updates, and reliability. Many customers leave hauliers who fail on these basics.
What are the risks of scaling too quickly?
Expanding without the right demand or staff risks cashflow issues and poor service. Growth must be matched by systems and people.
