The verdict in three sentences
For a road haulage company running cross-border lanes from the Netherlands and Belgium to Germany and Poland, the website has one commercial job: producing qualified quote requests that the sales desk can price in under 2 hours. A 12 field quote form (origin, destination, goods type, weight, Incoterm, loading date) wired to WhatsApp Business and the CRM turns a brochure site into a sales tool, within Kolonell's website range of 1,220 to 5,340 EUR. Delivery takes 3 to 6 weeks, and the cost per enquiry quickly falls below trade fairs and field prospecting.
Why hauliers lose enquiries online
Most haulage websites show a 'Contact' page with a generic email address and a landline. The shipper looking for a full truckload of 24 pallets from Venlo to Poznan, or a reefer from Rotterdam to Munich, sends a vague message, waits, then calls a competitor or posts on a freight exchange. The sales desk receives incomplete requests and spends 2 or 3 exchanges getting the weight, trailer type and Incoterm before it can quote.
A good form fixes this by asking the useful questions once, with dropdowns rather than free text.
The 12 field quote form
| Field | Format | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Origin town and country | Dropdown plus postcode | Distance and positioning cost |
| Destination town and country | Dropdown plus postcode | Lane, tolls and road charges |
| Goods type | Dropdown (pallets, bulk, reefer, ADR dangerous goods) | Trailer type and insurance |
| Total weight in tonnes | Number | Axle limits and number of trucks |
| Pallets or loading metres | Number | FTL or groupage |
| Incoterm | Dropdown (EXW, FCA, CPT, DAP, DDP) | Who pays which costs |
| Requested loading date | Date | Fleet planning |
| Tail lift or special equipment | Yes or no | Vehicle choice |
| Declared goods value | Amount in EUR | Cargo insurance above CMR limits |
| Frequency | One-off, monthly, weekly | Sales priority and contract rate |
| Company and role | Text | B2B qualification |
| WhatsApp number | Number with country code | Fast reply |
On submit, the request is created in the CRM and a WhatsApp Business summary goes to the duty sales rep and to the customer. Weekly or monthly requests over 20 tonnes are flagged as priority.
Price and timeline by website level
The table follows Kolonell's website grid. WhatsApp Business and CRM integrations are priced in the quote depending on the tool already in place.
| Level | Kolonell price | Content | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 1,220 to 1,830 EUR | 5 pages, quote form, WhatsApp button | 3 weeks |
| Growth | 1,830 to 3,050 EUR | Lane pages, blog, analytics, CRM sync | 4 to 5 weeks |
| Premium | 3,050 to 5,340 EUR | Animations, advanced SEO, document area | 5 to 6 weeks |
| Maintenance | 53 to 183 EUR per month | Updates, backups, support | Ongoing |
| Extra languages and integrations | On quote | DE, PL or tracking integration | Depends on scope |
Cost per enquiry: website, trade fairs and field sales
2026 orders of magnitude for a mid-sized Benelux haulier.
| Channel | Estimated annual cost | Qualified enquiries per year | Cost per enquiry |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logistics trade fair | 12,000 to 25,000 EUR (stand, travel, materials) | 30 to 50 | 400 to 500 EUR |
| Dedicated field sales rep | 60,000 to 80,000 EUR loaded | 80 to 120 | 650 to 750 EUR |
| Freight exchange subscription | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR | Spot loads, low margin | Hard to compare |
| Website with quote form and SEO | 4,000 to 9,000 EUR in year one | 80 to 150 | 40 to 70 EUR |
The website does not replace the sales rep, who still signs annual contracts, but it feeds them pre-qualified requests.
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Mini case study
Sarah, commercial director of a 40 truck haulier in Venlo, earns 65% of revenue on lanes to Germany and Poland. She chooses a Growth website at 2,800 EUR with maintenance at 114 EUR a month, or 2,800 + 1,368 = 4,168 EUR in year one, plus her existing SEO spend.
From month three the site produces 10 qualified requests a month, about 100 in the year. Cost per request: about 42 EUR, against 450 EUR at the last trade fair. At a 20% conversion rate she signs 20 new shippers. If each books 6 loads a year at a 300 EUR margin per load, the margin generated reaches 36,000 EUR, more than 8 times the website budget.
FAQ
Can the form calculate a price automatically?
It can for standard lanes, but rates move with diesel, tolls such as the German Maut and empty return legs. Most hauliers prefer a human reply within 2 hours with a firm price.
How long until we rank on Google?
Lane queries such as 'transport Netherlands Poland' or 'haulier Venlo Germany' are moderately competitive: 4 to 6 months is typical with dedicated lane pages.
Do we need German and Polish versions?
They help if your shippers or receivers are there. Extra languages can be added to the Growth or Premium level and are scoped on quote.
How do we filter out time-wasters?
The company field, a minimum weight and WhatsApp number verification filter most low-quality requests. Usually 60 to 75% of requests are workable.
Can the site show truck tracking?
Yes, through an integration with your existing telematics in a customer area. That module is a custom application and is priced on quote.
Let's scope your project. We design your website and quote form connected to WhatsApp Business and your CRM, with go-live in 3 to 6 weeks. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
