Finding a reliable international freight forwarding company might seem like a daunting task. There are many companies advertising their services on the Internet. Finding a reliable international freight forwarding company might seem like a daunting task. There are many companies advertising their services on the Internet, so when choosing which freight forwarder would best suit your business, takes careful consideration because price alone should not dictate which company is best. A reputable and well established forwarder will be happy to advertise their essential qualities which make them stand out from the rest.
There are certain criteria you need to establish before deciding on which international freight forwarding company is the right one for you. You need to be sure they are the people who will be your “trusted logistics partner”. The essential qualities to establish so this is the case are as follows:
1. How many carriers does the Freight forwarder have contracts with?
It’s crucial the company you choose boasts established contracts with more than just one carrier as this ensures any goods you ship out through them, will not end up sitting in warehouses but in the air or on a vessel, making headway to its destination. One area to look at is the “peak” season when space is often at a premium. A freight forwarding company that boasts more than one carrier will be able to get your goods shipped out quicker than one that has not.
2. Is the freight forwarder capable of handling your product?
You have to ascertain whether the freight company has the correct knowledge and experience of shipping the type of goods you deal with. You would need to establish if they have specialist containers should your products need any specific shipping requirements.
3. You need to establish whether the freight forwarder boasts a solid network of agents in the ports of origin and destination
If the forwarder has a good network of agents it ensures all information relating to your shipments will flow seamlessly back and forth without any hitches and it reduces the chances of expenses hold-ups in ports.
4. You need to establish just how well established and financially secure the freight forwarder actually is
In this strained financial times, it is always wiser to check out whether a freight forwarding company is indeed financially secure. You need to have the peace of mind your goods are secure and will be released and not held up at some port because the forwarder has not been able to pay their bills.
5. The level of communication the company offers is or paramount importance, which means you need to establish this is the case if you work with them
You need to be able to contact the freight forwarder and speak to a customer advisor not a 0800 number that keeps you hanging on the end of a phone when you need to find out anything about a shipment.
6. You need to establish their document “turnaround time” because you need to have all this information in real time
This is essential as it ensures there are no expensive delays anywhere down the line.
7. You should ask the company for references, you need to be aware of the company’s customer satisfaction level
A reputable company will be happy to supply good references to all their customers.
8. You need to know all about the company’s level of cargo insurance
This is vitally important. A well established and reputable international freight forwarding company will have the best level of insurance in place to cover all of their customer’s products and shipments so that any damage or loss in warehousing and distribution is compensated in good time.
You need to establish the company makes it their mission to secure the best prices with air freight companies, truck lines and cargo lines because this means they will be able to pass on the savings they make to each and every one of their customers. Lastly, it is crucial to be able to discuss a way to tailor a shipping package that suits your business and your budget with the freight forwarding company.
Conclusion
There are many international freight forwarding companies around these days because many more businesses are now selling their goods and products all over the world. Finding a reliable and reputable forwarder does take careful consideration. You need to choose a company with a solid reputation and one that boasts customer satisfaction as a priority. Lastly, the forwarder has to show a level of professionalism that’s second to none.
This post is taken from ExploreB2B
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