In case you own a business that relies on freight forwarders for your cargo shipping needs, it’s imperative to make sure that the company you choose to work with is a reliable one.
Most of the multinational companies often use the freight forwarder companies for their regular shipping needs. But if you haven’t yet used the freight forwarder in order to alleviate your business, maybe you should reconsider this point. If you are new to this, you must be wondering about things like what the real activity of freight forwarding companies is and why the enterprises find it so crucial for their business? The primary activities of the freight forwarder include making arrangements for cargo shipping as well as storing goods.
Here’s one thing most people don’t know – especially the new ones. There are a ton of freight forwarders that are operating independently without even being part of a freight forwarding company. They are actually the experts with strong logistics network – as simple as that. Perhaps that’s the reason why many companies are more comfortable with hiring an individual freight forwarder than a forwarding company as they get a peace-of-mind.
The freight forwarder will call you straight away to confirm that your shipment is sent to the final destination. Once the verification is done, the forwarder will then engage another person at the port. Therefore, it’s imperative to get the freight forwarder or the professional forwarding company involved as he brings you the long needed cargo security. While choosing the right freight forwarder, here’re a few important things you need to consider. So let’s dive in;
Choose the Experienced Freight Forwarder
It might sound like a broken record, but honestly, the experience is the key here. Starting a freight forwarding company might not be that much challenging, but this industry is inevitably not the easiest business sector in the world. For your cargo shipping needs, make sure you choose the experienced person or the company.
This is the only way to ensure that your shipment is in the safe hands and the provider you’re dealing with has handled different stations like needs for rerouting cargo, dockworker strikes & port shutdowns, smoothing out custom issues, etc. The experienced provider will be of great help in avoiding customs, warehousing, and routing issues before they even start. Thus, your international shipment can go smoothly.
Ask about Their Network of Agents and Businesses across the Region
For the local handling of your international shipments, it’s extremely important. Make sure you choose the forwarding company that has a strong network around the world. Not only that but also the provider needs to have connections in the countries/cities of origin & destination you usually do imports & exports with. For instance; you only do exports & imports to & from Germany. So obviously you don’t care about how good the freight forwarder’s connections are in the USA.
A reliable provider like the DP World has a very large network to & from almost anywhere in the world. Not only they offer the best cargo services, but also they ensure the safe and timely shipments. So while choosing the provider, just ask about your freight forwarder’s connections as well as experience in the specific locations you need.
Get the Services of Your Needs
Before making any decision, first, look at the services being offered by the Freight Forwarding Company. The reputable provider would be able to handle more than just the air and ocean shipping part of your imports & exports. For the international shipping, they must also be good at handling the rail & trucking portion of your international shipping.
However, you might be willing to have some Supply Chain Value Added Services like distribution and warehousing. In that case, make sure you ask the provider for that. So make sure you get the service of your need for the provider you choose.
