When is a Freight Forwarder Needed?
Here you can find our guide which details the common signs that your company may need a freight forwarder.
Freight forwarders provide services to export goods around the world on your behalf to any country.
This usually applies to exporting larger volumes of product or high value items, most commonly by sea or air freight, and will help to save your company time and money.
If you are exporting smaller volumes of goods or regular amounts of packages, using a parcel courier may be more suited for your company’s needs, and will provide a simpler, cheaper and quicker service.
There are certain signs that your company might be showing, that may suggest using a freight forwarder would be beneficial for your business.
To Help Solve Customer Service Issues
If you notice that your customer service is starting to lack, as your focus is being pulled towards other sectors of your business, then it might be worth looking into utilising a freight forwarder. Customer service is a vital part of a business that constantly needs to be cared for. Relationships with clients or customers can make or break your business. Using a freight forwarder to take on the work involved in managing and organising shipping, will give you the time that you need to strengthen your customer service and other sectors of your business.
Time-Sensitive Work
If you work on a tight timeframe, using a freight forwarder can alleviate the stress of making sure your shipments are processed and delivered on time. Certain industry sectors need to make sure that their product is shipped within a certain timeframe, an example being the food and beverages industry that needs to work at a reliably fast rate in order to make sure the product has not passed its expiry date. There are many other sectors that need their freight shipping services to be fast and safe.
Freight forwarders can advise you on the quickest routes for your shipments and can also advise you on the lowest costs. They will also be able to make you aware of any delays or issues regarding shipping in good time so that you can take the best course of action and rearrange your shipping dates if need be. Taking shorter routes, especially when using sea freight means that you also lower your carbon footprint.
Experiencing Shipment Issues
There is a plethora of different issues and damages that can occur during shipping, when importing or exporting to different countries, for example:
- general cargo and goods in transit
- project cargo (including delay in start-up)
- logistics and security
- packaging
- temperature-sensitive and theft-attractive cargo
- warehouse inspections
- international insurance programs
- piracy
- difference in conditions and difference in limits (DIC/DIL)
- freight liability
- cargo consequential loss
Freight forwarders also often offer different types of cargo insurance that will cover you for these events and will even take control of the long and arduous process of making a claim if you do incur any losses from shipments. Using a freight forwarder means that you can have peace of mind that these issues will be handled by a reliable and professional team of experts. This leaves you with the time to focus on other important parts of your business, knowing that you won’t have to worry about remedying shipment issues on your own.
Are You Equipped Enough?
If your in-house services are not built for or well versed in international shipping procedures, it can be a very complex task to take on independently. It requires a lot of time and work that you may not be able to provide, or at the level of quality that you need. Using a freight forwarder would be greatly advised as they could make sure that all of your international shipping needs are met to a high standard, while saving you time and the costs of attempting to manage shipments yourself.
If you decide to use a freight forwarder, you should make sure that you are using an experienced operator who is a member of the British International Freight Association (BIFA). Another thing to look for in a freight forwarder is an Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) certification, as this certifies the organisation as a trusted trader, and entitles them to certain benefits over those who have not obtained an AEO accreditation. You should also make sure that you discuss the management of transport and logistics options thoroughly with your freight forwarder to make sure that you are receiving the correct services to fit the needs of your business.
You can also explore our other articles to find out more on what is a freight forwarder and choosing a freight forwarder, so you can make a well-informed decision.
If you would like to discuss your needs with Pro Carrier, do not hesitate to contact us.
