“7 Tips on How to Choose a Forwarder
In the international shipping industry, timing is of the essence. You need professionals to manage your supply line, which means you need a freight forwarding company. A freight forwarder handles your shipment from origin to final destination and everything in between. If you are new to the international freight business and looking for a reputable forwarder, here are 7 tips on how to choose the right forwarder to handle your shipments.
What are the responsibilities of an international freight forwarder?
The term “”international freight forwarder”” may seem foreign to some. But in this new era of global business prosperity, the international freight services industry has leapt to the forefront. In simple terms, an international freight forwarder is a business entity that helps individuals or companies arrange the import and export of goods.
International freight forwarders may not have large freight fleets themselves, but they are experts at handling the logistical arrangements that enable goods to move from one place to another – whether by land, air or sea. Typical international freight services they provide include but are not limited to the following:
Prepare all necessary shipping and export documents
Warehousing
Reserve a slot on the selected freight vehicle
Negotiate the fairest shipping fee
Track the movement of goods
Help arrange cargo insurance or file an insurance claim.
In this sense, a freight forwarder acts as an intermediary or intermediary between you and the person who is directly responsible for delivering your goods to individual customers, markets or final destinations. As a customer of a freight forwarder in Melbourne or elsewhere in Australia, you will pay for their expertise in efficiently transporting goods, their extensive network of professional contacts in the shipping industry, their ability to negotiate the best prices on your behalf, and their commitment to you Knowledge of international customs laws for the location to which you are shipping.
Here are tips on how to choose a freight forwarder.
1. Make sure the freight forwarder is experienced.
This could almost be the entire list. Experience, experience, experience.
Starting a freight forwarding company can be fairly easy, but international shipping is not the easiest business sector in the world, and if you don’t know what you’re doing, you won’t last long.
Years of experience means your freight forwarder has dealt with different situations such as dockworker strikes and port closures, the need to rearrange cargo, resolve customs or storage issues, and more.
Experience often means that your freight forwarder will help you avoid customs, warehousing and routing issues before they start, so your international shipments run smoothly.
2. Ensure risk management
Essentially, global shipping provides precarious conditions. You need a freight forwarder who can mitigate risk and have the knowledge to deal with problems as they arise. They should be proactive and provide solutions in a timely manner.
One risk mitigation strategy is cargo insurance. Be sure to ask what types of cargo insurance are offered, as making your company standard carrier liability can prove to be a costly mistake.
Seek open communication and transparency. In times of crisis, you need a partner.
3. Confirm a wide range of services
If your business requires multimodal transportation, or if you need to store goods in warehouses for extended periods of time, it is important to work with a freight forwarder who provides air, ocean, road transportation and logistics solutions. You should discuss all aspects of your supply chain with a potential forwarder to ensure they provide all the services you need. If they’re only local or their product range is narrow, they may not be flexible enough to handle when you need to go beyond the specs.
4. Commit to your schedule
Timeliness is critical in international shipping; businesses that maintain calendars suffer the least amount of loss and disruption. Work with an international freight forwarder who can meet your deadlines and offer tips to avoid these costly delays.
5. Make sure the freight forwarder has good customer service.
this is very important.
How quickly will the freight forwarder respond to your shipping request or answer your questions?
If you are new to international shipping, are they able and willing to walk you through what you need to know and do to make sure everything goes smoothly with your import and export?
Your salespeople at a freight forwarding company may not be able to provide all the answers to your questions as they may be new to the company or even the industry, but they should be able to find answers for you from the experienced team they work with.
The performance of your forwarder in meeting your individual needs says a lot about their ability to give your shipment the necessary attention.
Note that I didn’t even include shipping costs in this list, because what’s more important is that your forwarder is able to meet your shipping needs professionally and accurately.
A freight forwarder may offer much lower rates than other competitors, but you will often find yourself paying extra costs, delays and very poor customer service for choosing them.
6. Check licenses, certificates and permits
Freight forwarders need to have different licenses and documents to handle your shipments, as well as special licenses for transporting sensitive and dangerous products. Make sure your provider has the right license for you, and they’re publicly posted somewhere.
7. Be transparent and process-oriented
Your international freight forwarder must be diligent and honest with you throughout the process, especially when it comes to tasks such as submitting documents, coordinating shipments and tracking the flow of goods. One of the great things about AFI’s company culture is our commitment to have no ambiguity or gray areas; we measure every situation, analyzing the best possible course of action; and reassure every client of the importance of their business goals. We intend to achieve these goals together!
Following these steps will help guide you in finding the right freight forwarder for you.”
