Comparing traditional and online freight forwarders
As more of the freight forwarding industry demands technology adoption, more and more freight forwarding startups are springing up. Online freight forwarders also do a lot. But why is digitization urgently needed? How is an online freight forwarder different from a traditional freight forwarder? In this article, we will address this issue.
According to a survey conducted earlier this year by global logistics research and consulting partner LOGISTICS, while 68% of respondents believe that traditional freight forwarders are still important in today's environment, 92% of respondents said that digitalization will provide freight forwarders add value.
The need to go digital is obvious. But how many freight forwarders are doing this, and how does digitization affect workflows and processes?
Website features
While most traditional freight forwarders have websites, they mostly only talk about the services they offer. Only the more advanced online freight forwarders offer documentation and rate features on their website.
Quote request
Some traditional freight forwarders may have a "Request for Quote" feature, but you may not be able to get in touch with them right away. Sending a quote request may only get you a quote via email, sometimes a few days later - if that's the case. According to a survey by TJ chinafreight, 40% of freight forwarders take 4 to 7 days to provide customers with a quote.
Quote now
Perhaps only a few traditional freight forwarders offer instant quotes, often for their own LCL products. They also often come in the form of tariffs, and shippers have to look at ocean freight and surcharges separately. In short, the math is not done for them, and the final cost must be calculated by themselves.
For example, for online freight forwarders like TJ chinafreight, quotes are provided within 15 seconds and all fees are broken down and included for full transparency.
Track
Today, only a few traditional freight forwarders offer tracking tools and sailing schedules. Again, these may only apply to their own LCL shipments. Online freight forwarders tend to have tracking tools for various types of shipments.
At TJ chinafreight, we are constantly striving to improve tracking efficiency and transparency. This year, we launched our own Track & Trace feature and automated notification system for shippers. Not many online freight forwarders offer these tools, and those who understand the importance of transparency may be the ones leading the industry's digital revolution.
