Have you been looking for a freight forwarder? Not sure who is the right one for you? Don’t
worry! Read this article to collect all the tips and tricks of finding and picking the right freight
forwarder for you.
Freight forwarding is one of the most popular businesses in the world. Whether you want to
send goods to your loved ones who are overseas, or if you own a business and want to do
international trade, a freight forwarder has got you covered.
Of course, when you pack your valuables to be sent overseas, their safety has got to be your
biggest concern right? This is where a freight forwarder comes in. A freight forwarding
company is a safety that you have been missing all along. A freight forwarding company
does not directly do the shipments, they oversee and protect your belongings. So, the main
point of a freight forwarder is the protection of your valuables.
There are countless ways a freight forwarding company provides you with protection. For
For example, some freight forwarding companies have warehouses set up in various places.
This is important because we all know that the circumstances around us are unpredictable.
No one knows when or where something might go wrong and this could lead to delays in
shipment and whatnot. In normal conditions, during these circumstances, you will not have
any idea where your valuables are at the moment. This is also a huge reason why people
are so scared of international shipment. Nevertheless, there is no need to fear this
issue when you have a freight forwarder. A freight forwarding company will have either
warehouses set up or contacts with the locals of a place which keep them updated with the
knowledge of the whereabouts of all your goods. And if your freight forwarding company
knows where your goods are then indirectly you know where your goods are.
There are many benefits to hiring a freight forwarder. To understand them all to check out
our article
Benefits of hiring a freight forwarder article here.
A freight forwarding company understands the value of your goods so hiring a freight
forwarder not only protects your packages but also makes sure that they receive the
destination even if there is a delay along the way.
Now, you know why a freight forwarder is important for your business. It is time to talk about
how to find one and once you have done that how to understand which freight forwarder is
the one you should pick.
It is very important to know a little about the freight forwarding company you are hiring for the
transportation of your goods. You might encounter scams along with your search as well.
So, thorough research about the company you are choosing is instrumental in helping you
stay safe from scammers.
Many people are hesitant to work with freight forwarders because they don’t put in the time
to research about the company they are hiring and this leads to scams which makes them
vary from the rest of the freight forwarders as well. This is why your research must be your
top priority before you sign with a company. This way you will not only find an exceptional
company but also be able to understand which company's mode of operation is best suited
for your business.
Let’s do some further discussion on the tips and tricks of finding the perfect freight
forwarding company for you!
1. Understand Your Requirements:
The very first in finding the right freight forwarder is to understand your requirements and
needs. Factors such as how many times you will be delivering goods, where you need goods
delivered to, do your products need to send overseas or through airplanes, will your goods
be delivered nationally or internationally, and whether you would need a freight forwarder for
the long run such as when you own a business. These factors and many are the ones you
need to tackle before you go out in the search of freight forwarders. The reason why you
need to be sure of your requirements is that not every freight forwarder will suit you. So, to
protect yourself from getting scammed, it is best to know everything beforehand. Many
freight forwarding companies also provide you with different plans of approach so make sure
to check them out properly before you make any commitments.
2. Understand Different Freight Forwarding Companies:
Now that you understand yourself and your requirements, it is time to understand the freight
forwarding companies. What is meant by that is it’s time to do your homework on the people
you will be hiring. Choose a few companies that you find and look properly into their terms
and conditions, their legal framework, and how they can benefit you.
This is very important as you need to be sure of what you are getting into before you take another step. The best
approach to this is to pick a handful of companies that you think are good and then study
each one carefully. The reason why you should only pick a handful is that there are too
many companies in your local area that are willing to work for you.
So, picking a handful on random selection will be a great way to reduce the burden of looking at every company in
your area. This would thus help you in saving your valuable time.
3. Understand The Selected Companies:
The next step in finding the right freight forwarder is to look into and assess the companies
you have selected. Carefully, read into work and then make a decision. Factors such as
have they worked with the type of cargo you want to send before? How good is their
customer service? How would working with the said freight forwarding company will benefit
you? How many connections does your selected freight forwarding company has in the
country or place you want your work to be delivered to? Does the said company keep their
clients updated about the whereabouts of the goods and if so, how do they do this? Are just
some of the things you need to look into before selecting a company. Every freight
forwarding company works in different ways. Some styles of work might suit your preferences
but some might not. This is why it is important to understand beforehand what you are
getting yourself into.
4. Check The Financial Situation Of The Freight Forwarding Company:
Another very important assessment that you need to do before you select a freight
forwarding company is to check their financial conditions. This is very important because if a
company lacks proper financial backing then this could seriously slow down your delivery
process. Not only this, factors such as the whereabouts of the cargo, how much time it takes
to get delivered, what happens to your goods if there are any unforeseen circumstances,
and more are to be seriously put under the radar before you make any commitments. If you
overseas this factor then there is a good chance that nothing wrong might happen but if this
current pandemic has taught us anything, it is you can never predict mother nature.
Unforeseen circumstances occur and it's best to be protected from them to ensure the safety
and security of your cargo.
All freight forwarding companies are supposed to obtain a freight broker bond. This bond is
instrumental in understanding the financial conditions of the freight forwarder because it is
only issued after the proper assessment of their financial conditions. Another great
advantage of this bond is that it guarantees the compensation of your cargo if there is a
the financial issue at the end of the freight forwarder.
5. Look Into The Networks Of The Freight Forwarding Companies:
Probably one of the most important factors you need to assess before you move on with the
company you have selected is to look into their networks. Networks are important, it is as
simple as that. Many freight forwarding companies are great but the ones that stand out
among others are the ones with diverse and proper networks. A company might look perfect
to you but if it doesn't have good networks then it is just not the one you should be picking. If
you are working locally then look into how many networks your selected freight forwarding
company has within the country. And, if you are working internationally, look into all the
international networks your selected company has. The more diverse, the better. And, if
there are at least more than 2 networks in your desired destination. Networks help in
keeping the whereabouts of cargo and understated where it is at every given moment. Thus,
it is very important to have a variety of contacts. This would ensure the location of all your
cargo even when there occur any unforeseen circumstances in the delivery process.
6. Your Freight Forwarder Should Have Contacts With Professional Organization:
Freight forwarding companies should have contacts with professional organizations to pass
as legit. Professional contacts not only prove the validity of the company you are choosing
but also help in making sure that your cargo is done right and properly. If your chosen freight
forwarding company has a bunch of professional contacts then this would be highly
beneficial for you as a buyer. These professional contacts usually require professionalism,
efficient working, legitimate teams, and financial security. These are also the requirements
that you would want to have in your freight forwarding company so, choosing a company
with a bunch of professional organizations will, in turn, prove the validity of the chosen
company. It is best to ask your selected freight forwarding company whether they are a part
of a trade association or not and then move further from there.
7. Look For Quality Customer Service:
When you are selecting a freight forwarding company, it is very important to understand their
customer service. If the freight forwarding company you have selected has great customer
service then this would be very beneficial for you in the long run. You can know about the
service of the company even before you hire them. Factors such as how much time they
take to assess your situation, do they listen to all your needs, do they take the time to
understand your requirements are some things you need to be sure of before you choose a
company. The reason why this is so important is that if there is any problem with the
shipping and handling of the cargo or if there is a delay in shipment then you would have to
contact your company and if they have the right customer service then and only then will you
be able to get proper solutions to your problems.
It is really important to choose the right freight forwarding company for you. Freight
forwarders come to make your life easier or more difficult so picking the correct freight
forwarder is very important. Freight forwarding companies provide different services and knowing which ones you need is important. You need to assess various factors before you
choose a freight forwarder. This can be overwhelming for some people. But picking the best
freight forwarder for your needs is not the hardest decision in the world but it sure is a very
important one. Follow these above steps and you will not have any problems in picking the
right freight forwarder for yourself.
We at
Beacon Logistics aim at providing all of these qualities and so much more. We do
international as well as national shipping and we believe in the importance of taking care of
your belongings. We treat every package we receive with love and care and make sure that
it is delivered at the right time at the right place. Choosing us as your freight forwarding
company, we will make sure to assess in every situation and keep you updated with the
whereabouts and more. We are a family-owned business. So, we understand the value of
working together to provide the best service with every order.
To know more about our company, visit our main Webpage
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