For people that are established exporters, they are well versed with the fact that selection of a reliable freight forwarding firm can be a very tough decision. This is because you need to be certain your goods are being transported by a reputable organization. It is even tougher for people that are seeking to use the services for the very first time. The selection of freight forwarding companies is a decision that requires lots of thought.
One of the first things to look at is the experience of the firm. The years of experience means the firm should have handled different situations with different clients. Such situations include striking of dock workers and port shutdowns. They might also have to reroute cargo and sort issues to do with customs. These should be effectively handled by the service provider. With the right experience, you will avoid such things as customs, warehousing and rerouting issues.
It is important to find out about the network agents of that company and the different business partners they have as regards exporting and importing. This helps when it comes to local handling of international shipments. It is critical for the forwarder to have a strong network the world over. They should be connected in not just countries of origin of the goods but also the destinations. There are companies with the required experience but minimal networks.
Customers should look at the services offered. The company needs to be in a position of handling more than just air or ocean shipping part of exports or imports. They need to be in a position to handle also rail and or trucking portion of the shipping. However, this will also be dependent on the specific services that you need. Things like cargo insurance and tracking are mandatory.
The company is supposed to have references of work that they have done in the past. This will involve checking clients that the company has worked with in the past. The most reputable firms have pages with their testimonials. You can also make calls to their previous clients to ask the level of service delivery they received.
Customer service is such a critical consideration. The company should be able to get back to clients as fast as possible regarding any queries such as rates that are charged. When working with new customers, the company staff should take them through all the details required and what they can expect. This is so that they are certain all goes well. Good customer service ensures clients have peace of mind as regards their expectations.
The charges for the services should be carefully considered. The charges imposed by different companies are different and it helps to make comparisons. You need not necessarily opt for cheapest options. Actually, the most reputable firms tend to charge more for their services.
The freight forwarder should be in good financial position. This is the reason one should check for bonding. They are required to obtain freight broker bonds before they are certified to operate.
One of the first things to look at is the experience of the firm. The years of experience means the firm should have handled different situations with different clients. Such situations include striking of dock workers and port shutdowns. They might also have to reroute cargo and sort issues to do with customs. These should be effectively handled by the service provider. With the right experience, you will avoid such things as customs, warehousing and rerouting issues.
It is important to find out about the network agents of that company and the different business partners they have as regards exporting and importing. This helps when it comes to local handling of international shipments. It is critical for the forwarder to have a strong network the world over. They should be connected in not just countries of origin of the goods but also the destinations. There are companies with the required experience but minimal networks.
Customers should look at the services offered. The company needs to be in a position of handling more than just air or ocean shipping part of exports or imports. They need to be in a position to handle also rail and or trucking portion of the shipping. However, this will also be dependent on the specific services that you need. Things like cargo insurance and tracking are mandatory.
The company is supposed to have references of work that they have done in the past. This will involve checking clients that the company has worked with in the past. The most reputable firms have pages with their testimonials. You can also make calls to their previous clients to ask the level of service delivery they received.
Customer service is such a critical consideration. The company should be able to get back to clients as fast as possible regarding any queries such as rates that are charged. When working with new customers, the company staff should take them through all the details required and what they can expect. This is so that they are certain all goes well. Good customer service ensures clients have peace of mind as regards their expectations.
The charges for the services should be carefully considered. The charges imposed by different companies are different and it helps to make comparisons. You need not necessarily opt for cheapest options. Actually, the most reputable firms tend to charge more for their services.
The freight forwarder should be in good financial position. This is the reason one should check for bonding. They are required to obtain freight broker bonds before they are certified to operate.
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