If you have international customers, you need an efficient and cost-effective way to get your products to them. While air freight is a good way to send small packages or documents, especially if they need to get there quickly, it is too costly to consider for pallet shipments. Use these tips to help find the best freight company for your business needs.
Understand Your Needs
Before beginning a search for a freight company, you will need to consider your needs and determine exactly what they are. While you may need a service that can air freight small items to customers, you may also need to have pallets delivered internationally half-way around the world. If that is the case, then you will need to find a freight forwarder who offers different transportation options for your company.
List Your Requirements before Searching
When you know what your needs are, make a list of the required services a freight company needs to have before you can hire them. When you start researching freight companies, if some of them cannot provide the requirements on your list, then do not add them to your list of companies to consider. You shouldn’t ever compromise on your requirements, as you need to put your company’s and your customers’ needs first.
Delivery Areas
If most of your customers are concentrated in one region of the world, then it may be easier to find a freight company to service your needs. However, if you have customers located in several regions, then you will need to find out which freight companies can deliver cargo to your customers, no matter where they are located. Many sea freight companies in the UK travel around the world to ports in Africa, Australia, Asia, and the United States, so you should be able to find a company that travels to all your customers’ locations.
Accepted Cargo
Another important consideration is the type of cargo a freight company will accept from your business. If you sell large machinery or hazardous chemicals, then you will need to select a freight company with the knowledge, equipment, and certifications required to handle such freight. You should also select a cargo company which can offer pick-up and delivery services from your warehouse or factory to the port of call, and then to your customers.
Tracking Capabilities
While sea freight will take much longer to deliver than other types of transportation methods might, you will still want the capability to track your shipments. A good freight company should give you options, including using their website, to help track your shipments so you know exactly where they are at any given time. This information can be used to ensure that your cargo is passing inspections as the ship checks in at ports and to inform your clients who may be inquiring about their orders.
Using these considerations, you should be able to find a freight company who can service your needs and deliver freight to your customers wherever they are located around the world in an efficient, cost effective manner.