The success of many businesses depends on the third-party relationships it develops to help deliver its services or products. If you need to move goods across country or around the world, one of these vital partners will be your freight forwarder.
We live in a global marketplace today and we can transport goods to all four corners of the globe. While the cost of this transportation is important, it’s not the only factor that you need to take into consideration. If you are looking to forge a longstanding and profitable relationship with your freight forwarder, characteristics such as experience and capacity are going to be essential.
Here we take a closer look at how to choose the best freight partner, like Equator Worldwide, and what key questions to ask before you join forces with them.
- Experience
There are a large number of freight forwarding companies not just here in the UK but around the globe. It’s a very competitive sector and it’s important to do your due diligence before you trust your cargo to one company or another.
The first thing you ask about is their experience. While a brand-new company may be able to offer you price savings, they might not have the logistics acumen that is going to suit your business. Experience means that your freight forwarder is used to dealing with the kind of goods you want to transport and has a good reputation and a clear audit trail to prove their ability. It also means they will be able to better adapt their service to exactly meet your needs.
- Accreditations
The next thing to look at is what bodies a particular freight forwarder is a member of and what accreditations they have. For instance, they should be members of at least one trade association. They should certainly be members of BIFA or the British International Freight Association which means they adhere to certain specific guidelines with respect to trading standards.
- Type of Shipping
Some freight forwarding companies will specialise in certain areas or certain kinds of freight, for example, ship or air transportation. It’s essential that you check the freight forwarding company you are considering and ensure it is focused on your type of goods, how you want delivery to be made and is able to meet all or most of your expectations.
If you have a niche cargo, it can be difficult to find the right freight company that is able to handle your needs. That’s where it’s important to go for experience. A more established company will be able to adapt its processes and ensure that your cargo is transported securely and to your specifications.
It’s essential to take your time when choosing the best freight forwarding company for your needs. Discuss in detail your needs and requirements with the team at Equator Worldwide to get the best advice on how to move your goods where they need to go.