10 Things to Consider When Engaging an International Shipping Company

This is a guest post from Anthony Mwangi.

In this post, Anthony from Ameritrans shares 10 things to look for when engaging an international shipping company.

1. Delivery Speed

The most crucial thing when choosing an international shipping company is delivery speed. The freight forwarder should be able to provide delivery services according to your demands.

It would help if you had your freight forwarder move and deliver your cargo on schedule from point A to point B, especially when sending time-sensitive items. Get a company that can provide timely service and satisfies your shipment speed.

2. Client Service

Learn about the company’s client service experience for businesses like your company. Before hiring a freight forwarder, investigate them.

Call them to find out if they are welcoming and accommodating. Make sure to inquire about the insurance plans offered by each shipping firm. Know the person you can contact in case of an issue and the hours you may do so.

3. Specialization

A specific shipping method is necessary for some things, such as perishable goods. All companies do not offer different freight forwarding services. Get more information about air freight and ocean freight. Determining your needs is crucial for this reason. Your search for a shipping company will become simpler.

You can be sure the company you choose meets your shipping requirements. If you’re shipping perishable goods, working with a shipping firm specializing in moving perishable goods with reefer containers is essential. This is because even the smallest mistake can have significant effects.

Thus, if you’re shipping perishable goods, think about the following:

·      Rating: Consider delivery expenses when setting the rates for perishable goods. Keep your package minimal and think about limiting your distribution to particular regions.

·      Duration: Be aware of the greatest time your goods can travel before they become faulty.

·      Climate: Determine the circumstances for your products’ storage. Then consult a courier to study your options and remember they can accommodate them.

4. Ready for Peak Season

Deliveries increase during peak seasons. This can cause delays and problems with schedule reliability challenges for freight forwarders.

Find a freight forwarder with reliable overseas shipping partners and that is experienced working through peak season. Such a freight forwarder can handle influxes and has plans to adapt to challenges to deliver cargo on time. This is especially important if your business also has a significant increase in orders during peak season.

5. Deliveries Scope

The majority of freight forwarders offer delivery services to major cities worldwide. But not all of them can service isolated places.

It would help if you considered the shipping company’s delivery scope to make sure it can meet your needs. Suppose you have a sizable client base in a region where shipping companies don’t generally need service—knowing where your clients’ locations are is the first step in knowing where you need 3PL (third party logistics) services. Once you have determined that, search for a global shipping provider experienced in the regions where you need to move goods.

6. Prices

Every expense must be taken into account by your company and made to flow into your cash flow. Of course, you want affordable services appropriate for your accounting records.

The fees shipping companies are rating for their services should thus play a role in freight forwarders or 3PLs you choose to hire.

7. Delivery Tracking

International delivery tracking takes time to complete. Your package may take days, weeks, or even months to reach its destination. Both you and your clients may find the wait to be a hassle. Thus, your freight forwarder may offer a useful tracking tool.

Clients may track their products to increase the transparency of the delivery process. It also gives you and your clients peace of mind. Ensure you understand the tracking method freight forwarders offer and what details you can track through them.

8. Shipping Limitations

It’s important to know about what freight forwarders can ship and where some limitations constrain their services. Of course, there are shipping constraints that come from various regulatory authorities around the world as well as limitations from specific freight forwarders and 3PLs. Shipping constraints give stipulations right down to categories of goods and size and volume limits.

Specifically, it’s essential to get information about shipping dangerous materials before you try to ship them.

9. Cargo Insurance.

You should always expect that your cargo could be damaged while in transit.

Who bears the charges if your cargo has these unfortunate incidents?

To protect your business from loss or damage of goods during transit, freight forwarders often offer insurance. If not, you’ll need to find insurance on your own, which can be a major hassle. Check with a freight forwarder about its cargo insurance options.

10. Holiday Regulations

Companies can fail over weekends and holidays because crucial suppliers may be unavailable. But you cannot stop doing everything because no providers are available on holidays.

Check with freight forwarders how they work around holidays and weekends. Ensure that your preferred 3PL can deliver your goods anytime on weekends and national holidays if that’s something your business needs.

This was a guest post by Anthony Mwangi.

Author Bio

CEO Anthony Mwangi is an expert, qualified and extensively experienced in shipping internationally, and also writes blog posts. He has over 20 years of experience and has worked in various international shipping companies in the USA. He is the owner of Ameritrans Freight, an international shipping company that offers a range of logistic services such as ocean freight shipping, RoRo shipping, air freight shipping, international moving, container shipping, and more shipping services worldwide. For more information, you can contact him and Ameritrans Freight through the following:

Email: anthony@ameritransfreight.com

Website: www.ameritransfreight.com