If you have come to this place you are probably about to make a decision of great importance to you but mainly to the goods you are intending to ship. Do not worry if you got a headache, it is rather natural and common when choosing the best freight forwarder. To relieve your pain, we listed a few of the most significant features characterizing a good forwarder. Such an overview of a logistics company should make your choice easier.
Experience = knowledge
The transport sector covers many different fields, which, for your goods to get from point A to point B and for you to sleep well, must be managed in the best possible way. Such fields include, among others, economics, statistics, mathematics, national and often international law and, consequently, command of foreign languages. Make sure that the company you choose operates on the market long enough to boast of reliable and valuable references. The experience itself constitutes a guarantee that when a fortuitous event occurs, the company’s employees have expertise, ideas, tools or contacts to overcome the unexpected crisis.
Transparency = trust
As a potential client, you certainly wish to learn something about the business history or certificates and awards held by the company you are about to entrust your goods with. A great way to verify the company’s background is a freight exchange. Such freight exchanges as TimoCom, Teleroute or Trans.eu provide you with a great chance to check the reliability of individual freight forwarders. The exchanges involve only those companies whose financial standing and business activity are unquestionable.
Money is important. You and your freight forwarder are both well aware of this. Make sure that the company providing you with transport services is not indebted or insolvent towards its carriers. You can rely on, for example, the KRD Economic Information Bureau. Before starting cooperation with a new transport company verify its insurances, licenses and certificates, which confirm the highest quality of services rendered within the transport sector. The money you spend depends also on the time the company takes to transport your goods. Therefore, when investing in a good transport company pay proper attention to the type of equipment it uses and check whether its fleet is new and fully equipped. All this ensures the safety of your goods, whereas a reliable car serves as a guarantee of a timely delivery.
One man’s insomnia = another man’s rest
24-hour customer support will give you a good night’s rest. Knowing that in the event of emergency you can contact your freight forwarder at any time, day or night, provides you with psychological comfort. Choose a company employing the best, well-educated staff with good command of foreign languages. An investment like this will certainly pay off. The above four aspects are considered crucial when choosing a competent freight forwarder, however they are not necessarily the only determinants of your choice. At times, the devil is in the details, which may often go beyond the scope of the official information. Most doubts can be resolved by recommendations from current and former clients of the company. You must remember that a grapevine is the oldest and often the most reliable instrument available to you.