The transport sector, as any other sector, is well known for its strong market competition, hence it is easy to fall victim to a less competent company. To avoid risk you should learn the characteristics of such companies and the warning signals that could save you some unwanted trouble.
Here is a list of a few elements, which suggest that maybe it is time to consider changing your forwarder.
No contact
Remember that the way the enterprise treats you to a great extent reflects the way they will treat your goods. So, if you feel neglected and under the impression that you are a “necessary evil” – look for another forwarder. This attitude suggests that the company is more interested in gain than it is in its clients’ interests, therefore it will not pay due attention to your problems and doubts. The absolute minimum that should be provided by a forwarder are the information on the approximate time the goods will reach the point of unloading, significant delays and issues as well as the actual time of the goods’ arrival.
However, if you do not receive any information concerning the freight or you cannot monitor it, you expose yourself not only to financial problems but also to unpleasant misunderstandings at the point of unloading, thus risking the termination of cooperation with a given company or warehouse.
No experience
A good forwarding company is like wine – the older the better. Small companies, which only recently entered the market, entail a significant risk to the client. Their business network is very limited, thus hindering the transport of goods. It is particularly troublesome in the case of international carriage as cooperation with partner entrepreneurs or warehouses or knowledge of carriage rules applicable in a given country are necessary for the proper functioning in the sector and safety of your goods.
However, the problem may occur much sooner, if the forwarder will not be able to ensure transport services in your area, consequently exposing you to additional costs.
No references
A respected forwarder can present references from at least two long-term partners using its services. If a given company does not have such clients it means that no one was interested in establishing long-term cooperation. This may indicate that such potential clients might have, from the very beginning, encountered problems, which in effect discouraged them from further cooperation. That may be a warning signal that our freight is not safe.
No qualifications
Before choosing a forwarder, find out whether a given company holds documents confirming its competences, such as, for example, ISO, TCC or TCF certificates of professional competence, which ensure the highest quality of services. The above documents attest that the company in question is fair, whereas the absence of such certificates may suggest that the forwarder does not belong to the highest category, fails to meet deadlines and is repeatedly in arrears. Consequently, your goods are in an unknown location and useless and you must bear the costs, which occurred due to the fault of the carrier who does whatever they want.
Sometimes even the most competitive offer is not worth the risk we take once we leave our goods in unreliable hands.