What To Find Out When Seeking A Freight Services Provider
Posted on: 2 July 2015
Whether you need a complete supply chain management system or you're just sending one pallet, it's important to understand all your freight company has to offer. This is important to ensure you take advantage of all the services provided, cutting costs and easing operations where possible. If you're looking for a freight company, make the following queries before handing over your precious cargo.
How soon can your goods be dispatched and delivered?
When your goods are picked up for freight transportation, a number for factors may determine when they'll reach the intended destination. These include the fleet size of the company and the backlog of pending orders. Whether your consignment is urgent or not, find out the timelines between pick-up and delivery. Most freight companies will also offer packages offering different delivery speeds. By knowing what is available, you can choose the ideal package depending on the urgency and cost of the delivery.
What supply chain solutions are available to you?
If you are a business and need a consistent supply chain solution, find out the range of services the freight transporter can provide to you. Common logistics solutions include: warehousing, inventory management, goods consolidation, refrigerated storage, wide-load transportation, multimodal transport, intermodal transport, goods merging in transit, less than container (LTL) transportation services and many others. The right supply-chain solution can save you money and reduce your operational costs, especially for long-term arrangements.
What extra freight services can you enjoy?
Today, freight companies do much more than just moving your cargo from point A to point B. You can enjoy many other support services to ease your transport costs and increase convenience. For example, you can have your goods cleared at customs offices to reduce delays. You can also have your goods forwarded upon entry at the port. Other freight companies will also offer tailored services like door-to-door delivery or real-time tracking of consignments.
Will any 3rd party companies be handling your goods?
Some freight companies, especially the smaller ones, will sometimes deal with partner firms to achieve the capacity they need. For example, an air freight company may work with a road freight service to ensure your goods reach their destination. While this is acceptable, it's important that you know who will be handling your goods so that you carry out due diligence.
The more you know about your freight company's services, the more you can tailor them to your needs. Once you find a good freight transport company, let them provide you with insights on how to streamline your logistics needs.
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