Committing to a freight forwarding company in Birmingham is a decision with long-term repercussions. Cutting ties is not a plausible decision when your goods are in transit or outbound to your prospective customers. Tying up with the right freight forwarding company can simplify business and increase your bottom line for the future years. The freight forwarder works as an ally for your business which helps in negotiating prices and arranging for the most reliable and efficient routes.
If you are a new business entrepreneur, the factors mentioned below will assist you in your decision-making to settle down for a reliable and trustworthy freight forwarding company in Birmingham.
- Enlisting the services your business needs
Before cutting down your choices for a freight forwarding company in Birmingham, determine the type of services your business requires. If the prospective freight forwarder is incapable of certain services (even which you need occasionally), you might need to look for another company. Based upon your business requirements, the freight forwarding company should be capable of tracking transportation, packing and storing products, arranging import and export documents, managing inventory, negotiating freight charges, and much more. You must communicate with your forwarder about the services you need, and you might not need them for every shipment but, it is better to rope in a flexible freight forwarder.
- Timely communication
The prospective freight forwarding company should update you regarding shipping arrival times to plan accordingly. A reliable freight forwarding company will partner with trustworthy partners to ensure logistics go as needed. Always keep a few things in mind, any freight forwarding company is not responsible for unanticipated delays, including bad weather, route changes, mechanical breakdowns, and international port shutdowns. You cannot overlook such events. But a reliable company will alert you in advance and resolve issues as per its capabilities.
- Terms and conditions
The best freight forwarders will put in efforts to help you understand their pricing structure. They deliver a precise quotation with all the terms and conditions upfront. You must interrogate their additional costs for services, including warehouse storage, cargo tracking, and harmful products tracking. Other things you can enquire about can include types of insurance they offer and its costs, seasonal fluctuation of charges, additional charges for document preparation, and so on.
- Work experience
Experienced freight forwarders might have encountered diverse shipping-related issues. Therefore, they will be able to respond and resolve issues that may pop up during the transportation of goods. Enquire whether the freight forwarder is licensed with FMC ( for Ocean Freight forwarders), IATA, and TSA ( for Air Freight Forwarders). A reliable freight forwarding company in Birmingham will not hesitate to tell you about the company’s history and its licensing. It will easily share testimonies and references too.
Giving due consideration to the above pointers can help you settle down with a reliable and trusting freight forwarding company. If you are looking for freight forwarding services in the USA or any other location, reach out to Blessing Logistics for efficient and unbeatable freight forwarding services.
