The proper handling of your imports and exports can be crucial to the success of your business, so it always pays to carefully consider who you will trust with your precious goods. Unfortunately, international cargo shipping is not an easy thing to get right all the time, and as such, many companies come and go fairly quickly.
Experience
It is therefore important to check that the company you choose has ample experience in shipping the type of goods you own, and has experience operating in and out of the countries you deal with. Having a good network of agents in the countries that you will be importing and exporting from is vital, and you must make sure that the company that you are considering actually offers the accurate services that you want. Not all freight forwarders offer a door-to-door service, for example, so take proper time to carefully select a company.
Reputation
It also pays dividends to do some due diligence with regards to the company’s reputation, and thanks to the internet this is now easier than ever. Ratings and reviews can be found on the UCM website for most freight companies, and booking a freight forwarder without checking first would be essentially gambling with your company’s future, and therefore highly inadvisable. As in any industry, some companies offer a better service than others.
Customer Support
Customer service is also an essential consideration. Things can and do go wrong with international freight forwarding, and being able to get hold of someone quickly to find out what is happening is therefore absolutely vital. The company’s customer service and reliability are far more important than their rates, there’s not much point choosing a cheaper operator if your goods arrive weeks or months late and your customers have gone elsewhere, so keep this is mind.