If you have just kick-started a business, you might afford to stay alien about freight services for the time being. But as soon as your company witnesses a boom, you have to eventually get in touch with the freight forwarders like Alpinestars. So one thing is sure, no business can overlook the importance of shipment to grow.
However, ever since the globalization of trade has become easier, many freight companies have made their way to the market. The abundance of options could make it very difficult for you to choose the freight service, which is really the best in the business.
Knowing that shipment is a complicated process, the margin of committing an error is ever so slight. A minor mishandling of the items can inflict irreparable damage to your reputation. All said and done, and the burning question is how to distinguish the quality freight service provider from the ordinary ones?
Well, the following qualities are the hallmark of an exceptional freight forwarder:
- Free quotes
The companies have to keep their budget in mind before shipping the products. After getting multiple quotes, clients can either expand or squeeze their finances accordingly. The first sign of high-quality freight service is that it will never charge its customers for extracting rates.
While mediocre companies may also offer free quotes but, more often than not, they come up with hidden charges at the very last moment. Of course, many clients can’t back off once the receiving party has been taken into confidence, so they end up paying extra even after getting free quotes.
On the other hand, a reputable freight service will not only ensure complete transparency while providing you the estimated amount but also use the best technology for it. It effectively means you can generate real-time quotes from any nook and cranny of the world by visiting the respective freight service’s website.
- Insurance
Every time a business chooses a freight service for the import or export, it takes a massive risk. Because if something goes wrong during shipment, the clients will have to keep up with the enormous loss of money. Of course, no business person would want to indulge in a transaction which accounts for such a massive risk.
Therefore, the best freight service providers will always grant you insurance. They will be responsible for a number of liabilities if your products don’t reach the final destination in a safe and sound way.
Unlike a second-rate fright service, a professional freight service would be well-versed about the fact that all the products are not the same. So it would refrain from composing a one-size-fits-all insurance policy. In other words, you will have the liberty to customize an insurance plan that goes best with your products.
At the same time, there could be certain types of losses that may not fall under the domain of a freight service. For example, factors like earthquake, storm, flood or other natural disasters are beyond human control and therefore can’t be covered in the insurance document.
Guess what, a credible freight company will unveil everything that does not oblige her to compensate for your loss. As a result, every detail will be crystal clear to both parties beforehand, which means the relationship will not be soured even after an unpleasant occurrence. In case of any ambiguity, these types of issues are typically taken to court. And once you are stuck in a legal matter, you are in for a paying a hefty amount regardless of winning or losing the legal battle.
- Solid communication
You can’t expect a client to mind his own business after he has shipped his products worth thousands of dollars. The shipper would want to stay connected to the freight service until his goods are offloaded at the desired location. Customers are not content with the tracking system alone, they need firsthand information from the forwarder about the continuous progress.
Poor freight service will deprive you of this peace of mind. As soon as the items are headed on their way, you will hardly get any idea about their current location. In contrast, a quality freight service will keep you informed throughout the shipment process. Even if a mechanical fault causes a delay in the delivery, it will update its clients so that they don’t panic.
- Good packing
Solid packing is absolutely indispensable to the protection of inventory. You may choose the safest route for transportation but still, poor packing can damage the products. Needless to say, average packing is particularly harmful to delicate products.
Good freight service will be encompassed with the technology and skillful workers to provide a variety of packing services. Whether your product is small, big or fragile, they will be packed in a way that ensures maximum safety.
- Proper handling of documents
An unorganized way to collect documents can come up with many potential drawbacks. The most common problem shared by the business community is that their goods often get delivered to the wrong party. Though you can always claim such misconduct and regain all the lost products, the process is going to be very hectic and time-consuming.
Superior freight service will have no room for these lapses. They will be on top of their paperwork and get the job done in an efficient way.
- Robust backup plans
Freight is one of those businesses where many things are beyond human power. For example, the weather forecast can show a bright and sunny climate for the next few days but nature can take a twist at any time. So a quality freight service will have backup plans to confront unexpected challenges related to weather, communication system, port congestion and suchlike.
In other words, professional freight forwarders won’t give up in the face of out of the box challenges. No matter how difficult it may be, they will leave no stone unturned to be time-oriented.
- Negotiable price
The biggest sign of low-quality freight service is that it will indulge in unnecessary promises to justify their hefty prices. That’s not the way a quality freight service operates. If the client seems to be a misfit in its price pattern, it will accommodate other means and try to offer an affordable price.
The final verdict
By any stretch of the imagination, choosing the best freight service is not a walk in the park. There is no dearth of such freight services that make tall claims but melt away from the scene when clients are stuck in the middle of nowhere. Therefore, keep the above attributes in your mind while hunting for the best freight service.
