What are the traits of good freight forwarders?

Shipping items internationally has always been a challenge for shipping companies. Ocean freight forwarding is one of the oldest ways of goods transporting. But the whole process does not make just load items on shipping containers. It is much more than that, as it is a very complex process that includes many people. Shipping goods to the warehouse, freight consolidation, cargo space, shipping preparations, export and import documents. When moving to Australia from USA it is important to cover all the steps on the way so the process becomes successful. In addition, it is important to find a good freight forwarder so the problems do not happen during transportation. So where can you find the traits of good freight forwarders? The last thing you need is somebody damages your items. Therefore, read this article to discover ways to find reliable forwarders.

What is a freight forwarding

When you are shipping something internationally, it can cost you a lot of money. However, if you learn to recognize time the traits of good freight forwarders, you can save a lot. You can ship items either via air or ground. Ground shipping means that a shipping company is going to put your items in containers and transport them to your destination. Also, the size of shipping containers depends on the size of your goods. The great thing about shipping the goods by the ocean is that you can transport almost anything. From small pieces, large furniture, or even cars. When moving boxes overseas, your shipper will also give you a quote. Then you will know how to plan your shipping budget. Remember that shippers need to provide quotes for free. Therefore, you can compare several different and choose the one that suits your budget.

Traits of good freight forwarders

Nowadays it is not easy to choose among so many different shipping companies on the market. You do not have to be an expert in the field, but you certainly have to learn some tricks to recognize them. Every reliable shipping company should have a license and insurance. In addition, they need to be open about all the data and documents. Overseas relocation services should be reliable first of all. You are letting strangers take your possessions to the other end of the world. Therefore, you need to have open communication with your freight broker all the time. They are your connections to different carriers. Also, they need to give you proper documents and contracts to sign. Make sure to read everything carefully before signing anything. Also, for anything blank or unclear in the contract, you have to ask your shippers before the transportation starts.

Different shipping option

Good freight forwarders should provide you with different shipping options. Since you will ship different types of items, these will need different treatments. Therefore, they need to provide you with different types of shipping containers. Certain items can go into very large containers. For example, clothes, shoes, or books. In case you do not have enough items to fill out the whole container, shippers can offer you the option to split it with somebody else. In this case, international moving quotes should be much lower, and you will save on transportation costs. Also, if you need to ship your car as well, check if the company has the option to fulfill this. Not every shipping company has this option. In addition, in case you choose the same company to ship your car and the other goods, you might also get a discount.

Good communication is key to everything

One of the most important things about your shippers is how they communicate with you. They must have excellent customer service. You should be able to get in touch with your shippers when you need some answers or information. Therefore, their contact info should be clear, visible, and easy to find on their website. Check their email address as well as their phone number. This is an effective way that a freight forwarding company shows its customers respect and understanding. If they do not answer the phone or do not reply to your email within 24 hours, then this is not a sign of a reliable company. Also, pay attention to the company’s rating. If they have more bad than good ones, it is a clear sign that you need to avoid them. If the comments from customers sound too good to be true you should avoid them.

Other traits of good freight forwarders

A reliable network is very important when it comes to international shipping. That means that your freight forwarder needs to have reliable partners in the shipping chain. In addition, if needed, they need to provide you with the contact of those partners in case they need more info from you. Regarding safety concerns, you need to have at least any insurance coverage when shipping overseas. In case any kind of damage or loss happens, your shipper will need to cover it per agreement. When it comes to packing, your reliable shippers can offer you packing services as well. Remember that this is not regular packing for moving locally. It is much harder since your shippers will need to disassemble most of your furniture and then pack it in proper containers. If you let professionals handle this, the chances that something bumps, or is damaged during transport will be smaller.

It is not always easy to find reliable shippers. Luckily, there are many traits of good freight forwarders. A good organization and connection come with experience. Therefore, make sure to find shippers that have enough experience and proper shipping conditions so they can transport your possessions safely. In addition, your shippers should provide you with a list of all the items that you cannot ship to a destination country. Also, be careful if your shippers offer a pretty low price. You need to be realistic and know that this kind of shipping cannot be cheap. Therefore, book your freight forwarders as soon as possible, and remember that experience always counts.