Freight forwarders are required to deliver the goods from the supplier to the final recipient. Depending on the location of the customer, the nature of the commodity and the options available for transportation, the freight forwarder may have to handle the process of custom clearance, toll taxes, insurance etc. In addition, they also work out the different details pertaining to the route of shipment.
With the large options in number of companies offering the services of freight forwarder Gatwick, one must know some details about the freight forwarder before choosing one. The following sections describe some of these details.
Documentation in detail
A very important detail to be considered before choosing a freight forwarder is the type of documentation provided. Some of the common documents that the freight forwarder must possess are as follows:
- Export License
- Exporter’s Packing List
- Inspection Certificate
- Commercial Invoice
- Certificate of Origin
- Bill of Lading
It is important to cross check with the freight forwarder whether they provide the above-mentioned documents or not.
Membership of freight forwarding networks
If a particular company is a member of area or region-specific freight forwarding network, then their reliability is increased. This is because professional networking organisations have clear rules and requirements for freight forwarders before granting them membership.
Cargo insurance
The freight forwarder Gatwick should offer relevant insurance in case of theft, breakage or accidental damage to the goods in transit. This is a very important consideration to be kept in wit before finalising a freight forward for your shipment.
Previous experience
Freight forwarders with a prior experience in transporting items that are related to your shipment have a clear advantage over others. If one company has already delivered the shipment that is similar in size, characteristics and bulkiness, as your shipment, then they are more reliable.
Option of warehousing
In the unforeseen events that cause delay in shipment, it is necessary that the freight forwarder makes arrangements for safe storage and warehousing the products for the length of time required. These details should be clearly mentioned in the contract of the freight forwarder.
Areas of shipping
An ideal freight forwarder Gatwick must deliver across the globe. The more countries and regions that a freight forwarder delivers to, the better reputation it has among manufacturers, exporters and suppliers. Additionally, they should also have a strong network of partner cargo companies in different countries so that the package is always traceable and there are minimal chances of shipping delays.
Ancillary services
The freight forwarder should take full responsibility of ancillary tasks like safely packaging the shipment, labelling it in a tamper-proof manner, custom clearance paper-work and formalities, securely making international payments as and when required etc. This is very important because it takes the load off the manufacturer.
Manufacturers, suppliers and exporters heavily rely on freight forwarders to safely pack, label, ship and track their goods. The freight forwarders should take care of all the intermediate steps between picking up the item from the source to delivering the item at the destination. Selecting the right freight forwarder is crucial for every business involving transportation and shipping of goods to distant destinations.