It’s important to build a strong relationship with your freight forwarder in order to ensure they understand your business and overall needs. Viewing your freight forwarder as a partner and focusing on long-term gains rather than short-term savings is the best strategy for success. Sometimes, chasing the lowest price on a per shipment basis can result in ‘bumped cargo’, especially when space is at a premium. Partnering with your forwarder to plan a strategy for peak seasons is a wise choice.
It is crucial to establish strong business relationships for success. Neglecting to do so can have serious consequences. Failing to thoroughly screen a logistics provider and skipping due diligence can expose you to financial risk and legal liability.
For instance, relying solely on your shipper to handle inbound shipments leaves much of the process in unknown territory. If issues arise, it’s important to have a representative to protect your business interests. Many importers discover that they have little support when facing such problems and are left with few options. This is why we emphasize the importance of overseeing your freight and taking charge of the process, while working closely with Universal Logistics as your partner throughout the entire transaction.
From a client perspective it is important to ensure the freight forwarder has a clear understanding of your business and provides shipping solutions that suit your complex needs. This includes prioritizing clients’ experience, managing their resources effectively, tracking their shipments constantly and increasing their agility in dealing with a complicated supply chain. At the same time, it is important to know how your forwarder will react if a problem occurs – can you trust your service provider to resolve the issue to your satisfaction?
It is evident that establishing a strong, long-term relationship with your freight forwarder is a crucial strategy for anyone involved in supply chain management and the foundation for ongoing overall success in this area.
For more information, contact John Leis, Director – Client Relations.
