Are you a small business trying to compete in a global market? If so, it can be difficult to find the tools that will allow you to grow beyond your current reach while staying within your budget. One area to consider is your current shipping processes. If you’ve experienced problems with your current 3PL provider or are concerned that there may be a more efficient way to process your shipments than your current internal procedures, it may be time to look elsewhere. But what should you be looking for? Looking for a freight management company to improve your shipping processes and save you time and money? Start here. Click To Tweet
Finding the Right Freight Management Company
No matter what size your shipments are, you want them to reach their destinations without problems. Delays, damage, or loss can affect your business and diminish customer confidence. Here are 5 things you should look for in a shipment management company:
1) Choice
A freight management company should provide you with plenty of options, from carriers to transit times, mode and price.
2) Certainty
While some business owners might be hesitant to provide customers with a clear picture of business operations, it’s a must for shipping. Transparency has been shown to increase employee and customer satisfaction.
3) Communication
Communication between shipping managers, carriers and you (the customer) can only help maximize the process. While person-to-person interactions can lead to unfortunate misunderstandings, increased visibility results in clear, meaningful communication. In many cases, a good freight management company will provide additional tools via a cloud-based TMS that can create greater visibility through the life cycle (from order origination to delivery) of the order.
4) Reputation
Just like any service provider, a good way to weed out disreputable companies is to check their customer reviews and testimonials online. Even if negative feedback is present, take a moment to see how they responded to it. While it’s seemingly impossible to avoid the occasional disgruntled customer, a professional and empathetic response which sought to make the situation right can be just as powerful as a positive review.
5) Value
The bottom line is almost always price, but it should be value. The cheapest price will often get you what you paid for. Long transit time, costly delays, etc. Paying a fair price for good service provides you with value, and that’s really what you should seek out.
Pro Tip: When it comes to small business shipping, look for value, not necessarily the lowest price.
A Better Way to Ship
If you’ve found that your shipping or transportation costs have gotten out of hand, or if your current provider has not been dependable, you may need a new shipping partner. Perhaps you’ve experienced growth and simply need to increase your capacity. If you feel that you might benefit from consulting with an expert, it never hurts to call.
Contact Us to learn more about smart solutions to save you time and money in your shipping processes.
