| Shipping plays a vital role in the daily
activity of any company. You may take the initiative by following
these tips to help the shipping process run as trouble free as
possible. These tips below could also help save money on shipping
in certain situations. You may also gain valuable knowledge from our
packing tips. Communicate
Spell out every detail, even
ones that may seem insignificant. The more information which you can
provide to your freight broker, the more closely they will be able to
match your needs to just the right carrier to handle any specific
shipping condition.
Look for experience
There is no doubt
that if you do have a very specialized product, it would be in your
company's best interest to go with a freight carrier which has experience
handling your product. Your freight brokers, such as FMS, are
experts in transportation knowledge and will provide their
recommendations as to who should move your freight. It may be worth
it in the long run to pay a premium shipping fee to safe guard against
any mis-handling if you have sensitive handling instructions.
Pack securely
This is essential, especially if your
freight should have special handling needs. With more and more
shippers utilizing the consolidation power of LTL shipping to save on
freight costs, the trucks will be loaded in a more professional manner to
maximize storage capacity. This means that all of your outbound
freight should be packed tightly and securely to minimize the volume
required inside a container to transport your freight. Please refer
to our packing tips below.
Quality is vital
When you use a professional freight broker like FMS, they have your best
interest at the forefront of their thoughts. You, their customer,
are the life blood of their organization and are a very precious
component to the success of their business. A reputable freight
broker will align themselves with other well known transportation
companies to best handle your freight. However, you can ask the
carrier a few simple questions to help insure that you will receive
quality service from the dock to the door and back. You may wish to
ask the trucking company you use the following questions to better
understand their quality control procedures:
- Do they have an in-place Quality Assurance Program?
- What is the age of
their equipment, and do they have an appropriate equipment maintenance
program?
- Are there controls in place to handle anomalies and
contingencies so that the shipment of your freight is not delayed?
- Do they have a
disaster recovery plan that will protect your assets while in their
control?
These simple yet to the point questions can make the difference when
shipping your precious cargo.
Understand all your options
There are numerous options to
consider when routing shipments, including
truckload and LTL carriers, intermodal and specialty transporters.
Sometimes one type of shipping method will suffice, while at other times,
a combination of shipping methods and carriers may best suit the
situation.
Consider your special needs
Depending on the nature of
your shipments, you may need to look for a carrier that can provide other
services which are unique to your shipment. For instance, a valuable
shipment of pharmaceuticals may require additional security services,
while deliveries to locations that do not have a dock may necessitate a
truck equipped with a lift gate. Factor in all the capabilities you will
need before you select your carrier.
Factor in availability and response time
Ask about the carriers'
business hours. Are they available 24 hours a day? Are they open on
weekends and holidays? If not, consider the impact this might have on you
and your business -- and factor this into your contingency plan.
Carriers should be flexible enough in most situations to meet your needs.
Knowing this in advance could help you in a bind and your freight broker
should have this information available to you.
Develop a contingency Plan
It would be a wonderful situation
if things worked right 100% of the time. However, you know your
business better than anyone. You should incorporate into your existing
business contingency plan provisions to allow for unexpected changes in
shipping requirements and how you should resolve the situations. Be prepared for
last-minute glitches that may affect your plan. Pre-planning and an
arsenal of shipping options can minimize the effect of the inevitable
crisis.
Let Freight Management Systems
professionally provide you with a vast array of shipping routes and
methods!
Tips on Packaging your freight
Proper packaging is a must. Don't ship your goods without proper
protection. Many claims and damages arise from improper packaging -- and
packaging errors may eliminate or reduce your carrier's liability.
- Do not ship hazardous materials on common carriers.
- Use a strong box to protect the contents.
- If you reuse a box, remove or mark out any old
shipping labels.
- Protect the item you are shipping with newspaper,
foam padding, shipping "peanuts," bubble wrap, or shredded paper.
- When shipping multiple items, pack cushioning
between each item.
- Seal the box strongly using packing tape
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