The global market has undergone a massive transformation in recent years. The concept of freight forwarding has been constantly evolving and developing with the changes to supply chains.
At its core, freight forwarding describes a role in the transportation industry that helps companies streamline the process of shipping goods. As e-commerce continues to grow, the process of shipping can become time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, freight forwarders can help increase efficiencies and reduce the hassle of dealing with client shipping.
Freight forwarders can act as an intermediary between transportation companies that move goods and companies that need goods moved. They do not move anything. However, they have relationships with companies that can move goods, which enables them to plan out every step of the movement of goods throughout the supply chain. While this may seem like a simple process, it’s not. In fact, it can get quite complicated when you account for many different goods needing to reach many different locations. Freight forwarders can handle the meticulous planning required to minimize any delays and ensure your materials are delivered on time, every time.
As your business rings in the new year, you can help it evolve and maximize efficiencies by working with a freight forwarder. The benefits your business can reap from these business partnerships include:
- Lower shipping costs: As freight forwarders have many different clients, they can often leverage economies of scale that result in lower overall shipping costs for individual clients. Additionally, many freight forwarding companies will negotiate with transportation companies to get better terms for their client. At the end of the day, these benefits can have a massive impact on your bottom line, which helps your company start the year off right with a larger profit margin!
- Less stress: Anyone who has ever shipped something can tell you while the process works smoothly sometimes, it can be an incredible challenge at other times. Freight forwarders coordinate transportation for a living. These professionals know all of the ins and outs of the business, which means they can navigate the intricacies of shipping any material easily, taking the burden off of you. If you are moving goods across international boundaries, they can even help with the process of going through customs. Many business owners simply don’t have the knowledge to complete all of the paperwork or the time to learn how to do it. If you want your business to grow in 2024, working with a freight forwarding company is one of the best moves you can make. And with professionals handling the transport of your goods, you can focus on growing your business and expanding your brand.
- Combined warehousing: Many freight forwarding companies have warehouses, which are required for the goods at the start of their journey and when they reach the end of it. And most e-commerce retailers already understand the many benefits of warehousing services. Freight forwarders can often offer warehousing in addition to freight forwarding and other value-added services, which means they can serve as a one-stop shop for all of your business’s needs. This may give you a competitive advantage, which can be key to your company’s long-term success.
- Flexible operations: The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that there are still weaknesses in the supply chain for many products. Freight forwarders can keep pace with a rapidly changing market in the fast-paced transportation industry. They can ensure that your business has the right resources when it needs them. As your business grows, the freight forwarder can handle the additional complexity and often contribute valuable insights into leveraging further efficiencies and taking advantage of emerging market opportunities. The reality is that working with a freight forwarder is much more than just having someone handle your transportation logistics; you often gain a supply chain partner who can help you navigate challenges as your business grows. They usually have the skills and experience to help predict the market, which can be a valuable asset that helps ensure you don’t miss any solid opportunities for business growth.
Freight forwarding companies offer a lot to modern retailers and manufacturers. They are well-versed in handling complex transportation logistics, which means you have an expert at your side to ensure that your goods get where they need to be without delay. Combined with their business insight and the fact that they offer cost-effective services that can help you grow in the new year, you can’t afford to not work with one. To learn more about freight forwarding and warehousing services, contact Dawson Logistics today!