Businesses cannot complete their production process if they do not have the right materials and goods. If they cannot obtain their materials easily, the shortage will cripple their ability to produce enough supply for their demand. Limited production will hinder their growth and leave consumers unsatisfied. If you are a business owner, you rely on your logistics system and receive your shipments on time. Logistics matters a lot more when you realise how much time, money, and resources we spend on transporting products. The cost factors into your overall expenses. If you want to reduce your cost and make your deliveries more efficient, you need to think about hiring a shipping agent in Singapore you can trust.

Logistics refers to the transportation, storage, and acquisition of goods. Many businesses spend much money figuring out how to create a more efficient system. From the origin to its destination, materials handling should be a smooth system that reduces the risk of loss, damage, and delay. Focusing on this aspect of production can save you thousands, if not millions of dollars worth of profits.

Management of freight and shipment is an aspect of business that might get overlooked at first, but it plays a huge role in the flow of goods within your business. In a global economy, many businesses obtain resources and materials from every corner of the world. Learning how to take advantage of the vast transportation network available to your company can help you streamline your operations. With proper management, you can reduce inefficiencies and shorten the time it takes to ship freight.

What is freight forwarding?

While transacting within the country is fairly straightforward, importing and exporting products is more complex. When businesses need to sell or buy items abroad, they have to go through a system of paperwork, forms, taxes, and other legal requirements. They may also have to figure out how to reduce the costs of shipment when transporting products. For many business owners, the shipping process is a complex and hard-to-navigate network.

Business owners have two choices if they want to ship internationally. One, they can do it themselves, and two, they can pass on the job to a third party. Many opt for the latter. A business can leave the job to a shipping company in Singapore– a shipping or freight forwarding agent can lighten the burdens of any company that needs to import and export products. Freight forwarders have many responsibilities and can take over the hardest parts of freight and logistics management.

Some important services they provide are cargo consolidation, filling out customs declaration paperwork, completing documents, and much more. Essentially, they act as the middleman between courier companies and businesses. The role may not look like much, but they go a long way in making the shipment process more efficient.

What are the benefits of freight forwarding?

Hiring a freight forwarder does come at a cost, but once you familiarise yourself with the procedures involved in shipping items internationally, you will discover that the hefty price is worth shouldering. Making mistakes in customs declarations and the shipment process can mean a loss of significant time, money, and resources. Doing the task yourself or relegating it to an inexperienced employee can lead to a higher risk of mistakes that lead to delays and other issues.

When you hire the services of a forwarding company in Singapore, you are more likely to find a professional who can assist you with complex shipping issues and concerns. See some reasons to hire a forwarding agent instead of considering other options.

1) A freight forwarder can give you more affordable options

The hard work of picking and choosing couriers will fall on your freight forwarder. An experienced shipping agent will know about the different couriers and their services. A freight forwarder will know which companies offer the lowest rates and which one you should go for.

Many freight forwarders also have business relationships with courier companies, allowing them to enjoy shipment rates. Partnering with a freight forwarding company in Singapore may allow you discounted shipment costs. The discounted costs stem from the  forwarding agent and shipping company’s mutual relationship. If you ship bulk items, you might get a bidder discount, too.

2) Freight forwarders allow you to skip past the tedium of paperwork filing and other shipping-related tasks

Transporting items is not as easy as renting a vehicle to load your shipments. You have to fill in tax and customs paperwork, pay the necessary fees, and other duties to comply with legal regulations. As a business owner, responsibilities related to shipping and handling occur constantly, and you might not have the time to attend to them. Pass off the tasks to a trained professional if you have other things to do. A freight forwarding agent is a perfect person to handle them.

3) A freight forwarder knows your rights

The worst nightmare that can occur during the shipment process is the loss and damage of your goods. If you are shipping valuable items, you would want your shipment secured and the risk of issues decreased during transportation. While you cannot eliminate the possibility of problems happening while transporting your items, you can still protect yourself from incurring too much loss by relying on insurance and protection. They can also explore ways for you to get the best possible value for your money.

The best freight forwarders understand the value of shipments and will negotiate insurance on your behalf. Freight forwarders also look for more cost-effective ways to ship your freight, such as exploring cargo consolidation.

Contact STAR CONCORD if you are looking for a reliable freight forwarding company in Singapore for your business. Learn more about their air and sea freight options on their website.