The advantages and disadvantages of freight forwarders  

As we go about our daily lives it is safe to say that things such freight forwarders do not cross our minds. Freight forwarders and the work they do on a daily basis actually contribute a vast amount in terms of supplying us with the goods and services that we need. For example, companies such as Barrington Freight (a freight forwarder in the UK) carry an impressive range of products all over the world.

Freight forwarders work to ensure that a business’s deliveries are sending to the right part of the world or country and assist in sorting out the logistics of the manoeuvre. If you are wondering if a freight forwarder is the ideal solution for you, then take a look at the disadvantages and advantages of using their services for yourself.

Advantages

So why a business would chose to receive the help of a freight forwarder? Well, ultimately it comes down to whether they require help when it comes to the handling or logistics to outsourcing their goods and products. Freight forwarders are great when it comes to dealing with complex shipping situations and can often save the in house team both time and money in being able to process shipments with ease and expertise too! Freight forwarders also carry the additional benefit of being able to have an existing network of companies and individuals who would be able to dramatically improve the speed with which shipments are arranged.

Here are some of the most popular reasons to choose a freight forwarder:

  • They have extensive knowledge of the industry which means that your goods can potentially be in better hands with their help
  • The ability to deal with large amounts of goods and delivery volumes at a more affordable cost
  • There is a global network of freight forwarders across the world which means that they have the expertise needed to ensure that the goods are shipped efficiently

Disadvantages

Some people believe that outsourcing shipments can be risky as it means that you are more likely to lose control of where your goods are and then be faced with the responsibility of dealing with freight that is lost. When you outsource the freight and leave it in the hands of a freight forwarder you find that you are not in control of the scheduling and this can cause a lot of business owners to worry.

With a freight forwarder you are essentially tying yourself into a contract that will work towards getting tout product to a desired destination at a particular price and then the freight forwarder takes it upon themselves to arrange how it gets there. This is ideal for some but can cause problems for others if you have particularly demanding customers as you run the risk of not being able to tell them where their goods are.

There are reports that show that the freight forwarding industry is growing considerably and that their growth is a trend that we can see continuing in the years to come. When it comes to choosing whether or not a freight forwarder is the right solution for you and your business, its important to weigh up the most important aspects of what they do and whether you can afford to spend time and money on arranging the transportation of goods for yourself.