Most businesses and individuals have to ship items at one point or another. The choice of the shipping company can affect the security and speed of delivery. If you select the wrong shipping company, your shipment could spoil, get lost, or fail to arrive on time. Such a scenario can hinder normal business operations and lead to losses.
Businesses need to pick the most appropriate shipping company to minimize avoidable shipping hiccups. Read on to learn tips for choosing the best shipping company.
1. Cost
Shipping charges vary from one shipping company to another. Higher charges increase the overall cost of the items and eat into your budget. Increased shipping costs may prompt you to share or transfer the additional fees to your clients. The result is that you may lose your customers to competitors with lower prices.
Choose a shipping company that offers high-quality services at affordable rates. Ideally, the best price is one that is not too high to make the products costly and not too low due to poor services. You can also find other ways to reduce the shipping cost, such as selecting cheaper packaging materials.
2. Customer Support
You should be able to communicate with the shipping company before, during, and after shipping. Companies with slow or nonexistent customer support are likely to cause shipping problems. For instance, you may be unable to make changes to your shipment until it’s too late or the shipping company may fail to provide tracking details about your shipment.
Strive to select a company that offers instant responses to customer queries. Ensure you are able to reach the company via multiple communication channels, such as phone and email. Shipping firms that hire human agents instead of chatbots tend to offer better customer service.
3. Reliability
The company’s ability to offer reliable services is also a key factor to consider. Generally, the company should have short delivery durations for all shipments. Expedited shipping should be an option for perishable or time-sensitive items, so be on the lookout for things such as same-day delivery or express shipping.
Another key component of reliability is the safety of the goods. The company should have secure and encrypted containers. Other essential security features include biometric locks and live shipment tracking. Similarly, the shipping company should have insurance coverage for the shipment to cater for any losses.
Safety also extends to the choice of transportation routes. The selected routes should have low crime rates and good infrastructure to prevent damage.
4. Specialization
Your organization may ship all manner of goods. Some of these items are fragile or perishable and require specialized shipping. Failure to use specialized shipping can cause massive losses and lead to delays in customer fulfillment.
Ensure you select a shipping company that has the appropriate equipment to handle your goods. For example, food items should be in a refrigerated container while in transit. Other items may require insulated packages or airtight containers.
5. Experience
Efficient companies tend to stay in business for long and have many completed shipments. You need to review the potential shipping company to determine its experience. Pay special attention to how long it has been in operation and the number of negative reviews.
You can check the company’s website or social media pages to know its experience. Customer reviews on third-party sites can also provide essential information about the company.
Work With a Reputable Shipping Company
Shipping delays will have a severe negative impact on your business operations. The correct approach is to use the services of a reputable company, such as JB Shipments. We can help you get the best transportation for your goods. Contact us to get started.