In many industries, once a business has grown enough, it reaches a point of growth where one begins to look internationally to gain a greater client base, or by seeking international suppliers for goods to lower one’s production costs.

Here the choice comes in, to try and navigate importing or exporting your own goods, or making use of a logistics company to assist with this. How does one know when they have found the right logistics company?

Moving any goods across international borders is often a game of chance, hoping the container will safely reach the other point, and trusting that all paperwork will be handled smoothly. In an ever growing and expanding industry, there are new logistics agencies entering the market each day. You need to find the right agent that can ensure a worry-free freight.

“The first thing one needs to look at is how much experience the company has, how long has it been in operation, how many current clients the shipping company has and their relationship with their clients” says Ray, director of Pioneer Freight. “It may be easy starting a logistics company, but one needs to keep in mind that the international sector isn’t the easiest sector in the world, if they don’t know what they’re doing, chances are they won’t last long, and you will be back to shopping for a new logistics agent.”

Having an experienced Freight forwarder, such as Pioneer Freight that has been operational for 25 years, means that certain obstacles along the way can be handled smoothly, such as port strikes and rerouting cargo.

Having a company with extensive experience, also means they have better relationships built with partnered companies and the necessary skills to ensure a safe transit, another important factor that must be taken into consideration.

“All is good and well if you now know the logistics agency has the necessary experience, but this means nothing if the partner on the other side has a bad reputation and slips up from time to time” says Ray.

Having an extensive database of international agents in both the country they are shipping from, as well as the destination is important.

The next thing to investigate is their list of services, make sure they offer more than one mode of transport and that they can handle the transport from the factory to the client of the destination. It is often more convenient to must only deal with one agent as opposed to numerous agencies for one shipment.

And finally, how is the communication level with the freight forwarder, are they easy to reach? Do they give you a designated person to deal with? Do they answer all your questions? Do you receive all your documents on time? One does not want a forwarding agent who doesn’t provide the latest information on a shipment or that avoids your calls.

Having a trustworthy logistics agent is very important, one needs to take careful consideration before deciding on one, but once you do find the right one, such as Pioneer Freight, worrying about shipments and not having the correct paperwork at hand will be a thing of the past.