How to tell if a freight forwarder for air freight to middle east is reliable?
If your shipment by air freight to middle east hasn’t arrived in half a month, you’ve definitely found an unreliable freight forwarder. Without a good forwarder, even top salespeople can’t get things done right. So how do you judge whether a forwarder is reliable? As someone who has been in this industry for 27 years, I can responsibly tell you: remember these points when choosing a forwarder, and no one can trick you.
First, they must have the ability and resources to book space directly. Check how deeply the forwarder cooperates with airlines, and whether they can really get allocation directly from airlines. If you look for forwarders in the market, ten out of ten will say they are direct operators. But the real direct operators are very few, you can count them on one hand.
So you must verify this in person, don’t just listen to what they say. Take our company DL for example. We have bought out 20 allocations per week from 2 major airlines. Other relatively good forwarders only get 2 or 3 allocations a week. Our capacity is 10 times theirs. Only companies like us are real direct operators for air freight to middle east.
Second, they must respond to inquiries quickly and help customers get competitive prices. Of course, this isn’t something a forwarder can just claim to do. The key point is to check how much cargo volume the forwarder handles for air freight to middle east. Generally, forwarders with large cargo volume enjoy bulk advantages and can offer lower prices.
Third, they should track cargo status at any time. It’s better if they have their own freight system so you can check shipping information immediately. All the above points show the company’s real strength.
Fourth, they must be familiar with various customs import and export policies, and answer questions about different shipping conditions smoothly. Check the forwarder’s experience. The cost of mistakes made by inexperienced new staff should not be paid by shippers. Experience is more important than theory. An experienced forwarder operates more professionally and handles unexpected issues efficiently.
Fifth, don’t fully believe everything a forwarder says. You can listen to them, but don’t trust them completely. If possible, visit their company in person. Check the company’s size and structure, and see how professional their team is and how well they solve problems. Take DL as an example. I always invite customers to visit our company because our strength gives me full confidence. We have nearly 100 employees, and we own the entire 8th floor of Block B, Rongde Times Square, Longgang District, Shenzhen. We are among the top 5% in the industry.
When choosing a forwarder, don’t only go for the lowest price. Some bad forwarders attract cargo with low prices, then charge all kinds of extra fees. In the end, you may even lose your goods completely. So it’s very important to choose a reliable freight forwarder.