Using an International Shipping Company to Save

Money in your Business

Introduction

Most businesses, especially those which have a presence on the Web, require the services of local and international shipping companies because they just can’t get the work done by themselves in an efficient and affordable manner.

On top of being reliable, those services also need to be relatively inexpensive and provide useful options such as tracking.

In this presentation, we will show you how using an international shipping company can save you money in the long run.

Your Goal

As we mentioned in the introduction, one of the main reasons you want to entrust your shipping needs to a specialized company is to save money through bulk shipping rates and special deals.

But having your S&H cost go down also has another appreciable effect: you can pass some of those savings on to your customers to build trust and loyalty. High shipping rates are often a very strong deterrent; so, lowering them is sometimes enough to convince a client to proceed with his order.

Choosing a Shipper

The first piece of advice when selecting a company would be to avoid cheap and unreliable shippers. The actual cost of replacing a lost or damaged item is steep. And the ruined business relationship may even be more costly; especially given today’s social networking generation. Word of mouth spreads quickly, whether it be good or bad. Leave nothing to chance.

You will also want to provide your customers with more than one option. So, choose a partner who offers same day shipping, first class shipping as well as regular (usually by sea) shipping. The more options your customers have, the better.

Cost Considerations

While we’re on the subject of cost, always be transparent with your clients. Shipping cost should not only always be clearly shown, they should include a breakdown and a total.

Also, insurance cost, whether mandatory or optional should be discussed in detail. Do this preferably on a separate tab. Incidentally, you should also be clear as to the countries you do not ship to so as to avoid any misunderstanding.

Once the Package Is Out

To save money on international shipping, you can use forwarding services that allow you to select a specific drop point within a given country/location. The parcel will then be forwarded to the point of destination from the forwarding address. This saves you money because you can ship all your items in one container to one address (as opposed to shipping internationally per item and on different locations.)

Another point to take into consideration is whether or not the shipping company offers tracking. Some customers like to follow their item and know exactly where it is and when they can expect to receive it.

Troubleshooting

Letting a shipping company handle the work also makes it easier on you as you will not have to learn all the rules relevant to your international shipping options as every country has its own set of regulations.

However, when the inevitable happens, keep your cool. Sending an item from one country to another will always be a challenge. If you do this long enough, you will eventually find holes in your procedures. You will realize there are flaws and points for improvement on the part of your shipper and/or forwarding service provider. Your priority should always be to deal with the problem to the satisfaction of your client.

Conclusion

In closing, the important thing to remember is that even though hiring a shipping company can save you time, money as well as a whole lot of trouble, problems are bound to occur. When they do, act fast and readjust your procedures accordingly.

Keep in mind that using an international shipping company to save money in your business is a work in progress, and everything should be fine.

For more information on how to save money with your shipping needs, check out our site at: http://www.3pllinks.com/

For more information on how to save money with your shipping needs, check out our site at: http://www.3pllinks.com/