After a brief introduction over the phone, a caller who has since become a regular ICAT client got right to the point: “My shipment is stuck in a warehouse in China and I don’t know what to do. Can you help?”
The problem was that the caller had shopped online for the least expensive option to ship his custom-made products to one of his most valuable customers. Turns out the no-frills shipper was unwilling to get involved when the first sign of trouble appeared. “They left it to us to deal with customs and documentation,” the client admitted. “We’re at a loss.”
As with a number of companies who experimented with do-it-yourself freight forwarding, we began our relationship with a quick explanation of our business.
Freight forwarding — moving goods from a manufacturer or supplier to a customer at the final destination — is more complex than it may appear. The addition of international laws, customs regulations, government bureaucracies, loading, unloading, packing and choosing dependable transportation carriers and routes all add significant opportunities for trouble. But those are the types of issues the team at ICAT Logistics has dealt with every day for the past 22 years.
Companies may benefit by having on staff a logistics and freight manager who understands the business, but one person, or even two or three, may have problems handling international shipments without the support of professionals whose only job is to make certain freight arrives safely, expediently and at a reasonable cost.
The dynamics of shipping international freight are ever-changing, along with the commercial transportation industry, international law, business competition and the needs of your customers. Our job, as your freight forwarder, is to stay on top of our business, just as you stay in tune with changes in yours.
For those thinking of trying to go it alone, consider this:
- Transportation and logistics often account for a significant impact on the bottom line of a business. Beyond product mix, production, marketing and customer satisfaction, it is logistics, transportation and freight that are often keys to profit or loss. For that reason partnering with a company whose single expertise is moving freight in the international arena makes sense. Your company can focus on the nuts and bolts of your business knowing the freight will arrive from its origin in a timely, safe and cost effective way.
- More than ever, supply chains are complicated. Which is better: offshore, onshore, nearshore or mixing and matching? Should your freight go by sea, air or ground? If you want to keep delivery times tight and please your customers, it helps to understand and have access to all the options. That’s what the freight forwarding pros do.
- Shipment tracking has become more a necessity than a convenience. Without a team “on the ground” watching your freight from its origin to its destination— not just port to port — any number of things can happen. Theft, security breaches, ground transportation mishaps, misunderstood documentation needs and customs discrepancies are only a few.
- How do you take advantage of all available special handling, security, packing, and risk management methodology? That’s another way we can help.
All these issues point to why we’re here. At ICAT Logistics Detroit, we have established a network of logistics and freight shipping professionals across the globe. We work closely with our clients to make sure they overcome any obstacle that may get in the way of success.
We’re your custom shipping resource. Solutions to our customers’ most challenging issues are derived from decades of success in global logistics. https://www.icatlogisticsdtw.com/