Serving in Freight Forwarding

Serving is a word traditionally associated with organizations in the hospitality industry like restaurants, hotels, movie theaters, or?other establishments where a guest requires the direct attention of staff for the duration of the visit. Outside of the hospitality industry, serving is generally not seen as a relevant term but the truth is service is just as much a part of freight forwarding as it is in hospitality.?

In freight forwarding we serve the needs of 4 groups:

1. Client
2. Industry Partners
3. Co-Workers
4. Organization/Employer

Communication Needs

Serving all 4 groups is about considering communication needs such as what they need to know, when they need to know it, and how best to communicate to them.?

Speaking simply is the best way to communicate across all 4 groups effectively, it is best to avoid unnecessary industry jargon or slang. Use of industry jargon or slang may lead to misunderstanding regarding a shipment. A person running a drayage lane may use the term “box” or while a client uses the word shipment or container.?

While it may be tempting to demonstrate industry knowledge, it is more important that involved parties understand what is happening with the shipment, what their responsibility is, and how to continue doing business.

It is essential to understand the informational needs of the all 4 groups. They may not always ask the right question, use the right vocabulary, or know exactly what information they are looking for. Active listening to determine what they need to know and how they need to know it will improve communication to make it more clear, efficient, and informative.?

Informational needs means structuring communication for search optimization and readability. The email subject line should make the communication between all parties searchable based on the needs of the individual party. Clients may refer to shipments using their own purchase order number while co-loaders will use a house bill or even a proprietary tracking number. Including this information in the subject line will help all parties track emails and stick to one email chain for a specific shipment.?

Miscommunication in logistics can be expensive both in dollars and reputation.?

Exceed Expectations by Delivering Great Performances

Reputation is earned in pennies and spent in dollars. The work that goes into building a relationship with any of the 4 groups takes time to build but can be ruined even faster.?

Systems and processes need to be set up for efficiency and built for each groups needs. While a basic framework of work flow may be important for building muscle memory in freight forwarding, accommodations per account or targeted group will be necessary to better serve their needs.?

For example, how long does a co-loader need to secure freight release? If they need 48 to 72 hours, then processing payment on an agent invoice or arrival notice in a timely manner is important. If they require a payment remittance, communicating those needs to your accounting team is essential. Helping all pertinent parties understand how they may support the needs of your target groups will elevate performance and fill gaps.

It is also important to know the resources that are available and necessary to serve each of the targeted groups. PayCargo, port websites, steamship vessel schedules, industry news letters, or vessel trackers are examples of external resources that are valuable assets. Creating tools like spreadsheets or documents may also be a necessary to fill-in process gaps and improve efficacy. Freight forwarders have a book of business which requires innovation to stay profitable.?

Be proactive in getting information, requesting information, and dispersing information to all parties concerned. The information may not necessarily be available at time of request but it puts things in motion, especially when the client has visibility. Follow up on these issues, until they are solved and the shipment is complete.

Information is constantly updating, the act of retrieving information is much better than receiving information. Yes, there is a difference. Being proactive in getting answers is much better than being reactive in waiting for answers. In logistics, waiting for information to show up may mean lost dollars, lost time, and lost business.

Serving Industry Partners is Serving Your Team and Client

Industry partners are companies that include payment processors, carriers or even competitors that operate with as co-loaders.

Reminder, reputation is earned in pennies and spent in dollars. The perception of an organization is not only tied to its ability to serve the needs of its clients but that of its industry partners.

Working with co-loaders or competing organizations may be frustrating. Relying on another company for an arrival notice or pertinent information to move a shipment forward can feel unnecessary. However, if the client wants it that way, then it must be done to serve their interest. Being communicative, responsive, and pro-active with industry partners will help build and secure the reputation of an organization in the freight forwarding industry.

Conclusion

Serving is not just for one industry, the interest of many are served in each interaction from freight forwarders to charitable non-profits.?

The level of service rendered is visible at all times in logistics and impacts the ability of a sales force to attract new clients, form strategic alliances, enter new markets, or grow as a company.?