Top tips for choosing a freight company

If you need to send items by freight or courier then you’ll want to make sure that you’re choosing the right freight company, that’s going to deliver your product and packages to the highest standards. There’s nothing worse than sending away your hard work on pallets or parcels, only for them to be damaged or lost during transit!

If you’ve just started your own online or e-commerce business or perhaps you’re looking to switch courier or freight companies for bigger shipments, then it can help to know a few tips when it comes to choosing the carrier that’s right for you. Things like the company’s reputation, how much they charge for pick-ups, packing and deliveries and even the areas that they can ship to, can all play a part in deciding the freight company that you choose.

Read our tips below for picking the best freight company, plus some simple things that you can do to ensure that your shipments arrive in one piece!

Firstly, what does a freight company do?

Sometimes referred to as a ‘courier’ when sending individual packages, a freight company is responsible for delivering goods from one location to another, and in a set time frame. This delivery can be from businesses to consumers, consumers to businesses and between businesses. While a courier will handle small local deliveries a freight company will handle bulk shipments often carrying pallets from multiple vendors in one load.

The goods that a freight company will deliver can be sent by air, train, sea, truck or van and there are often multiple freight companies that you can choose from depending on your location, and where you need to send your goods to. Most freight companies will deliver locally, nationally and globally.

What to consider when choosing a freight company

When choosing a freight company there are many important considerations that need to be made, so that your goods get to their destination, in the same condition that you sent them. Having a good freight management company that looks after your packages is incredibly important, especially for businesses that operate online only. There’s always a risk when sending anything via freight or courier and goods have the potential to be handled by multiple people, depending on their final location. Enlisting a freight company that has not only your best interests at heart but is also concerned about taking care of your goods, makes all of the difference.

Here we outline some of the most important considerations when choosing a freight company.

The items that a freight company delivers

When investigating the suitability of a potential freight company, you should first do some research around the types of packages or goods that they’re willing, or set-up to deliver. While many freight companies claim to deliver anything, there are some companies that specialise in delivering certain types of goods. Goods that are valuable, fragile or perishable will need to be taken care of differently during the freight process and can’t be handled like your standard clothing package!

Freight companies that specialise in delivering fragile, hard to move or higher-risk items will have special processes in place to ensure that goods aren’t damaged during transit and will get to their destination safely and in one piece. These companies will often package your goods further upon pick-up so that they’re secure and won’t be at risk of breaking or going off while they’re in the truck. They may have refrigerated transport vehicles or containers to ensure the quality of the goods they deliver or relationships with local specialist couriers to get shipments to customers in time.

Doing thorough research before you decide on a freight company will ensure that you get a freight company that’s best suited to deliver the goods that you regularly send.

Availability and delivery times

Many freight companies claim to operate and deliver packages 24/7 but more often than not, they will only pick up packages during set times of the day. It’s important to discuss with your freight company when you will be packaging up orders every day so that they know when they will need to collect the items. Or perhaps you will only be sending out goods every second day? Discuss your freight needs at the outset so you know what to expect from your carrier, and they know what service to deliver you.

Most freight companies will be able to guarantee a set timeframe for delivery of your goods too – same day, next day or 48 hours depending on your location, and if the goods will be delivered locally or further afield. Make sure you know what timeframe and question whether there could ever be delays with deliveries. Most people that order online like to know when their goods will arrive. Being able to send their goods in the desired timeframe will ensure that your customers return, and purchase from you again.

Understanding customer expectations is also key to your success. If your freight company will take a week to deliver to an address that’s only a few hours away your competitors may be able to ‘wow’ your customers with faster delivery times.

Security of your goods

If you will be sending high value or big-ticket items via freight then it’s imperative that the goods are safe and secure during transit. Something like a tracking number will ensure that both you and the customer can keep an eye on where the goods are located during transit to their destination. To keep goods secure, ensure that the courier will only deliver the items when someone is home and that they get a name and signature for the items that have been delivered.

If transporting larger shipments ensuring your freight company has adequate insurance (or understanding insurance obligations) is key. Ask about their security procedures and whether transported goods are left unattended during unloading and what preventative measures they have against theft. You may need to place additional security measures in place from your warehouse, like pallet wrap, to ensure items aren’t stolen when left unattended.

Keeping your packages safe during transit

While it’s vital that you choose a freight company that’s going to handle your goods with care and deliver them in a timely manner, there are also things that you can do yourself to ensure that your goods aren’t damaged during transit. One of these things (and possibly the most important) is ensuring that your goods are effectively packaged. Items that are fragile or bulky can be harder to package however there are now a range of different protective packaging supplies available that will help to ensure that your goods arrive in one piece.

As industrial packaging experts, we know that quality packaging products make all the difference in ensuring that your goods are safe and secure during transit. From adhesive warning labels to logistics packaging supplies, we have everything that you will need to use to ensure that your goods are packaged effectively. You may even wish to add impact detection labels to your goods to test the care a freight company takes, these could be good as periodic audits of their performance.

Here are some of our most popular packaging products that are always good to have on hand:

• Heavy-duty packaging tape
• Pop starch packaging peanuts
• Airwave void filler
• Recyclable protection wrap (sustainable alternative to bubble wrap)
• Pro-wrap packaging wrap
• Pallet wrap
• Recyclable cartons and boxes
• Loading instruction labels (fragile, this way up).

To view our complete range of packaging supplies head to our website here.

While the freight and logistics company that you choose will depend on your specific needs, the packaging supplies that you use will help to ensure that your goods are safe and secure during transit. For protective, low-cost packaging no matter your freight, download our full product catalogue.