Often shippers preconceive that freight brokerage firms are just expensive scams and nothing else. However, this is a misconception, and freight brokers are, in reality, reliable partners that offer mutual benefits to shippers and carriers. In fact, they are the future of the logistics industry.
The transportation forecasts show a 36% growth from $1.16 billion to $13.78 billion in the freight brokerage field between 2021 and 2028. More and more people now understand the usefulness of freight brokers. Therefore, they now have their feet fully embedded in all transport modes, including rail, ocean, air, road, and rail.
A transportation broker can find you the best carrier at the best possible price to ship your freight overseas or across the country. This allows you to focus more on whatever you are doing and leave your shipment for the experts to handle. The benefits of hiring a freight broker are numerous. In this post, we’ll outline the top advantages that freight brokerages offer. So you’ll know whether it’s right to hire one for your shipment route.
Gain valued relationships
Business partnerships are not only a good base for an enterprise but also mutually beneficial. For a freight brokerage company, the partnership is less about achieving their goals and more about fulfilling their client’s goals and meeting their deadlines.
However, partnering with the right freight broker is of utmost importance for a shipper. The shipping industry is known to have fluctuating service due to several cost factors, and even a slight change can have a domino effect throughout the supply chain. In most cases, this results in costly delays.
The relationship between a shipper and freight broker relationship can be as short as a one-off shipment or spanning over the years. However, brokers desire to create long-term partnerships with their clients based on mutual trust and transparent communication.
Having a reliable freight broker at your back to handle your shipping needs and concerns can be a massive benefit in this ever-evolving transportation industry. They will be able to apply the best practices for shipping your freight and answer queries regarding fluctuating market prices.
Offers convenience
One of the key advantages of working with a freight brokerage firm is having a convenient partner in the logistics industry. There are more than 700,000 brokerage companies in the US, so it is challenging to choose one that fits your needs.
Not every broker can have an understanding of your requirements. Especially if you need fast shipment for oversized cargo and with multiple carriers at once, many won’t be able to bear the burden of this enormous responsibility.
However, only the right one will have knowledge of the logistics industry from inside and out. Not only that, but large freight brokerage firms also have partnerships with a vast network of carriers from world-famous brands with a good track record.
These carriers excel in expertise and reliability and have the necessary insurance and permits to provide trustworthy services. Leveraging your freight broker’s carrier network will take a huge burden off your shoulders. You won’t have to sort through a long list of carriers, nor will you have to waste your time planning and booking shipments. Most freight brokers also provide online tracking, so you’ll always know that your freight is safe and in capable hands.
Cost-efficient shipping
As a shipper, your most crucial priorities should be saving time and costly delays, and making life easier. Partnering with a freight broker means you’ll have all these advantages.
Have market insight
The transportation market is very volatile, with the pricing changing every day. Therefore, as an outsider, it can take a lot of work for you to determine the best affordable price. But for a freight broker, it’s the primary job to monitor the fluctuations in the market.
That’s why they always have the latest knowledge of pricing, and when used correctly, their deep understanding will help you obtain the best shipping quote according to your transportation requirements.
For instance, the shipping rates also increase during peak seasons due to the high demand for shipping in certain areas. Having a freight broker as a partner will help you avoid price spikes occurring in those specific areas.
Shipping options
A large part of a freight brokerage’s efforts in maintaining relationships goes toward its vast network of carriers. The larger the brokerage firm, the more departments it has dedicated to communicating with its network of carriers.
Due to this familiarity, the broker has a deep understanding of how much price flexibility a carrier possesses and can offer. This helps them obtain an affordable quote according to your shipping needs.
No matter the size and type of your cargo, a broker can also point you toward the best carrier. This ensures that the carrier can handle upscale shipping, plus their price won’t burden your pocket.
Moreover, the first rule of maintaining a business relationship is transparency. So, it’s safe to say that a good freight broker will always be transparent to you when putting their options on the table.
They will talk you through all options, give suggestions, and guide you to the best option that will fit your needs and also save you money.
Provides flexibility
A freight broker brings flexibility that enables them to meet varying shipping needs, offer various types of transportation modes, and choose the suitable career for you.
Meet inconsistent shipping needs
Like many businesses, the transportation industry also has its peak season. This means that during this season, more shippers are transporting high quantities of cargo during this season. However, without the help of a freight broker, you may face limited shipping options.
No matter how consistent your transportation requirements are, a broker can meet them due to their extensive carrier network. They will be able to find a slot that works for your shipment.
Flexible transportation modes
When directly hiring a carrier, you’ll only be able to choose the shipping mode they offer. In most cases, all carriers do not provide all types of transportation modes. So, what will happen if you wish to send heavy machinery, but the carrier doesn’t have the necessary equipment to transport it?
You’ll be left twiddling your thumbs. On the other hand, you can leverage the brokers’ vast network of carriers. If not all, a few carriers will specialize in providing different shipment modes to handle your equipment. Some brokerage firms even have entire departments dedicated to supporting various transportation modes and cargo types.
This ensures that a broker will have an understanding of which transportation mode will best suit your needs. If your cargo requires personalization, they will talk to their carrier to whip up a custom shipping mode.
Broad outreach
As mentioned earlier, a broker has a vast network of carriers. This opens a flexible window for your shipment. Whether you are shipping to South America, South Africa, or West Africa, a broker will be able to find a suitable carrier for overseas shipping. However, not all of them provide all services.
So, if flexibility is the most significant factor behind your shipping decisions, you must pick a broker that offers both domestic and overseas services. But don’t forget to thoroughly search first to pick the most trustworthy brokerage firm.
Handle transportation problems
As customer experience is the top priority for a broker, they will do their best to provide you with a smooth and flawless shipping experience. This means that other than finding the best carrier for you, they will also handle the problems that may arise during the transit process.
From the time your cargo leaves your location till it’s safe delivery to the receiver, your freight broker will ensure that there is nothing to worry about. It’s their job to handle and look after shipments.
Therefore, they are knowledgeable about the chances of where most problems will occur. If anything out of the ordinary happens, they will handle it with due diligence.
You can also take their guidance to prepare shipments and fill out paperwork. A good broker will always help you so your cargo clears customs immediately. For instance, if you are looking for international car shipping, they will also know the latest customs rules and tariffs of your destination country.
This allows them to tell you which items you should avoid sending due to restrictions or prohibitions. Having this oversight also helps them save any additional fees associated with your cargo.
Choose a freight brokerage for your shipment route
A freight brokerage has the capability to become a very resourceful partner for you. But you must do proper research, like checking reviews and client testimonials and requesting free quotes from many companies.
Avoid scam sites with all good reviews, too many negative reviews, or no reviews. We hope this article provides insight into the benefits of hiring a freight brokerage company. If you wish to book a reliable carrier for your shipment, AFL can be of your service.
We are not only a car shipping company but also handle the domestic and international transportation of oversized industrial machinery and agricultural equipment. The brokerage service we offer includes the following:
NVOCC Services
As a company holding an NVOCC license, we can negotiate shipping rates with world-famous carriers, find the best price and book a carrier for your cargo. We have a robust and extensive network of carriers that allows us to book large quantities of space for your load.
Our firm has direct contracts with carriers that make it possible for your shipment to depart and reach its destination without delays in peak seasons.
If required, we can provide you with the appropriate level of insurance and help you make a claim with an insurance provider. We have a sophisticated tracking system to help you keep tabs on your cargo throughout the transit.
Documentation and Customs Clearance
Our experts can help you prepare the necessary paperwork and fill out forms with the latest information. We will also help you eliminate mistakes in the paperwork so it can clear faster at both the US border and your destination country’s customs.
Our foreign-speaking agents will also help you with customs clearance to avoid costly delays. We will monitor your cargo from when it departs till it reaches you or your receiver to handle any issues that may occur during transit.
Personalized Shipping Options
As a freight brokerage firm, we understand that each shipment will have different shipping needs. Therefore, we are serious about booking you the best carrier according to your timeline and budget.
From RoRo to container, LoLo, and flatbed shipping, we provide music for more domestic and international transportation. Our partnership with carriers also enables us to offer you custom shipping modes. You’ll also have access to all our carriers’ shipping schedules for major to smaller regions. This allows us to provide you with flexible delivery timelines.
In short, you’ll have a single point of contact for all your shipping requirements, from quoting the best price to booking a carrier, scheduling delivery timelines, and managing paperwork and customs. So you can rest assured that your shipment will be in capable hands and reach its destination in time.
Conclusion
Whether you are shipping overseas or cross-country, partnering with a freight brokerage can be beneficial for you. It means you can leverage their extensive knowledge, abilities, and vast network of carriers.
As brokers have the flexibility to meet your shipping requirements, they can steer you through the quagmire of fluctuating transportation prices and peak seasons. In addition, they can also handle documentation and customs clearance and book carriers at competitive pricing that takes a lot of burden off your plate.