DIY Logistics versus Hiring a Freight Forwarder – What is Best?
If you own a business that deals in international trade, you need to make a decision about who is going to handle the logistical side of importing and exporting goods. If you are a new business owner who likes to save money by bootstrapping as much as possible, you may be tempted to handle the logistics yourself. The other option is to employ the skills of a professional freight forwarder in Hawaii.
In this post, we are going to explore these two options in order to determine which is best.
Do-It-Yourself Logistics
If you decide to handle all of the import and exports yourself, be prepared for a steep learning curve and an extremely large time investment. You’ll need to know the ins and outs of every aspect of overseas shipping. Here’s a small list of what you need to master…
- International trade regulations
- Modes of transporting goods
- Special rules based on origin or destination
- Warehousing and distribution
While it would certainly cost you less to learn all of this than pay someone else to handle it for your company, you will really be losing money in the long run. All of that time you spend learning and managing the logistics is time you aren’t spending growing your business. As the business owner, your time is more valuable than anyone else’s, so outsourcing as many tasks as possible is the surest way to keep your business scalable.
Hiring a Professional Freight Forwarder
The duty of a freight forwarding firm is to handle every logistical aspect of your company’s imports and exports. Not only have they spent years developing the knowhow and expertise to manage the logistics of international trade, but they’ve also built up dozens of business partnerships over the years. They can help you with everything from Amazon FBA fulfillment (like these guys: www.packair.com/fulfillment-services/) to moving your goods between store locations.
This means that a freight forwarder can often get you better deals on services such as warehousing and distribution than you could negotiate on your own. Furthermore, your logistics team will be specially trained in the regulations regarding your particular goods and shipping destinations.
Some of the specific tasks that your freight forwarder will take off your hands include the following:
- Submitting legal documents
- Coordinating shipments from start to finish
- Troubleshooting shipment issues
- Contacting appropriate parties
The Choice is Clear
Think about everything that could wrong if your logistics get messy. Your goods might end up delivered to the wrong place, stored in the wrong manner, or stuck in customs because of a minor detail that was overlooked.
Business could come screeching to a halt because of a logistical mix up. Is that really a risk you are willing to be held responsible for?
You absolutely need to hire a freight forwarder to handle the ins and outs of your international trade. Not only will it save you time and money, but it will help ensure that your business is running as smooth as possible.