Ian
How
does one make the process of shipping goods to their customers, an
easier job? Read on.
Let’s face
it. Shipping is an essential part of fulfilling any order for any
company – big or small.
When a
small company has to ship out its products, it is even more essential
to ship in an efficient way because the company’s future literally
depends on every penny spent or earned! The challenge is intensified
when you have to ship in parts or in common terms: part shipping.
We all need
the most efficient way of shipping – with the least cost, the least
downtime and the best service. So how does one find such a shipper?
And how does one manage part-shipping? Here are a few tips that may
help you find the best mode of shipping your goods.
Compare
all service providers
Compare all
available shipping services and rates – based on weight and
dimensions. A comparative chart of the courier/shipping services with
your best options marked out based on your priorities for shipping,
helps you reduce your downtime.
Compare the
courier services’ reach – how far their operations are spread and
how soon or late you can get across your product to your customer. I
would even suggest that you compare their pick up and cut off times
and all special services available.
Decide on
the mode of shipment
While road
and railway are cheaper modes of shipping, they are also a bit slower
when compared to air transport. Sea shipments can also be considered,
provided you have a big enough time window to ship your
product/cargo. The best mode of transport however has to depend on
the budget for shipping, time available for shipping and the weight
of the cargo.
Check for
collaborative shipping
Most of the
courier/shipping services will have a solution that allows you to
ship your part-shipments along with other people’s shipments
through road or sea. These shipments typically weigh more that is
economical to send through air and less enough that you can’t
employ a whole truck to transport by road or a whole container
through sea.
State
your intentions clearly
Let your
customers know when you will be charging them for shipping. If you
are considering charging your customers for shipping, you have to let
them know the indicative values and state your policies clearly. Some
businesses prefer to charge a rate with a 15% margin (as a buffer).
This of course depends on the businesses’ policies, the wieght of
the shipment, the priority of shipping etc. Decisions can be taken
on a case to case basis as well. It is a good idea to include the
shipping cost in the cost of the product before hand so you have a
buffer to work with.
While these
are by no means exhaustive, ive found that these tips have helped me
in the past and may very well help a few others as well! Good
shipping practises will not only help reduce the tension for
yourselves but also lead to happy customers!
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