Are you looking for ways to lower the cost of your shipments? Do you have a pressing need to ship your items, but don’t want to pay for an entire truck to carry a small number of items? If so, then you need to learn more about freight consolidation.
Doing so can benefit your company in several ways. It can increase safety, boost customer satisfaction, and help you lower the cost of distribution simultaneously. Only pay for the cargo space you need… that’s the way it should be!
See below for an in-depth guide on the undeniable benefits of freight consolidation for your company, brand, and—most importantly—your customers.
1. Customer Satisfaction
Think of a product that you’ve purchased online in the past. Once you ordered it, you were given an expected delivery date for when it would arrive at your front door. How would you feel if it didn’t come until a few days after that? A few weeks?
If you only have a few items that you need to be shipped on any given day, many companies feel that they only have one of two choices: either pay for the entire truck (and waste money on cargo space you won’t use) or wait until you do have an entire truckload of items to ship.
The first option wastes money and the second wastes time. In fact, the second can be a detriment to the reputation you’ve built with your customers.
Thankfully, freight consolidation provides you with a third option. You can place your items on a truck that’s going to your preferred destination and only pay for the cargo space your products require.
This ensures that your customers will get their purchased goods at or before the estimated delivery time. Your customers will remain satisfied, helping them build more loyalty with your brand and continue to purchase more of your products in the future.
2. Cost-Efficient Deliveries
Imagine a scenario in which you could improve your customer satisfaction and save money on your distribution. All of that is possible with freight consolidation.
This shipping and distribution tactic involves less-than-truckload (LTL) freight shipping, helping you save major dollars and cents off your overhead. Instead of paying for an entire truck and wasting money on cargo space, you don’t need, you know have an option to only pay for the space that you do need.
LTL freight shipping allows you to place your items on a truck where other companies are paying for needed cargo space. As a result, all companies involved save money and still get their deliveries to arrive at their preferred destination.
You won’t have to pay for storage sites, either. When working with a freight consolidation service, they will help you find consolidation storage sites. That way, your items are kept safe and sound until they are sent out for delivery.
Fewer trucks also mean that you can save on the cost of gas. This will help your company see higher profit margins even though you’re charging less for shipping from your customers!
3. Better Tracking
You should never be left in the dark with your shipments. If you have to pay for multiple trucks, all of which contain different amounts of cargo, it can be hard for your company to stay on track of which shipment is where.
Thankfully, freight consolidation can solve this problem as well. Since all of your items will be on one truck, they will maintain the same shipping/tracking number throughout the distribution. That way, you can track them at any given hour to see where they are.
This will help you streamline communication with your freight company and your customers. Better tracking means your customers can check the shipping from the original confirmation emails that you sent them.
Customers will appreciate the transparency and attention to detail. Freight consolidation companies have all of the latest, most state-of-the-art technology to keep you updated on your shipping at all times.
4. Forwarding Capabilities
If your company has customers all over the globe, then you need to make sure you’re working with a trusted service. The logistics industry has certain regulations in place for both importing and exporting.
Hiring Sobel Freight Forwarder can help you ensure that everything goes as planned. For importing items, they’ll make sure all your cargo arrives when and where it needs to.
With exporting freight, they can help you get all the right bookings, documentation, and AES filings in place for a smoother experience. You’ll have more peace of mind when working with a forwarder.
5. Easy to Understand System
If your company’s shipping is too complicated, then it can seem overwhelming to try and monitor on your end. It shouldn’t be that way!
Freight consolidation makes it easier to understand where your products are at any given time. You will get the best freight rates and a breakdown of any quotes you’re given for your cargo space.
If your items need to be temporarily stored, the freight consolidation service can help you find an ideal storage space until the item is delivered in its final stages. No more confusion or misunderstandings on your end.
Invest in Freight Consolidation for Your Company’s Shipping Needs
Now that you have seen an in-depth guide on the benefits that your company can access with freight consolidation, be sure to use this information to your advantage.
Take the time to browse our website for more articles on types of freight, as well as many other topics that you will find helpful.
