When I was a kid, I had a paper route. I thought it was a great way to make money until the first day of my new job, a wintery January day in St. Thomas, in the middle of Southern Ontario’s snow belt.
The hows of delivering your successful star-studded product are not always one of the first things you consider.
Follow Messenger Freight Systems 9 ways to help you save money when transporting your freight and heavy goods.
1) Align yourself with a full-service Third-Party Logistics (3PL) freight service provider. There is a chance, due to lack of shipping experience, you may not fully understand procedures and shipping options. Your partial load can be combined with another load, saving you money, all courtesy of your hard-working 3PLer.2) Talk to real people about shipping quotes. You will likely see online shipping and freight calculators. But unfortunately, they cannot provide the most accurate quotes.
3) Look into all charges associated with shipments from overseas. Going back to point number one, you will find a 3PL freight company to help you save time and money for your product, whether it is coming across the ocean or the US border. For heavy freight, duties and carrying costs can be lessened using a 3PL company. Likewise, when you need to send your product to retailers, combining loads if necessary is an economic practice for everyone.
4) Consider your insurance options for the products you are receiving. I listened to an episode recently, ‘Four Years on a Cargo Ship’ on the podcast ‘The Journal’; a cargo ship carrying goods did not have their debts paid up to date, and authorities held the ship for four years near the mouth of the Suez Canal. Although it is an extreme story, it illustrates that some of us live in difficult times, and it is essential to protect ourselves. Insurance can save you money in the end. Even when your supplier’s insurance is intact, it will likely not cover a damaged shipment. If your goods arrive partially damaged, having third-party insurance makes filing a claim much more straightforward.
5) Focus on your freight shipment as early as possible. Each province has a specific load weight that commercial transport trucks must legally follow depending on their size, number of axles, tire size, type of steering axle, the available vehicle suspension, and the type of load carried. A formula is used to determine the allowable gross weight under Canada’s Highway Traffic Act.
So, with early inquiries, all parties can organize the movement of your freight most effectively, whether it means combining loads or sending your product at a more optimal time; it is an easy way to save you money.
6) Consider shipping your freight by rail. Messenger Freight Systems happens to have direct rail access at our shipping and receiving locations. Therefore, it is always a cost saving strategy to be able to enhance your shipping with different options.
7) Check the ready for pick-up status of your freight. This is, after all, your freight. Every part of freight shipping is about timing. Confirm the freight is ready for pick-up and that the freight shipper knows ahead of time that it must be picked up. Avoid unnecessary dry-run fees that might result when a shipment is not collected.
8) Use a Third-Party Logistics service provider that can consolidate your product needs. Investing in a warehousing option means efficient replenishment at your retailers. The freight shipper with warehousing abilities can reduce your logistical expense by keeping your product at the 3PL location; it is ready to send when required. In addition, maintaining your inventory, even packaging and branding or labeling your product, can assist the streamlining of your business and reduce costs. Read more about your warehousing options here.
9) Don’t be afraid to negotiate. Each company has its own set of services. Accordingly, the business that offers the services that are important to you is the right one. However, there are times when you may have to choose between two similar freight companies, so asking if they have competitive pricing is always worthwhile.