Sometimes, business owners aren’t able to handle all the shipping operations without additional shipping services. Whether you are planning to move unusual freight, sensitive cargo, or need paperwork assistance, you can effectively resolve these issues with extra shipping services.
What are additional shipping services?
Depending on your shipment’s nature, additional shipping services come in various options of logistics assistance. Typically, retailers hire extra staff to sort out numerous order fulfillment processes. They include managing your stock and preparing orders, packing them according to the chosen packaging method, loading/unloading, etc. While most retail businesses can handle the above operations by their means, some situations require directing the responsibilities to the shipping company or the carrier.
Say you’re transporting furniture pieces that need reassembling after delivery. Or you want to ensure your heavyweight cargo will cover the distance with no disruptions. Or maybe the shipping destination is hard to reach? In all these cases, additional shipping services can streamline transportation.
When to use extra shipping services?
It’s vital to consider extra services you might need before launching the shipment. With preliminary planning, you’ll manage to reduce your logistics expenses while handling your freight correctly.
Physical assistance
Shippers frequently apply for extra services when moving atypical cargo like oversized units. Due to their sizes and weight, placing them correctly in a truck using a liftgate service is necessary. Vehicles equipped with liftgate systems allow you to load and unload your freight safely by lowering the truck’s bed to the ground. Thus, you can avoid the risk of cargo damage during handling activities.
When moving previously disassembled items, rely on your agreements with a receiver. Discuss the extra service with your carrier if the freight needs reassembling at the delivery. Most frequently, it concerns shipping furniture, and many buyers expect delivery services to compose their furnishings. Therefore, you get an opportunity to complete the order perfectly and grow customer satisfaction.
Another shipping concern relates to non-stackable items like fragile pieces. The carrier must be aware of the freight’s nature to locate them, preventing contact with heavier packages. It also applies to transporting hazardous products that require careful handling and increased shipping safety. Ensure your carrier follows the hazmat shipping requirements and doesn’t surround chemically active goods with potentially dangerous packages.
Geographical services
Sometimes, additional logistics services deal with shipping routes. If you’re moving high-value, bulky, or breakable items, consider the options of inside pick-up and delivery. These services provide high security and reliable damage protection. Also, shippers apply inside pick-up and delivery when logistics facilities lack docks to unload the cargo successfully. In both cases, the carrier representatives will deliver packages directly to the designated facility and ensure uninterrupted reception.
Shipping to limited access areas can be another reason for getting additional assistance. Aside from picking a suitable truck, you may need to generate specific paperwork to help the carrier pass security checks. Contact your transportation provider to find out if they can provide the required documents for limited access shipping.
Extra services for international shipping
Since international shipping entails many paperwork operations, you may want to partner with a customs broker. A professional customs broker takes care of all the customs clearance and manages the compliance of your freight with the international trade rules. Business owners often prefer to complete the paperwork by themselves, passing over the extended government regulations for international shipping.
Saving on leading the customs clearance often doesn’t make your supply chain cost-efficient. Even the most experienced shippers can miss out on the detailed limitations of overseas transportation. Consider hiring a customs broker to steer clear of the common errors and logistics inconveniences. Being educated on the international system of taxes and fees, brokers can help you organize a smooth shipment and avoid overpaying.
Tech solutions
Modern technology offers a wide range of extra shipping services to upgrade your supply chain. For example, you won’t have to worry about moving temperature-sensitive items with an electronic regulation system of reefer trucks. The driver can monitor the temperature fluctuations and tailor the degrees in a few clicks. Consequently, your produce, medicines, dairy products, or plants will remain fresh throughout the shipment.
Technological solutions are pretty helpful in warehousing practices. If you’re using storage space for your goods, consider connecting to the warehouse software to manage your stock remotely and fulfill the customer demand faster. It will speed up your logistics operations and increase your sales significantly. Besides, you can take advantage of the warehouse’s extra services instead of hiring outside labor.
Since reducing carbon footprint has been one of the primary goals of modern logistics, you may request emissions expertise as the additional shipping service. It lets you detect potential harmful effects of your shipping operations and offer ways to lessen them. Often, such expertise helps shorten the fuel surcharge and optimize your shipping routes.
Expert shipping providers like GoShip can help you meet all your transportation needs. We will analyze your shipment, suggest suitable extra services, and advise on excluding some of them to save your costs. On our digital platform, you’ll find many professional carriers ready to handle and ship your freight. Check out our website and get a free quote today!