Q&A’S ON EFFECTIVE FREIGHT MANAGEMENT
Throughout my career in Trade shows and events management, I have gathered a lot of experiences. These experiences have thought me the hard way. Even when I was serving as an apprentice, I wasn’t given proper tutelage on freight management. But as I was serving and went to many trade shows, I gathered this knowledge about freight management. It is very important to ask yourself these questions and make sure you have the answers before going to a trade show. So, we’ll talk about 5 vital Q’s and A’s before exhibiting.
1. What is in my shipment?
It is very advisable in freight management for you to provide the transport carrier you are using all the vital information concerning your shipment, this information helps him to plan and create appropriate spaces to suit your demands. For example, if you are carrying crates, the carrier should be told whether to carry the crates stacked or standing alone. Then if there are items that have rollers, the carrier should be told to ensure that the rollers are locked.
2. When is my Freight Pick up time?
The pick-up time and delivery time should be clearly spelled out in the budgetary quote of the carrier. The time should take into consideration the distance that is going to be traveled. When this is done, you will surely not run into making any emergency arrangements, which will definitely have an adverse effect on your wallet. This error, just so you know will not speak well about your freight management capability
3. What is the full name of the trade show or event venue?
This is very important especially when the event is happening in a big city, I have witnessed situations where the venue was not made clear and specific to the carrier, the carrier ended up delivering the shipment to another venue that was also organizing a similar event. To that effect, the exhibitors either did not attend the trade show or sometimes ended up late to the event and this is a grievous freight management error.
4. What is the value of your shipment?
In freight management, it is wrong as an exhibiting manager to assume that the carrier will be held responsible if the freight is lost or damaged, in most cases if such a mishap occurs, the carrier pays little or nothing depending on their policy. So the safest thing to do is to work with an insurance provider so that you will purchase the insurance package meant for your freight.
5. What kind of trip did you pay for?
Effective freight management should provide a round trip shipment plan with their carrier. It is ridiculous to see exhibitors booking for one-way trip plans with their carriers. Booking a round trip will make your freight get back home faster, safer and in the most cost-effective way.
In the final analysis, being prepared for the task reduces the probability of error significantly, helping you execute your plans more efficiently effectively with less stress. Customers are happy, your boss is happy and of course…YOU are happy!
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