Both small and huge companies have to transport their products using various shipping companies. Not all enterprises can afford their own fleet unit. When cooperating with carriers, you should be ready to meet some risks. The main of them include delays, damages, and losses. If you do not want to lose your money and clients, you should know how to respond to such situations. The following information will be rather helpful for those whose goods are lost while shipping.
The first aspect to clarify is the reasons for losses. You may be surprised to get to know that you won’t receive your items not only because it is accidentally delivered to another person. The most common reasons why cargoes are lost are the following:
- Improper warehousing solutions.
If you need to store your parcels during transportation or there should be stops in various distribution hubs, it’s necessary to pay attention to the quality of such services. It’s better to select firms that apply innovative technologies and have clear inventory management. Nowadays it’s easier and more convenient to use the software. It allows storing and controlling the flow of items more effective than you can do it manually;
- Incorrect data.
You may be surprised to get to know that many parcels are lost through the fault of shippers themselves. They are able to prove forwarders with wrong addresses in a hurry. Sometimes they confuse zip codes. No wonder, carriers deliver such items to the wrong location;
- Collisions.
When a car accident happens, containers with cargoes may be damaged. It’s not always possible to control the situation. The drivers can’t track where this or that box falls.
No matter what the reasons for losses are, you need to know an algorithm of your actions in case of such situations. It helps you to find your products as soon as possible or to get reimbursement.
The first step to take is to contact your freight forwarder. You are to clarify the reasons for the loss. If there is a little misunderstanding, it may be fixed in no time. The next step is leaving a written claim. You are to describe all the items included in the parcel. It’s important to keep in mind the terms of response. The freight forwarders are to answer your claim within a 30-day period. You need to provide the whole list of documents to prove your claim. Papers may include the bill of lading, freight bill, packing slip, and some others.
No matter whether you are a small company or a large corporation, you have to think about cargo insurance. It protects you from financial losses and unexpected spending.
There are several tips you should take into account. They help you to avoid freight losses and financial problems. When using freight trucking companies, you have to prefer firms with a good reputation and perfect rates. An effective tracking app is a must. Moreover, it’s necessary to check all the information you send to carriers several times.
So, choosing reliable and competent freight forwarders is a key element of successful, effective, and safe shipping. Moreover, it’s a good idea to use tracking applications.