The freight forwarding process is more complicated than it might appear at first sight. It takes lots of time and energy. Both shippers and forwarders are under constant stress and in search of new options and smart decisions. Everyone who has ever dealt with freight forwarding knows for sure that it’s necessary not only to transport some boxes from place A to place B. Warehousing is one of the most essential elements of successful order fulfillment and stable functioning of the supply chain.
If you try to google for “warehouses near me”, you’ll definitely be surprised with a number of available variants. It’s enormous! Yet, as soon as you start getting familiar with each of the presented options, you may be disappointed or even depressed. Not all warehouses are able to meet the needs and budget of your business.
If you want to optimize your freight forwarding process, it’s of prime importance to select only the best warehousing solutions. Many business owners ignore some popular options just because they do not understand how they can benefit from them. Do not make the same mistakes, get the most from proper warehousing.! You are to consider the following options:
- The use of versatile equipment.
It may take lots of time if all the boxes will be loaded manually. You may be surprised to get to know that there are still such warehouses. They possess only workers. Yet, it’s better to prefer variants with forklifts, pallet jacks, etc. Versatile tools and equipment can speed up shipping. Thus, you save time and can fulfill more orders.
- The right design of the storage place.
What is a common image of a standard warehouse? It’s just a square building. Yet, it’s better to prefer U, L, or I-shaped spaces. They are more convenient while they are designed to zone the storage space. There is no mess in such buildings. All the processes are performed separately.
- The implementation of a reliable warehouse management system.
It’s quite difficult to find a storage unit that doesn’t use a management system. Yet, you are to consider the type and quality of such a system.
- Packing and labeling of the goods.
If something goes wrong with the packing of your goods, you are to check everything in warehouses. Moreover, it’s a good idea to label the goods especially when it comes to LTL freight.
- Tracking.
It’s necessary to control the movements of your goods not only when they are on the move. If you track boxes when they are stored, you are to minimize the possibility of lost, stolen, or confused orders.
It’s only a few of the possible options the use of which you can’t but appreciate. The industry is developing so fast. It’s a good idea to explore innovative technologies to make the freight forwarding process as fast and cost-effective as possible. By the way, the very distribution centers are gaining their popularity among shippers thanks to a wide spectrum of feasible services.
To conclude, it’s worth highlighting that you should pay attention to the right choice of warehousing solutions as well as benefit from additional services. Otherwise, freight forwarding optimization is out of the question. Moreover, you are likely to experience significant financial expenses.