In this article, Jamie Mcteer of OSE European shares his expert advice on how to make sure your export goods stay safe during transit.
One of the most important things any exporter needs to consider is the safety of their goods during transit. If your products aren’t properly protected from the wear and tear that comes with international transit, it can spell catastrophe. Should a shipment get damaged, it can disrupt your entire operation, leaving your customers down the supply chain in a jam, and seriously hurting your bottom line.
To help you make sure your export goods are always protected in transit, I’ve put together these tips. Follow this guidance and every shipment of your products are sure to get from A to B as safely and securely as possible.
Package everything properly
First things first: make sure you take the time to package every item properly before you pack it up and ship it off. Take the time to do your research and find packaging materials that have been purpose-designed to protect the material you’re shipping. Make sure not to skimp here — cheap packing materials might save you money in the long time, but all it takes is one ruined shipment to lose all you’ve saved and your customers’ goodwill.
Enlist specialist help
Some items, such as fine art, hazardous materials, and food that needs to stay refrigerated, require a specialised delivery service to ensure they get to their destination safely and securely. When you’re choosing a courier, make sure they can fulfil any specialist requirements you have. Again, it’s crucial that you don’t skimp here — always invest in a service that will fully protect your items to ensure there will be no mishaps.
Set strict procedures
Once you’ve chosen the best packaging for your products and arranged any specialist courier requirements with a reliable logistics company, it’s important to make sure every delivery is the same by setting strict procedures to follow.
Sit down with your team and decide on the guidelines that need to be put in place to ensure every delivery goes through without a hitch. Record these as an official procedures document and share this throughout your company and with any other companies involved in your supply chain.
The document should detail your guidelines and show each part of your supply chain where they fit into the operation. It should list all handling guidelines for your products and serve as a cheat sheet for everyone involved in handling your products throughout the logistics process. Carriers have a responsibility to act responsibly when they are transporting another company’s goods, and by providing your with clear instructions of how to handle your products you can give them
Make sure you have the right insurance
No matter how careful you are when exporting your goods, you can’t guarantee their safety. Accidents happen, and if you’re not covered for the worst, it can spell disaster if it ever comes around.
Do your research and make sure you take out an insurance policy that covers you in case your goods are damaged during transit. Read the small print carefully and be sure you’re taking out a policy that meets your specific requirements.
So, there you have it: everything you need to keep in mind to ensure your export goods are protected during transit. Meet all these criteria and every delivery is sure to go as smoothly as possible.
