Reduce Shipping Stress With These Five Tips
If you ship or receive freight shipments, you know that mistakes can happen and obstacles arise. While some of these issues are unavoidable, others could’ve been prevented. No matter how these mistakes happen, however, they can cause headaches for everyone involved.
We understand: freight shipping can be challenging for those unfamiliar with it or starting their first shipments. There’s so much to remember and prepare for before the truck arrives to load or unload your delivery. It can be hard to navigate by yourself.
But luckily, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled five ways consignors and consignees can alleviate shipping stress. Less stress, less mess! Now for the 5 stress-relieving tips!
1. Consignors: Photograph Your Freight
Before packaging your shipment, take photos of the cargo itself to document its appearance before it is packaged and shipped. Then, after you’ve packaged your freight, take photos of every piece of the shipment and send all of the photos to the consignee.
This provides you and the person receiving the shipment with proof of what the cargo and packaging looked like before shipping. You and the consignee can use the photos to compare the condition of the cargo before it was picked up with its condition upon arrival. This is especially important in the event that any issues or damages occur during transit.
2. Consignors: Label Your Shipments
Before labeling your shipment, ensure that it is adequately packaged. For a more comprehensive look at freight packaging, visit our Guide to Freight Packaging, which explains different types of packaging and some more packaging best practices.
Put at least two shipping labels on each handling unit. What’s a handling unit? Here are two examples:
– Six boxes on one pallet are considered one handling unit.
– Four boxes on one pallet plus one palletized crate equals two handling units.
Every piece of your shipment that the driver will handle is a handling unit. Ensure the labels include your name, the consignee’s name, and any registration numbers that will make your package stand out from all the other freight being shipped by that carrier. This is where proofreading your labels and making sure everything is legible comes in.
If you have any hazardous or fragile shipments, be sure that you add the proper labels to alert the carrier. For example, lithium batteries and radioactive materials require a hazmat label that is clearly visible from all angles in the trailer and during both unloading and loading. These labels may be unavailable from the carrier, meaning you have to acquire them yourself. Also, if there are special regulations regarding labelling, double-check that you are correctly following them.
Also, help your labels withstand the elements! If your shipment is traveling through snowy or wet conditions, be sure to laminate your labels to prevent damage in transit. If you’re not sure if your freight is traveling through wet or snowy conditions, err on the side of caution and laminate your labels. You only need one little sprinkle to make labels impossible to read or scan.
3. Consignees: Inspect Cargo Thoroughly at Delivery
Inspect the cargo thoroughly before signing the Proof of Delivery (POD) document. Record on the POD any dents, scratches, and marks on the cargo, including the pallet, wrapping, and crating. A problem with the outside packaging can be a tell-tale sign of a problem on the inside.
Use the photos sent by the consignor to ensure that the packages look as good on delivery as they did before they were picked up. Also, count the pieces to ensure that they all arrived.
Proving that freight was damaged or lost in transit is much more difficult if the POD is signed and you haven’t noted the issues on it. While the driver will not be able to wait for you to open the packages so you can inspect for concealed damage, noting any damage to the packaging on the POD will increase the likelihood that the carrier will accept liability for any concealed damage later on.
4. Consignees: Be Ready to Take Delivery
Ensure that you or an authorized representative is present on site to receive the delivery. This ensures the driver gets their copy of the BOL and allows you to verify the correct carrier is picking up your freight. If you are unable to load your shipment onto the trailer yourself through a loading dock or your equipment, make sure you have added lift gate services to your booking beforehand. Please note that the driver will not load your shipment for you; if they need to, they will add additional charges to your final bill.
If there are specific hours of the day when no one will be available, please inform the consignor before the cargo is picked up, so they can note those hours in the shipping paperwork. As we mentioned earlier, communication is crucial for effective freight shipping.
5. Everyone: Prevent Unnecessary Billing Adjustments
One of the primary causes of billing adjustments is that shippers fail to report the accessorial services they require for their shipments from the outset. Shippers need to ask themselves important questions when setting up a freight shipment:
1. What kind of location is the delivery address? Is it a business with a loading dock with personnel to receive a shipment during regular business hours? A residence or home-based business? A limited access location, such as a school, military base, or construction site? The consignor and consignee must communicate this before the cargo is shipped.
2. Will a lift gate be necessary? In most cases where there is no loading dock, the delivery vehicle will require a lift gate to lower the freight from the truck to the curb. Once again, transparent communication between the consignor and consignee must happen. This information is needed to get the most accurate freight quote.
3. Are any special handling services required? All services the driver performs outside the basic curbside pickup and delivery services are charged. Inside delivery and Final-Mile services need to be determined beforehand if they will be required.
Don’t forget: the most essential thing for consignors and consignees to do is communicate with one another. Consignors should inform consignees of any mishaps, delays, or issues with their shipment. In return, consignees should alert their consignors of any damages or losses to kickstart the claims process, and so the consignor (and their carrier) can investigate what happened on their end. Communication is key to preventing billing adjustments and additional shipping costs for the consignor.
Reduce Shipping Stress by Partnering with FreightCenter
As a consignor, you have unique products you need to ship. As a consignee, you are excited to use those unique products you purchased from the consignor. Here at FreightCenter, we work hard to reduce shipping stress for both sides. We want to ensure a seamless shipping process for all parties involved.
Regarding coordinating shipments between consignor and consignee, nobody does it better than FreightCenter. Our expert shipping agents help both parties step by step to make shipping freight easier and stress-free. Whether you’re shipping domestically or internationally, we’re here to help!
Get started with hassle-free shipping by requesting a free online quote or calling (800) 716-7608 to speak with our freight agents.
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