As your big move approaches and you survey your prized possessions, you may ask yourself, "How am I going to get all of my furniture and things from Point A to Point B?" Well, finding a moving company doesn't have to be a stressful ordeal. In fact, there are moving options for every scenario.

Are you moving cross-country or across town? Do you have a big family or are you flying solo? All of these things factor into the type of moving help that is right for your relocation. So, before you freak out over your piles of moving boxes and overstuffed couches, take a minute to see what kind of help you might need for your big moving day.

1) Moving Help Companies

There are some who were born with the Tetris gene, a superhuman ability that allows them to efficiently pack lots of things into confined spaces. Unfortunately, not everyone has the Tetris gene, which makes the existence of moving help companies all the more important. If packing is not your forte or you simply don't have the time to corral your belongings, there are moving help companies that specialize in packing up your possessions and shipping them on out. You can find moving help companies online and can often get a quote by filling out a questionnaire.

2) Professional Movers

For longer moves, especially moves involving the entire family, a full-fledged team of professional movers might be the right choice for you. While it is one of the more expensive moving options, professional movers often employ a team of moving professionals to assist in the packing and unpacking process, which can be an ideal when moving an entire household.

3) Truck Rental Companies

If you are moving across town or one city over, you might consider tapping a truck rental company to assist with your move. For smaller moves, renting a truck for a day or two can be a much more practical and economical solution than hiring professional movers. And if you need a couple extra hands when your buddies won't help you push your baby grand piano up three flights of stairs? Just go the budget route by hiring a couple hourly laborers.

4) Shipping Containers

For a more versatile shipping option, you might consider going the pod or shipping container route for your move. Moving pods offer a flexible means for moving your belongings, especially in situations where you might have to put things in storage or delay your move for a period of time. The moving pods are dropped off at your door and you are tasked with packing your belongings. When you are finished, the moving company will retrieve the pod and either ship it to its location or store it until you are ready to proceed with your move.

Wherever your next move takes you, it's best to evaluate all of your options to find the moving solution that suits your needs. Don't be afraid to get quotes from multiple moving companies and explore all of your options before making a solution. Happy moving!

Source : http://www.moving.com/articles/hire-moving-help.asp

Freight forwarding is the coordination and shipment of goods from one place to another via a single or multiple carriers via air, marine, rail or highway.

The Principles of Freight Forwarding

The principles of freight forwarding are premised on the efficient and cost-effective transfer of goods that are maintained in good condition throughout their travels. To accomplish this, freight forwarders become experts in managing the logistics necessary to ensure that goods arrive on time. Successful trade and shipping in expanding globalized markets means having the right tools at your disposal.

Negotiating tariffs, customs regulations and being fluent in the requirements of shipping by land, sea, rail, and air, freight forwarders manage the risks and benefits of shipping both nationally and internationally using the latest advances in information technology.

Successfully Navigating the World of Freight Forwarding

Having the knowledge and skills to navigate the regulations of freight forwarding is integral to ensuring the successful shipment and delivery of goods. Even as the knowledge of customs regulations is an important component, the successful transfer of goods through freight forwarding relies on its service industry. As such, freight forwarding depends on having the right people whose commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction ensures that goods reach their final destination in a timely and efficient manner.

Many customs brokerage firms recognize this and ensure that their most qualified personnel are available to tailor and develop a comfortable shipping experience for their clients. Negotiating the logistics and regulations of freight forwarding is a complex task; the proper import and export of goods depends on choosing a customs brokerage firm and a freight forwarder you can trust.

Source : http://www.farrow.com/article-what-is-freight-forwarding

New Year’s Day is right around the corner—and if you haven’t already, it’s time to start thinking about what changes you’re going to make to improve your business in 2015.

As you evaluate what’s worked and what hasn’t, don’t forget to consider how partnerships with your customs broker and freight forwarder have added value to your company in the last year. If you’re not sure if you’re in a mutually beneficial relationship or if you should look elsewhere, ask yourself these six questions:

1. Do I have a specialized product line or type of import?

If the answer is yes, you may wish to find a broker who either specializes or has a great deal of expertise in clearing your type of products. For example, textiles, apparel and alcoholic beverages have numerous laws and regulations that apply to their importation. Not every broker is experienced in handling these products, and choosing the wrong broker could cause you trouble.

2. How many ports will I be using for imports?

If you are importing through several ports, you should hire a broker with their own offices in those ports. Your local one-office broker may give you great service in their home port, but they will have to use sub-agents in other ports and thus will lose a great deal of control. By the same token, if you are only importing through one port, the smaller, one-port broker may be perfect for you since they can often give you much more personalized, hands-on service.

3. Is automation easy with this partner?

Any freight forwarder or broker—regardless of size—must be fully automated with full connectivity to the tools necessary to partner with your company.

• For freight forwarders, make sure you are requesting and receiving a copy of what was filed in AES on your behalf and that you are auditing the information. If it was not done properly, get it corrected as soon as the error has been identified.
• For brokers, that means access not only to U.S. Customs, but also to various web portals and cargo tracking sites. Your broker should be able to communicate easily with you via telephone, e-mail, and fax.

4. What is the broker or freight forwarder’s general reputation?

Don’t automatically believe what the brokers or freight forwarders’ marketing materials say about their capabilities and reputation. Your best source of information is from their own customers. Ask for references. You can also get a relatively non-biased opinion from local ocean and air carriers.

5. Do I need a dedicated account representative?

If your volume of imports is large enough, you should have a key operational contact at your broker or forwarder who will coordinate all aspects of your account. In the least, you should have personal contact with someone who can help you answer your questions and who knows the basics about your company.

6. Do we have a written working agreement?

We recommend having a written agreement to make sure you, your freight forwarder, and your broker are on the same page about every aspect of your partnership. The agreement should include the scope of work that you want the broker to perform, the fee structure for each service performed, and operational procedures and contacts. This document should be available to all of your personnel who work directly with the broker or freight forwarder. You should periodically review the agreement with your broker or freight forwarder and make adjustments to reflect any changes in your business situation.

7. Are there warning signs?

If you’ve just chosen a new customs broker or freight forwarder or have recently changed, you will probably experience a shakedown period. You should expect some delays and plan for adjustments. However, if the adjustment period lasts longer than a month, you should reevaluate your situation. If you have any problems, call a meeting after two weeks to try to nip them in the bud. While mistakes happen, unresponsiveness, rude behavior, and improper activity shouldn’t be tolerated.

It is vitally important that you select a customs broker who can handle your customs business efficiently and accurately, because a good broker is an invaluable partner. By working closely with the broker on classification and valuation issues, you can minimize entry errors and enhance compliance. The wrong partner, however, can cost you with delayed clearances, errors on entries, and even fines.

Source : http://www.shippingsolutions.com/blog/how-to-choose-the-right-customs-broker-and-freight-forwarder

For many companies, logistics is key. Whether a business is looking to forge success in retail, e-commerce, manufacturing or technology, the ability to turn around orders on time is essential.

Business owners rely on their logistics partners to ensure that goods are dispatched and component parts supplied to relevant sites for packaging and assembly.

SMEs must be sure to work with a company that is able to meet their needs. Specifically, logistics companies should be equipped to grow with their clients.

While a company’s delivery needs may only be local to begin with, successful firms may look to expand nationwide or overseas, as well as significantly increase delivery volumes. In order to find the right logistics partner, businesses need to find a logistics partner that can grow with the business.

Supplier Agility

Forecasting delivery volumes and anticipating external variables such as the weather and road conditions can often be a challenge. It is vital that a firm’s selected logistics provider is able to adapt to these circumstances, both to maintain service levels and allow the business to fully exploit the sales opportunities available during peak periods.

First of all, suppliers should be asked to provide an account of how they will meet extra demand during peak periods as well as services at regular times. Top tier logistics providers will have access to road traffic information through which they are able to communicate with and divert drivers via a control centre to avoid potential problems. Systems such as these are vital if next day delivery agreements are to be upheld.

A personal service

Small businesses need assurance that their goods are in safe hands. Personal relationships with delivery drivers and account managers are the key to a successful partnership.

The operatives that deliver a firm’s product to the end user or client may naturally be perceived as an extension of the company itself. Therefore, it is vital that service standards remain high, as SMEs must demonstrate superior customer care in order to gain market share from competitors.

Security

HGV drivers often transport extremely valuable cargo, so potential logistics providers must be prepared to implement the required safety measures to keep their staff and the firm’s assets protected from theft or harm.

Diligent logistics firms will brief drivers on the correct security protocols and discourage full trailers stopping in isolated areas. For firms looking to arrange the transportation of particularly high worth goods, GPRS tracking systems can be installed on shipments to provide added confidence.

Environmental Impact

Businesses that are committed to reducing their carbon footprint should also evaluate the environmental impact of suppliers. Firms should partner with a logistics company that provides training to staff in emission reduction through speed and acceleration management as well as efficient gear-shift techniques.

The business should also work with suppliers to devise novel packaging solutions to increase the load capacity of each vehicle.

Ideally, businesses should also look for a provider that is Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) accredited. This will provide peace of mind that the company’s fleet meets standards based on lawfulness, safety, efficiency and environmental protection.

Delivery

SMEs are often resource-light and it is, therefore, essential that firms can trust their logistics provider to deliver products to customers efficiently and on time. By removing some of the administrative burden involved in the delivery process, a valued supplier should allow companies greater resource to devote to other key business tasks.

This capability is instrumental in facilitating the ability for SMEs to grow and win new contracts. Essentially, the work that a logistics provider carries out should take place in the background, with the needs of SME customers being met and to agreed standards.

Selecting the correct logistics partner is an important decision for businesses. In order to agree upon a favourable contract and engage with the most suitable supplier, firms must be prepared to closely analyse their business needs and evaluate the ability of potential partners to fulfil these requirements. Only when these aspects have been addressed can a judgement be made.

Daniel Vines is Sales Director at logistics specialist TNT

Source : http://www.growthbusiness.co.uk/growing-a-business/business-planning-and-expansion/2492616/how-to-select-a-logistics-partner-that-can-truly-deliver.thtml