Shipping services allow you to deliver packages quickly and efficiently, as long as you choose the right shipping company to handle your shipments. Shipping companies specialize in making deliveries and transporting goods safely so that you can focus on growing your business rather than worrying about shipping services yourself. In today’s globalized business environment, shipping companies are central in moving items from factories to customer doorsteps. It is almost impossible for any business with a supply chain to run without engaging a shipping company.
What Does a Shipping Company Do?
Liner shipping services offer their customers a wide variety of transportation and logistics services to enable moving goods nationally and internationally. They use containers, trucks, and railroads to make transporting products easy, safe, and affordable.
When you need shipping services for your business or personal needs, they can help you with your shipping needs. Shipping companies also offer value-added services that make moving your goods efficient. These include:
- Customs brokerage
- Warehousing
- Distribution services
- Short-term package storage
- Freight insurance
- Order fulfillment
Who Needs a Shipping Company?
Any business that handles physical items needs to ship them from point A to point B. As such, shipping services are essential to all players in a supply chain:
1. Manufacturers– Manufacturers need shipping services to move their products from their factories to retailers and wholesalers.
2. Retailers – Retailers, in turn, use these services to get products into consumers’ hands.
3. Wholesalers – Wholesalers also rely on shipping companies to transport goods they purchase directly from manufacturers or other wholesalers.
4. eCommerce businesses– Even if you operate an online business, you still have to figure out how to ship your product(s) to customers. If you are selling a physical product, shipping will be an integral part of your business model.
What Are the Advantages of Using Shipping Companies?
There are several advantages of using shipping companies in moving goods along the supply chain:
1. Better Coordination of the Legs of the Journey
In most cases, goods do not get to their destination in one move but on different legs of a journey. The speed and coordination of delivering your goods is improved by having someone familiar with different legs, i.e., factory to port, port to port, port to warehouse, and warehouse to doorstep. Just tell the shipping services where you want it to go, when you want it there (to a reasonable degree), and let them take care of it.
2. Better Handling of International complexities
There are several complex logistics issues to be handled in an international shipment. The shipment from country A to country B can be much easier by using a shipping company than if you have to deal with different parties and customs documentation on your own.
They make it simple, easy, and straightforward. The different steps involved will be well taken care of by shipping companies. They know what is expected at each step during shipment.
3. Seamless Factory-to-Doorstep Delivery
Today, you can run an inventory-free business, where your orders go directly to the manufacturer, who uses a shipper to fulfill them. Ecommerce businesses are increasingly taking advantage of this model. When a customer places an order, this order reflects on the manufacturer’s order platform.
The manufacturer will then engage a shipping company to deliver the order. It is faster and more efficient. You avoid warehousing and storage charges, which reduces your operational expenses.
4. Efficient Warehousing and Storage
Large shipping companies provide warehousing and storage services as well. This means that you’ll have a place to store your items until they can be sent out, whether you’re shipping domestically or internationally. With warehouses worldwide, businesses can take advantage of specialist warehousing services and be comfortable that their goods will be kept safe and secure.
5. Serve Markets You Couldn’t Serve Before
Today, you have the global market as your audience, but getting your goods out there is not always easy. If you’re serious about growing your business, it might be time to start looking into shipping companies that can get your products to customers in other countries and remote markets that were previously inaccessible.
With international shipping companies, you’ll have access to a wider market. All you need is an internet connection and a product line that will appeal to people worldwide. Many transportation services operate on complicated logistics networks with a global reach.
Conclusion
Shipping services play a crucial role in keeping supply chains functional. They enable businesses today to operate on a global scale. Whatever the size of your business, you could use a shipping company to move your goods from point A to point B: from factory to warehouse, or factory direct to your customer’s doorstep. They take away the burden of handling complex logistics that an individual business may not have the capacity to do so. Partnering with a shipping company ensures sustained business growth.
