How to Choose the Best Freight International Services for Your Tour
Dec 06,2017Tour managers have a lot riding on their shoulders. They have to make sure the equipment and personnel reach the right places at the right time and with this come warehousing, freight forwarding, and warehousing logistics. One of the most vital things for any global tour is freight international services, and it's up to touring management to hire the best international freight forwarding company capable of creating time and money saving solutions. Here are some tips to help tour managers find the best freight international service providers in the industry.
Freight Forwarding Via All Transportation Modes
Often time restraints and awkward cargo sizes dictate the type of transportation mode a tour needs. Budgets and time limitations also play a significant role. Look for a company that offers freight international services capable of providing air friend, ocean freight, trucking solutions, multimodal, courier and same day. If a music tour manager is responsible for overseeing the moving of massive staging equipment from New York to London, has a tight budget, but 3 months’ time to deliver the goods and get them stored near the stadium in London, hiring a company that can create the equipment for trans-Atlantic passage via an ocean liner to Glasgow, followed by trucking services to a warehouse in Wembley London, would be an ideal solution. Finding a single company that can manage all of this is easier said than done.
Packing and Crating for International Touring
The best freight international service providers don’t just pick up the gear and transport it to its destination, they offer full packing and crating services before the goods head off on their way. Some items require climate-controlled crating solutions, while other projects call for packing large, awkwardly-shaped items like vehicles, sensitive lighting equipment, and fragile musical instruments. Be sure your freight international services come with custom packing and crating by true experts who have seen and packed it all.
In-House Customs Brokerage
With international freight forwarding services comes a string of red tape around customs, and this is why it is vital to your efficiency to hire a company that offers in-house customs brokerage. With all the different wheels moving at once being able to enter and leave any country in the world in speedy time with no hassle is paramount to a successful tour. Look for a provider that streamlines the transportation of materials, customs clearance and onsite supervision.
In-House insurance Brokers
All too often insurance coverage has huge gaps in the world of insuring international freight. In order to experience freight international services in a flawless light, your best bet is to hire a company that can take logistics coordination to determine and arrange the best insurance plan to cover your tour. The best agents handle cargo shipments on a global scale while arranging the best policies capable of covering projects in all industries.
Demand Everything under the Same Roof
When you hire one company to pack good, another company to ship it, and yet another provider to draft the customs strategy and insurance plan, you are opening the doors for miscommunication, soaring cost, and time delays. When it comes to freight international services, work with an industry expert with a proven track record for providing all of these services into one cohesive customized plan.