Moving products via freight is inexpensive and quick. It’s the standard transportation for the bulk of most business in the United States, and freight companies have sprung up all over the nation to take advantage of it. Weed out the masses with killer interview questions to form good business relationships.

The first question should be what kind of history the freight logistics service has with your type of product. Some companies might be more well suited for food freight, while others only have operations for non-fragile items. Freight services can be highly targeted, so it’s important that you can judge which company will be able to move your products the best.

Some things are mandatory: such as cargo insurance. The cargo insurance offered by the freight service shouldn’t be overpriced, and should be able to cover the majority of the costs of products if they are damaged. Full coverage insurance is nice for expensive products such as electronics. Ultimately, insurance is about breaking even or even making a profit from products even when they are in an accident.

Free consultation meetings will give you the pricing data needed to factor in what kind of quality you will get for a certain price. The ideal situation would be a moderately priced service that features great customer support, organization, and reporting. Some services are muddy in what they will share on rates. Ask for an accurate estimate if nothing else so you aren’t in the dark on hidden fees.

The economy is rough: not every freight company is going to be in a stable position to carry on for future years. It’s a sad truth that also means you should do a background report on the company you intend on partnering with. If they have been in business, and are posting a net gain in profit, odds are you are safe. One should never partner with a failing logistics business for fear of being left without a means of freight services.

Third party logistics companies can’t be everywhere at once. Odds are that part of the companies you intend to meet with for consultation do not know of your route. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if given the choice of having a company that is familiar with you area, it can be a deciding factor. Although not certain, a familiar route means experience, which means consistency and efficiency.

Final Thoughts

Always ask to see references before closing the meeting. Do follow up on them to make sure that the references check out. If none can be given, ask for a case study or proof of success with past clients of the freight logistics service.

Learn more on State of Missouri WBE Certification and Transport Capital Partners.