In a volatile logistics market, scale alone isn’t enough. Small to medium freight forwarders with exceptional service are becoming the preferred choice for shippers seeking flexibility, transparency and true partnership.
The following letter from the desk of Angela Gambell, Director of Stockwells, dives into why businesses are choosing freight forwarders that deliver on service, not just scale.
The market for logistics is constantly changing. With these changes there has been a lot of industry consolidation. I assume there is much more to come. We know that scale is becoming more widely available. While there will always be the shippers that only look for cheap rates and scale, many businesses are realising they need more than that.
Since the pandemic, importers and exporters have become much more selective when it comes to freight forwarders. They have learned that choosing a forwarder based on scale alone is not the best option.
The current volatility in the market has shone a light on small to medium forwarders like never before. We can differentiate ourselves from our larger competitors based on our flexibility, adaptability and agility. We care more about our clients’ business and often become true partners with them, something that businesses today value greatly.
Additionally, we can provide solutions to complex freight issues quickly. We also have multiple freight contracts both through shipping lines and origin agent networks, allowing for a wider range of schedule options, not just one route, one shipping line. In a crisis, this allows us to provide solutions through partnered relationships.
We all know that large forwarders offer scale but in today’s volatile landscape our clients are requiring quicker responsiveness, direct accessibility to staff and transparency, especially during disruptions.
It is great that importers and exporters are becoming more aware of the tradeoff between scale and transparency. As the volatility of supply chains increase so will the need for forwarders that offer a ‘service’, not just ‘scale’.
Angela Gambell
Director
Stockwells
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