What to Look for in an International Shipping Company

Re-locating is a considerable amount of work. You may need to find another job, a new home, new schools, find your bearings, have all your belongings shipped and go through various bureaucratic formalities. On top of that, you also have to choose a shipping company which will take good care of your possessions and deliver them to you promptly and in the same condition as when they were entrusted to them. No wonder most people feel stressed just thinking about it!

As you probably know, shopping around is the best policy, but first you have to put together a shortlist of freight-forwarders.

While not mandatory, it is useful to select local companies if there are any. This way, you will be able to visit their offices and get a better sense of who they are. Resolving issues could also be easier this way.

Importing requirements differ greatly from country to country, so it is important to ascertain that the shipping companies you are considering have proven experience importing into your destination.

Customer testimonials are always nice but companies are unlikely to tell you about dissatisfied customers. However, you can still get a good indication of their reputation by finding out how long they have been operating, whether they have good relationships with port authorities and Customs, belong to their national trade association, and generally have as a healthy network of contacts in the shipping industry.

Once you have your quotes, make sure you understand clearly what is included and isn’t so that you can compare like for like and choose the best option for you. You shouldn’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you need to – how the company responds will also give you an invaluable insight into the quality of their customer service.

For further information on vehicle shipping, contact us, phone us on +64 9 303 0075, or get a free quote.

Click here to see our reference guide to making car shipping stress free with our tried and tested 1-2-3 step process.