Business owners want to work with freight and shipping companies that exude excellence. Providing transparent communication and ensuring that your items arrive at their destination in pristine condition is important, as is having great customer service. Going above and beyond for your partners will help your business grow.
However, when you make frequent mistakes, you can leave a bad impression. To prevent negative reviews, you should know these three common mistakes freight handlers should avoid.
Providing an Inaccurate Measurement
The shipment’s size and weight determine the transportation service’s overall price. If you provide the partner with an inaccurate measurement, you’ll have to reclassify and reweigh the entire shipment. This could delay your shipment and lead to damaged or mishandled items. To prevent this from happening, you should use a calculator and get a second opinion before officially submitting the measurements.
Miscalculating Transit Times
While making room for human error is important, try your best to plan efficiently. A common freight handling mistake you should avoid is providing the wrong transit times. Miscalculating transit times can cause delays, customer dissatisfaction, and confusion. When calculating the transportation, you should consider the following:
- Weather
- Distance
- Average truck speed
- Labor requirements
- Port stops
- Space availability
- Product weight and size
Not Following Safety Regulations
Most incidents and accidents happen when the warehouse space isn’t in its best condition and the team doesn’t follow guidelines. You can prevent accidents by ensuring your team follows safety regulations when handling materials. This includes educating truckers on safely loading and unloading cargo. You never know what these shipments may contain. Unsafe practices could increase the risk of chemical exposure, falling, tripping, and injury. Make sure that your team feels their best when performing tasks. The proper safety gear, including hard hats, gloves, and protective boots, can help prevent worker injuries.
