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.

A freight business you want to partner with needs one thing in particular: experience with your product. Moving a product that requires consistent heavy lifting will be billed and handled differently than a truck full of bananas. The company you pick must have experience with your industry, and they get bonus points if they work with your particular product on a regular basis.

Almost everything in life has an option for insurance. Cars, homes, our health, and even new televisions can be bought with insurance. Freight insurance isn’t just another type: it’s a necessary option that the freight company you choose must offer. Losing a cargo load due to driver negligence can severely hurt a developing business. Insurance is the guarantee that even when disaster strikes, there is a way for the business to reclaim losses.

Don’t get too far in before asking for a rate sheet. A rate sheet should be able to describe the cost of using the freight service: both any hidden fees and obvious fees. The rate sheet doesn’t have to be completed. Some services deny access to one because not all variables are accounted for. If that’s the case, politely ask for a rate sheet that is as accurate as possible.

A new freight company can offer low prices to get business. The question is whether or not the low prices justify the possibility that the company will go under. If logistics companies that handle large businesses today were to suddenly go out of business, you can bet there would be a severe disruption in the flow of products and revenue. The same applies to smaller businesses; a business can’t stand when it has been divided.

A familiar route is one with few surprised. Find a company that knows the general route you need to get products from one location to another. This might conflict with your determination to get a cost effective solution. When faced with an expensive local service or a cheap distant service, it can be more beneficial to pay extra. You could be saving money with less accidents and confusion.

Closing Comments

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 CSA 2010 and factory production increases.

• questions to ask a logicistics company
• questions to ask logistic company