When it comes to the world of freight, most of the areas of the industry are relatively self-explanatory, but when it comes to the role of ‘freight forwarder’, there is far more confusion. This mysterious job is a real role within freight and to make things simple, we’ve decided to put together a straightforward guide to a day in the life of a freight forwarder, to give you a better insight into the role.
What Do We Mean By Freight Forwarder?
A freight forwarder is in charge of arranging any storage, shipping and movement of shipments for other businesses or clients. Here at Barrington Freight, we work closely with various shippers to ensure that our clients’ goods are transported quickly, efficiently and with great care all while offering a number of different services to cater. This includes next day delivery, road freight, sea freight, air freight, express freight, cheaper alternatives, LCLs and FCLs, Insurance, packing, a duty calculator and so much more.
With all this in mind, the day in the life of a freight forwarder can be a busy one, but what does it include?
What Does A Typical Day Look Like?
Here at Barrington Freight, we are proud to be a freight forwarder, but depending on the role within the company, the day can look very different. However, the general day within the company can include everything from calculating the weights, volume and cost of any of the goods set to be transferred, to verifying that the packaging and labelling for any shipments are correct and in order. Other daily tasks include:
- Liaising with clients about shipping options, timelines and any transfer information
- Ensuring that all clients are aware of the right regulations and that all shipments are compliant with these
- Preparing various documentation where necessary, including Contracts of Carriage, Bills of Lading, packing lists, dock receipts and more
- Putting together shipping information including status and tracking
This is by no means the entire extent of the day! In fact, it can include liaising with customs, checking over processes constantly throughout the day, calculating rates, providing quotes, dealing with questions, queries and any potential issues with shipments from clients and, of course, a whole lot of coffee or tea drinking to get us through the working day.
What Needs To Be Done On A Weekly Basis?
We don’t just work on a daily basis – we also have our weekly and monthly targets. This can include anything from the organisation of sensitive cargo shipments and ensuring that it all goes to plan from the moment it first moves, to the moment it reaches its final destination and, of course, the obtaining of any relevant insurance and permissions where required. These particular tasks can often take longer due to the approval processes and the need for ongoing communication between us, the client and the insurer or relevant government or regulatory bodies.
What Kind Of Hours Can You Expect?
If you’re looking to join a freight forwarder, or you simply want to know how long we’ll work for you and your shipment, you may be interested to know that we can work upwards of 40 hours depending on the workload. However, this is typically all scheduled, put into a well-organised routine and adapted and adjusted as necessary to ensure that we stay on track all year round.
While the day in the life of a freight forwarder isn’t too unlike any other logistics career, it does offer the ability to work on a number of different tasks to keep things interesting. From the calculation of duty, prices and more, to the organisation of shipments for what can sometimes be highly sensitive shipments, there’s always something new to face every single day.
If you’re looking for a trusted freight forwarder for your shipments, here at Barrington Freight, we are proud to offer a bespoke service. Simply fill in our online form for a quick quote, or get in touch for more information about a current shipment or for any questions not answered in our FAQ.
