Are you eager to scale your freight internationally? That’s great! However, the question of whether you are ready to scale your freight internationally is the right one to ask yourself.
Scaling your freight internationally is a large step into potential growth, different regulations, and a whole new way of shipping your freight. While you may have thought shipping your freight nationally was a significant undertaking, just wait until you face international routes. Suddenly, you are facing new rules and challenges that change from country to country.
It can be easy to lose control. Fortunately, losing control is not required in order to scale your freight internationally. You can scale your freight internationally without losing control. Here is how.
Test and Choose Your Major Markets Strategically
Saying internationally is a very broad choice. Where internationally? Which countries? These are questions you must ask yourself so you can better control and understand your next steps.
Each country is going to have its own demand, culture, language, trade friction, and political outlook, all changing how you might strategize your own freight integration. The right market choice depends on your business goals and other factors such as demand, trade risk, and local customs rules. You might want to create strategies that prioritize countries with similar views, languages, and trading criteria as the U.S so you do not have to learn all new systems. However, if you are finding that countries outside of familiar markets are going to do better for you, it could be time to adapt a new language, understand new trade conditions, and learn new regulations.
Whatever you might choose, the goal is to choose countries based on the best origin-to-destination fit for your freight needs. Shipping internationally does not mean you must have every country under wraps. It means choosing the ones that suit you best.
Have Your International Documentation and Customs Rules At The Ready
You need the right customs information and documentation to import or export freight internationally. Suddenly, you are face-to-face with customs regulations that you have not seen before. One of the most significant downfalls of scaling internationally is not having international documentation ready and correct. Yes, ready and correct are two different things.
You could have international documentation ready, meaning you have every piece you need and it’s filled out to an extent. However, there is a possibility that those documents are not correct. You are going to need international documentation, and often customs brokerage or broker support, to handle the paperwork and customs clearance. When they are not correct, that is where delays, shipping issues, duties, taxes, and added costs come in.
So, you want to make sure, before anything else, that your customs documentation is correct, no matter the country you are shipping within. Remember, different countries are going to have different customs regulations, and customs authorities may classify goods and products differently, including restricted items, which can affect what a shipper must pay in duties or taxes based on a shipment’s origin. Some services include customs clearance, but you should still confirm what is included for each package.
Utilize Digital Tools Whenever You Can
Staying in control of your international freight means utilizing the tools and resources you have around you. Once you start scaling internationally, working off of pen and paper scheduling becomes a tad more difficult, and it might mean tapping into digital software you can use to enter shipment information, find service options, track freight from end to end, fill in paperwork, communicate with your carriers and freight broker, and ensure compliance through every step.
Often, these digital tools can be free or even referred to you by your freight broker to ensure you are utilizing the right ones for your situation, and that you are set up to succeed. They can also help with scheduling a pickup or same-day pickup where available. For example, at National Equipment Transportation, we have our NET Quote app, providing you with a simple one-stop shop and a single point of contact for your shipper and carrier needs, with built-in tracking, communication, and quote distribution. Digital tools also help customers explore rate estimates and customs information before
Partner With The Right Freight Broker
If you are looking to scale your freight internationally, your best bet is to work with an experienced industry partner that offers comprehensive services and support to keep you on the right track. If you are a shipper or a carrier, finding a freight broker to connect with can provide you with the resources and support necessary in order to scale into international markets.
A freight broker can help create a seamless freight strategy with door-to-door coordination, transport planning, and a single point of contact that takes into account all the needs of the countries you are planning to ship to. Some brokers also coordinate customs clearance and customer returns support as part of their services. Partnering with the right freight broker can help protect your business as you scale your freight internationally.
Be Connected With The Right Carriers
A significant benefit of partnering with a freight broker is their connection to amazing carriers, carriers from all around the world. When you plan to scale your freight internationally, one of the biggest hurdles you will face is finding the right carriers who understand the needs of your shipment, know what the regulations are of the countries involved, and can handle it all alongside possible unpredictable issues that could arise.
A freight broker can help you connect with those carriers without issue. For example, at Nationwide Equipment Transportation, we have a vetted list of carriers over 1,000 names long, all considered carefully, and all in their own areas of expertise, such as high-value shipments or country knowledge. We are able to see what you need and connect you with carriers who will not disappoint.
Reassess Freight Strategies Regularly
We advocate for freight strategies to be reassessed on a regular basis based on changing costs, fuel conditions, service performance, and regulations, even when you are just shipping nationally. Things change, regulations adjust, markets adjust, and freight strategies that worked last quarter may not work this quarter. This is amplified by the fact that you are now shipping internationally. You are no longer just looking at our country’s regulations, trade markets, and pricing, but you are also looking across various other countries’ changing ways.
As a freight partner, we would help to ensure your strategy is not old news, but it is important not to set a freight strategy in motion and then leave it alone for the unforeseeable future. Your needs might change as your import and export mix, products, and transport requirements shift over time. The shipment itself might change. The world might change.
Don’t Lose Track of International News and Changes
In that same thought process, not only will your strategy change per shipment, but the world is going to change no matter what. No matter the countries you are shipping to, there will be trade friction changes, regulation shifts, and political issues. This means that your freight is going to be affected by customs authorities, border security changes, and new rules in countries such as Canada or Australia.
If you want to stay in control of your freight as you scale internationally, you can not lose track of the news and changes happening in the world around you. You are no longer just looking to the U.S. when it comes to your shipments. You are looking at multiple other countries. Staying informed helps you protect shipments, people, and the flow of goods across borders, while making proactive choices.
There are ways to scale your freight internationally and still stay in control. It simply takes careful consideration, a trusted freight broker partnership, and a proactive approach to international news and freight strategy creation. If you have further questions or wish to create a strong international freight strategy, contact the team at Nationwide Equipment Transportation.