Some shippers are hugely professional and sophisticated in their understanding of the world of international transport, but many others, sadly, are too reliant on their logistics suppliers. They hand over this vital part of their business to a third party without really knowing what they are buying. This is bad for them, and often bad for the logistics provider,” says Traill. “The role of the person who buys or organises the transport of goods around the world - the shipper - is greatly undervalued in most companies,” he continues. “Yet the on-time delivery of a product is often the most important aspect in the customer’s mind. An efficient supply chain can help to win contracts - and an inefficient one can just as quickly lose them.” Traill reminds shippers that, ultimately, it is them, the person paying the bill, who is responsible for meeting the legal requirements of, for instance, ensuring Customs paperwork and the duty paid is completely correct. “Just because you pay someone els to do the work, does not mean you can forget about it.” “Our message to shippers is to make sure you understand the processes and take more control. Greater knowledge gives you the confidence to challenge the logistics provider and carriers to work to your needs - not force you to fit into their systems. It also helps you to work with your own colleagues to cut costs in all sorts of ways.” Shippers’ Voice is a free service that has been set up to help shippers become more informed so they can become better partners with their logistics providers and work more closely together to drive costs out of the supply chain. www.shippersvoice.com

Source: De Lloyd, Wednesday 29th April 2009