Your export success hinges on many different factors, according to Small Business BC — product, market research, and payment security to name a few — but there is one key ingredient that will make or break you if you’re unable to secure it. That ingredient is shipping. You must have reliable shipping partners in order to take your business into uncharted markets. But how do you know if you can rely on a shipper when you’ve never delved in to a certain market before? Here are some qualities to watch out for.
1. Longevity
With the Internet breaking down borders and allowing more businesses to enjoy the world for the global marketplace that it now is, there are many options. Unfortunately, far less have proven their ability to deliver over time. How long a shipper has been serving a market is of the utmost importance because it shows a commitment to clients, reliability in delivery, and the infrastructure to get packages delivered quickly.
2. Infrastructure
Scalability is another important quality to watch for in your shipping partner, and that only comes through the proper infrastructure. SkyPostal, which has served the Latin American market for close to two decades, has amassed a stable foundation by building enough infrastructure to get packages delivered quickly and reliably.
3. Quickness
Infrastructure certainly helps with quickness, but how it does so is equally as important as the knowledge that it does. Why? Because, in SkyPostal’s case, trouble points are attacked at the source. The shipper has the manpower and the resources on hand to deal with shipping bottlenecks on both sides of the transaction, so holdups are diagnosed and dealt with immediately. The company has also worked long enough in the Latin American market to forecast real shipping costs to any business owner or individual interested in exporting product into the country.
4. Connectivity
If you find a new market to be uncertain, then you may be concerned that your efforts and/or products are failing to find their audience. Many shippers throw you both ends of the life rope on this and make you figure things out for yourself. SkyPostal, as far as the Latin American market is concerned, goes one step beyond the competition with direct mail. The company specializes not only in fast and secure international shipping, but also in helping businesses touch base with real customers through dependable list building and seeding techniques.
5. Secure Tracking
Last but not least, a quality shipper won’t force you to take their word for it. They will give you the ability to track your shipments from departure to delivery and all points in between. That’s an area SkyPostal has specialized in since day one, and something any export business must have in place if they want to deliver on product, cost, and customer service. It also gives the business owner peace of mind.
Once you find the right shipping partner, you still need to focus on choosing the right product, knowing your market, and negotiating payment terms. But the knowledge that you’ll be able to hold up your end is the first thing that you need to lock down. A great shipper will help you do that, and if you’re going to Latin America with your export business, there is no other choice but SkyPostal.
