How air cargo forwarders can adapt now to face the future

The Coronavirus pandemic has intensified pressure on forwarders to quickly adapt to meet shipper demands amid a turbulent air cargo sector. Cargoguide Managing Director Jorre Cobelens explains how online rate management platforms can offer a fast and effective way of enhancing productivity and save money.

This year has been unprecedented in its challenges for air freight forwarders. The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted global supply chains like nothing ever before and forced companies to adapt to a very different way of working.

At the start of 2020, there had already been a significant shift in focus toward digitalisation, and this move was only accelerated with the outbreak of the pandemic. As the lockdowns began across Europe, companies suddenly found themselves needing a remote workforce that could work effectively while maintaining customer service levels. At a time when many airlines were struggling with capacity constraints, global trade routes were disrupted, and air freight rates were regularly changing by the minute. Many forwarders needed a new way of quickly filtering and calculating the available rates to meet shipper demands faster than ever. Digital platforms like Cargoguide stepped in to offer an effective solution.

With more than 2,000 businesses across 84 countries currently using Cargoguide, we enable forwarders to easily: compare accurate air freight rates including surcharges; create better rate calculations by including detailed shipment information in the search; create and send custom quotes quickly from within the system and track and manage new sales opportunities.

Users can increase sales conversions by offering a full overview and understanding of available carriers and services, and comparing rates in one of the most accurate, up to date databases in the world. By quickly providing greater transparency over rate calculations and other critical information in one clear and easy-to-use space, online rate management platforms add significant value.

Our team has worked to ensure the most up-to-date rates are always available. At a time where services can change quickly and may even be suspended or cancelled at short notice, that commitment to delivering quality service has never been so important. Our rate management team uses custom tooling to convert all rate data into Cargoguide’s comparable standard.

Cargoguide is at the forefront of connectivity with carriers. By allowing collaboration with increased transparency and removing paper rate cards from your business, our platform provides all the tools you need to compare rates from multiple carriers, optimise your freight rates and gain insight and relevant cargo routing options through indicative flight schedules. Using Cargoguide, airlines and Global Sales Agents (GSAs) can make changes at extremely short notice, as services change, with data appearing on the system straight away.

Operational efficiency has never been more important. We understand that forwarders and carriers need a platform that connects them and is continuously innovating to meet their needs. Meeting the demands of the ‘new normal’, while remaining competitive, requires smarter ways of working and that’s where Cargoguide can add real value.

Currently operating in 84 countries, Cargoguide publishes air and ocean freight rates for 2,000+ customers around the world, from small forwarders to large multinationals.