When you are trusting a container unloading company with your inventory and stock it can be a very stressful time as it could be your whole business. If something were to go wrong you could be left high and dry with nothing you can do about it. However if you choose the right company with the proper procedures in place before you get started you can avoid any potential risk and have back up plans in the event something does go wrong.
To help you out in your time of need we have put together a short guide which helps you find the perfect container unloading company for you. Below are the questions you should be asking them before you sign that contract!
How much will it cost?
The main and obvious question you should be asking first is the cost of the service. You will obviously have to pay to have your stock shipped as well as the additional costs that go on top of that with taxes and import laws. While those process are fixed, the fees that container unloading companies charge aren’t you should be speaking with several companies before you choose one. This will give you the opportunity to ask how much they charge for the job and compare it to the others that you have spoken with.
This will give you a rough estimate of what the average market price for the service is so you can make an educated decision.
What is the estimated time of completion?
If you are shipping all of your inventory you will want to be sure that the container unloading happens quickly and promptly. The organization that you choose to go with should be able to give you an estimated time of completion so that you can plan appropriately. While they won’t necessarily be able to give you an exact time, they should be able to give you a ball park of when you can expect it.
This time of completion is reliant on many other factors including shipping times, mode of transport and any other external factors that may affect the delivery. If time is of the essence be sure to talk with your provider about this. You can generally pay more money to ensure that you get your cargo as soon as possible.
Do you offer insurance?
We mentioned bad scenarios in the intro where your whole operation could fall a part because something may go wrong. If you are worried about that happening you need to check if the company you are going with offers insurance. Shipping companies are required to offer marine insurance there may be some fine print that you overlook that could exempt you from claiming everything if you were to lose your cargo.
If you aren’t happy with the stock standard cover that is being provided as the container unloading company if they themselves have any other insurance offers. This is help you out immensely and give you that peace of mind if anything were to go wrong.
You should also be checking the route that your cargo must travel before you make any final decisions regarding your insurance. If the ship is travelling through a war zone you may also have to have additional cover for piracy and theft. At the end of the day container unloading companies are there to serve you and will be more than happy to answer any questions that you have. If you are unsure about anything along the way give them a call to put your mind at ease.