In this article we will talk about how marketing and freight forwarding are interdependent. It will be useful for both cargo owners and carriers. We will not delve into theory and describe the meaning and functions of marketing.
This is too versatile and long process of providing consumers with goods. We are interested in one of the most important components and main functions of this process – transportation of cargoes from producer to consumer, or from producer to producer, etc. – Actually, this is what forwarding companies do. In this light, they are entrusted with the most important function to develop the entire national economy and business, because without well-arranged and regulated freight flows all market research is meaningless and the production and sale of goods is endangered.
Any transport company wishing to succeed in the international freight market follows the standard links in the marketing chain:
- Research of the freight market (domestic and international), study of demand and pricing factors: for freight forwarding companies from Moldova, a country rather small in area, but very well located between major markets – EU, Ukraine and Russia, it is naturally necessary to enter the international freight market in the first place. Having certain advantages over competitors from Russia and Europe, Moldovan haulers can successfully attract customers from Moscow and other major cities of Russia and Europe by more favorable conditions of cargo transportations, such as: minimum costs for cargo delivery organization, relatively cheap fuel, hence more acceptable prices for cargo owner; convenient geographic location – the proximity of the Black Sea, access to Turkey and other Middle East countries, hence – cost savings for cargo owners. And these are just the most superficial examples.
- Finding a consumer of its services – freight owners, as well as carriers ready for cooperation. An effective tool here is the development of the company’s website, filled with all kinds of thematic information related to cargo search, logistics, etc..
- and, as a final component, the organization of cargo delivery itself.
Freight forwarding company Moversauto-Intertransport uses new forwarding technologies.
But this is not enough. For successful development of activities and constant demand in the freight market, it is necessary to apply some additional marketing tools. Such as:
- Continuous analysis of the freight market,
- study of the latest trends and criteria defining cargo owners’ requirements for cargo transportation, preparation and application of these in own work;
- Regular auditing of own transportation operations aimed at identifying and preventing claims from cargo owners (as a rule, customers are primarily concerned with 3 criteria: cargo safety, compliance with delivery dates, cost);
- cost analysis, finding rational routes;
- as well as the most important for any client – flexible price policy.
This is the primary task of management and the marketing tools listed above will help them to do so.