Continuous development as a freight forwarder – quality service for customers

2023 June, 1

Logistics may seem like something distant and intangible, but make no mistake, any item or material that reaches you had to be transported at some point, and this process is organised by a freight forwarder. We decided to talk to Algirdas Pauliukevičius, a freight forwarder at JSC „Tarptautines logistikos centras“, about his work and everyday life.

 

To begin with, who is a freight forwarder anyway?

To answer in one sentence, it is a specialist who organises the transport of customers’ goods and manages import and export processes. To expand on this, a freight forwarder advises and assists clients in the efficient transport of goods from one place to another, as he has all the necessary and specialised knowledge of documentation requirements, regulations, transport costs, etc., which facilitates the freight transport processes of many companies.

 

When we hear the word “freight forwarding”, we immediately stumble. What else is there to organise forwarding to the North Pole?

You are joking, but in this case we are not talking about the work of travel agencies, but about the services provided by logistics companies. Freight forwarding is a process that has several elements at its core:
– the creation of a freight route and the search for a carrier;
– the paperwork – customs brokerage, insurance, all other necessary documents;
– real-time tracking of the cargo location;
– all other services required to ensure that the cargo is safely and on time delivered to the buyer/customer door-to-door after collection from the seller/customer.

 

Please explain in simple terms, if a customer chooses a freight forwarder, they no longer have to deal with e.g. paperwork and issues that take time and energy?

Absolutely yes. The freight forwarder is responsible for: selecting the best and most cost-effective route for the customer, selecting the most suitable vehicle for the type of cargo, preparing the transport, insurance and customs documents, ensuring the storage of the cargo, monitoring the movement of the cargo on a regular basis and communicating with the consignee/shipper etc.
I always follow the principle that the client should not only be offered the transport of the cargo from point A to point B, but also a customised portfolio of services, which must include actions that the client may not even think about.

 

You have been working as a freight forwarder since 2017, can you identify the main qualities required for this profession?

As a freight forwarder, I have learned that competence, responsibility and very good communication are key. When working with customers, challenges occur almost every day, because I am persistent and enthusiastic, so I do not give up until I achieve my goal. That’s why it’s so important to keep up-to-date with the latest developments in the transport and logistics sector, which helps me to generate new ideas and to be able to offer exceptional solutions to my clients faster. Working in this sector, you need to be constantly improving and adapting to the changing environment, as this is the only way to provide a quality service to the client.
It is also important to note that, together with our TLC colleagues, we have been able to establish a very wide circle of trusted partners in many countries around the world. As a result, our customers can rely on the smooth transport of their goods from or to any country in the world, thanks to our connections and membership of the international global logistics network PANGEA.

 

Briefly share what your working day looks like?

Most of the working day is spent in the office, in front of the main work tool – the computer. Constant communication with customers, monitoring shipments, solving issues – it’s a daily routine, but a big part of it is also preparing documentation. The latter is a process that requires a great deal of care and attention, because if you are transporting a large load in one transport, you only have to fill in one document, but if you are transporting partial loads of different sizes, weights, etc., you have to fill in a lot of documents. However, if you know your job well, this is not a problem.

 

What is the biggest challenge you have faced as a freight forwarder, and have you managed to overcome it?

As I said before, challenges are part of a freight forwarder’s daily routine. As for one, I think it was a project where the cargo was geographically dispersed over several continents and the end point was the whole of Lithuania. Not just one town, but even the furthest reaches of Lithuania. This meant that I had to manage a gigantic logistics process, a never-ending flow of parts, constant communication, and ensuring that the client’s cargo was transported across the country in time, when it was needed. I believe I was able to organise the process in such a way that the cargo arrived at the right door, at the right time, in the most cost-effective way.
To sum up, every field has its own challenges and specificities, and it is necessary to constantly put in a lot of effort and to improve yourself in order to be able to do your job professionally.

 

“TLC” is one of the companies managed by Klaipėda Terminal Group.