west quote may not be the best option. Check out the level of service carefully too. freight companyAnd watch out for any surcharges and additional fees that may not be immediately obvious. If you are new to the world of international freight, it will freight companyalso be important that you feel that the shipping company will provide a guiding hand.Make sure you use a freight services company that is a freight companymember of BIFA: There are thousands of freight forwarding companies, so to sort the wheat from the chaff, use the freight forwarding trade associations and in particular the British International Freight Association (BIFA) to draw up a shortlist. This is a membership body representing 1200 UK freight forwarding companies in the UK. BIFA and the International Freight Forwarders Association (to which BIFA belongs) freight companyhave codes of practice to which all member freight forwarding companies must comply, so this can help avoid problems and provide reassurance that the shipping company you select is of high quality. The freight transport trade freight companyassociations can also help ensure that any disputes between freight companies and their customers are quickly resolved.Check relevant experience of shipping companies: To draw up your shortlist, look for freight services companies with experience of the particular routes and goods your business is dealing in. Ask for freight companyreferences from businesses with similar freight transport needs. It is particularly important that the shipping company you select has good experience of the routes you need and a good network of overseas agents. Also check whether your freight services company understands the specific needs of your product type, such as whether it requires refrigeration. This is obviously very important for perishables and food, for example, but also bear in mind the potential impact on freight companyyour product of different climates. For example, if you are exporting to Scandinavia, have you thought about the possible effect of frost? And if you are involved in China import, do you know what specific paperwork your import products will need?Take advantage of secondary services from shipping companies: Many freight services companies offer a wide range of additional services and logistics, including completing customs clearance paperwork on your behalf, and freight companypaying any taxes and duties owed. They also cover off any other documentation issues, such as Bills of Lading and insurance. Many freight forwarding companies also offer help with inventory management or supply chain management.Some freight transport companies can also help with collecting products from multiple locations or updating your customer about the status on the freight companyfreight delivery.These extra services from your freight services company can help save your business time and money so do check out what is available.Provide full and accurate information: When you choose to use a freight forwarding company, make sure you provide them with full and accurate information. The key thing to provide to your shipping company is a copy of the commercial invoice and the tariff classification for your goods (unless you＊ve asked your freight services company to classify the goods for you.) If you get it right first time, it will make your freight transport go more smoothly.Check document turnaround time from the freight services company: How long will it take the shipping company to plemented a programme of modernizing the transport infrastructure, as well as simplifying customs controls. This will have a big impact on freight services and allow the export markets to continue to grow.The freight forwarding industry in Russia is still very fragmented and undeveloped. However, with the rapidly growing economy, an ever expanding manufacturing industry, increased international trade and foreign investment in infrastructure, the freight forwarding sector will see transformation in the coming years. Already, the small number of large shipping companies is steadily increasing, especially in Russia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic. The EU accession of the region is a further boost to the growth of export and freight forwarding in the region. Until recently, the region has been hampered by lack of economic stability and the poor transport infrastructure.However, with many Eastern European countries now members of the EU and others in the pipeline, improved fiscal management and increased investment is now going some way to tackle these challenges.Russia and Eastern Europe are poised to becomohttp://www.gfsforwarding.com/