What is a freight forwarder? Job description of the forwarder. Duties of the freight forwarder
It seems that the concept of "freight forwarder" has appeared quite recently. In fact, the age of forwarding services corresponds to the age of foreign trade. Even written sources have survived, witnessing that forwarding activities existed already in the 11-12 centuries. The names of forwarding companies from the 15th-16th centuries are still preserved. It was at this time that the forwarding activity received the first powerful impetus in its development. Now let's get back to today and we will understand in more detail who the forwarder is and what he does. It will be useful to find out especially for those for whom the choice of a profession is still relevant.
What does forwarder mean?
Definition: Forwarders are people who are involved in freight forwarding. The essence of the forwarder's work is related to the provision of services to shippers and consignees and organizations for the delivery of goods using a vehicle.Here we will talk not just about the forwarder who accompanies the cargo during its transportation, but about those forwarders who coordinate the interaction of all participants in the cargo transportation process and completely organize the process of cargo transportation.
How to become a freight forwarder?
As a rule, the work of a freight forwarder requires a higher technical or economic education (sometimes secondary specialized is enough). What a forwarder needs to know is a foreign language (some of the most popular are English, German, French, Polish) at a level sufficient for effective communication with foreign clients and partners. Moreover, the more languages you know, the higher you will be appreciated as a specialist, but you should not forget about work experience either.On our website you can find information about the courses of freight forwarders in the city,
The main duties of a freight forwarder
The main duties of the forwarder include:- Organization of delivery of goods with a guarantee of safety on the terms and conditions that are determined by the relevant agreements;
- Preparation of technological and economic feasibility studies of transport and technological routes and cargo delivery schemes;
- Organization of services for the reception, transportation and delivery of goods in the manner prescribed by the documents;
- Conclusion of a freight forwarder's contract with a carrier;
- Organization of vehicle chartering;
- Control of freight forwarding marking of goods and sealing of vehicles and storage rooms;
- Tracking the progress of all work related to the cargo (i.e. loading, reloading, etc.);
- Registration of goods transport and other accompanying documents, cargo customs declarations and other documents for customs clearance of goods;
- Calculation of transport charges and fees;
- etc.
What should a freight forwarder know?
First of all, the forwarder must know numerous regulatory documents:- normative legal acts;
- international agreements and conventions on transport;
- guidance, methodological and regulatory materials of higher authorities that are related to transport and forwarding activities;
- documents regarding the rules of transportation;
- rules and norms of labor protection and fire safety;
- fundamentals of labor legislation.
- Types of rolling stock;
- Technologies and organization of transport and forwarding services;
- Operational capabilities of transport routes and terminal systems;
- Transport infrastructure organizations;
- Methods for optimizing transport and technological schemes for the delivery of goods and determining the cost of delivery of goods;
- The current systems of tariffs and taxes for transportation;
- Know the functions of a freight forwarder;
- and etc.
Freight forwarder is three in one
We hope that after all of the above, you will not lose the desire to go to study or work in this area. After all, the profession of a freight forwarder combines as many as three professions: economist, lawyer and linguist. The field of forwarding activities is better than its own for responsible people with good communication skills, who like to work with documents and understand the laws, who have a penchant for learning foreign languages.Despite the fact that announcements with vacancies for the position are not full of special requirements for education, not everyone can cope with this job. Instead of a university diploma, rather specific skills and abilities are needed here. For example, memorize new routes, quickly determine the shortest route, control loading and unloading, and even weigh or count the goods. And if for "internal" freight forwarders (carrying out the movement of goods within the city, region or country) this may be quite enough, then an international specialist traveling outside the state border cannot do without more serious training.
In place of the navigator
If we talk about "internal" forwarders, then, according to the Directory qualification characteristics professions, it is enough for such workers to have a basic or incomplete higher education in the corresponding direction of training ("transport" or "logistics"). Know the basics of office work, methods and methods of processing correspondence, addresses of permanent correspondents, the structure of the enterprise and its divisions. Often, employers ignore the availability of diplomas, inquiring about management and maintenance skills, knowledge of the city and driving experience. By the way, about the driver's "crusts". In principle, the forwarder takes on only "navigational" duties, accompanying the cargo and planning the optimal routes of movement, therefore workplace- to the right of. But in recent times there is a growing demand for freight forwarders with solid driving experience.
It is impossible to work as a freight forwarder without knowledge of the city and the main retail outlets. In addition, you need to know absolutely the entire range of goods delivered, the timing of its implementation and quality, valid markings and bar codes. Remember the work schedule of each outlet and the time of receipt of products. If you do not have time, it may arise serious problems especially if you are dealing with food. There is an unspoken rule: perishable sausages, dairy, meat and fish products are accepted first, but, for example, bulk products - strictly in the order of the queue. And about 150 cars from different suppliers arrive at super- and mega-markets every day, and each strives to hand over their goods faster! The forwarder must be able to fill out invoices and other documentation on goods turnover. It is not so difficult to learn this, the main thing is to remember and bring to automatism the sequence of placing the necessary stamps, seals and signatures.
But the work of a freight forwarder is not just mechanical: here you cannot do without the ability to communicate with people, show flexibility of character and non-standard thinking. Situations often arise that only real diplomats can find a way out of. Once the forwarder brought a batch of sausages to the store to order, but refused to accept it at all. What to do? It's too late to go back to the warehouse, and in the car the food would go bad overnight! No matter how he tried to persuade to "shelter" the goods at least for the night, she did not agree to any. Then I decided to cheat, saying that otherwise I buy this sausage (since it is very, very tasty!), And right now I will arrange an evening meal. Imagine: the ill-fated cargo immediately acquired new owners!
Destination
International freight forwarders going on business trips need to be smart and diplomatic. Firstly, knowledge of the main transport routes will be required, and secondly, it will be a bit tough without knowing a foreign language. Thirdly, a solid driving experience will come in handy, because often transport goods from one point the globe the other is taken by the carrier (freight forwarder and driver in one person), who assumes full responsibility for the safety of the cargo.
International freight transport is not an easy task. To send a cargo from one country to another, you need to "calculate" the optimal mode of transport (depending on the characteristics and parameters of the cargo), take into account the rules, laws and traditions of different states, and draw up the most profitable route from an economic point of view. As a result, a whole logistic chain is being formed, which can only be competently compiled by real professionals. All these nuances should not at all worry the owner of the cargo, since full responsibility for it falls on the shoulders of the carrier. Being a freight forwarder does not mean loading cargo, getting into a car and forgetting about everything in the world. Remember: from this moment on you are responsible for the safety of both the transport and the transported goods! To carry out international transport, it is imperative to undergo special training, which includes a short course in customs law, insurance activities and skills to work with all necessary documents... And, of course, you cannot do without knowledge of the basics of transport logistics.
Of course, the staff of each transport company employs those who make up the best routes for transportation. But the knowledge of logistics on the highest level will not interfere with a professional freight forwarder. A "transport" diploma can be obtained, for example, at the National Transport University, whose students study the basics of jurisprudence, transport, civil, labor and criminal law, rules for the carriage of goods and passengers, government regulation of activities in road transport. In addition, they learn to organize and manage transportation, get acquainted with the transport system of cities. Seminars and trainings on logistics topics are effective, where you can get acquainted with the latest innovations in the industry, learn how to organize work efficiently and make the necessary connections.
Note that the training and formation of professional personnel in the field of international transport and forwarding activities is one of the main activities of the Association of International Freight Forwarders of Ukraine (AMEU). Today it is still the only organization engaged in professional training in the field of international freight forwarding with the issuance of a diploma from the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA). The curriculum is compiled in accordance with the international requirements for this profession and includes the minimum standards for the requirements for international freight forwarders when transporting goods by all possible types transport.
Students of the courses get acquainted with the legal aspects of the activities of an international forwarder, the organization of the activities of Ukrainian freight forwarding companies in the global transport market, documents and forms of the FIATA standard. Pay attention to the financial requirements for forwarding activities, the organization of warehousing and storage of goods. They also study the features of international transportation different kinds transport: sea, aviation, road, rail and river. You cannot do without knowledge of customs procedures and tariffs, the duties of the forwarder in relation to the customs service, various international conventions and agreements. A separate column - insurance of goods and liability of the parties. Well, how can you master the world's transport routes without knowing at least general information by geography!? Those who successfully completed the training course and passed the exams receive a FIATA diploma, confirming the professional competence of a freight forwarder in any of the 150 member states of the federation.
As you can see, freight forwarding is one of those areas of activity where, contrary to popular belief, there is a place only for professionals. Business skills, communication skills and versatile knowledge - these are the qualities without which it is impossible effective work modern delivery pro.
An international freight forwarder should know ...
- general information on geography;
- legal aspects of activities;
- financial requirements for the activity;
- peculiarities of transportation by different types of transport;
- customs procedures and tariffs;
- international conventions and agreements;
- cargo insurance and liability of the parties;
- organization of warehousing and storage of goods.
What methods can be used to deliver goods from one city to another? It can be shipped by air, sea and road... However, air delivery can be very expensive, sea freight can be too long and road delivery can be risky. On which route to stop and how to do right choice? An experienced freight forwarder will help you in this matter.
Consider first, who is a freight forwarder.
Simply put, forwarding is, in fact, the organization of cargo transportation. Many people believe that forwarders are the people accompanying the cargo. However, this is not true. If a person only accompanies the cargo, then this is more of a courier than a freight forwarder. There is also such a specialization as a freight forwarder-sales representative, who is engaged in the delivery of goods to specific points. A sales representative, as a rule, has an agreement with several firms and sells their goods. A specialist who organizes and carries out the transportation of goods himself is called a freight forwarder-carrier.
In this article, we will consider questions about transport but forwarding companies, that is, organizations that deliver goods from point A to point B, no matter how far they are.
The employees of the forwarding companies are specialists of a wide profile. They have either their own fleet of vehicles or an agreement with several transport companies. Freight forwarders are guided in positive and negative sides cargo transportation by different types of transport. And transportation is planned based on this. And yet what does a forwarder do? Selects the most optimal type of vehicle.
Today, multimodal transportation, which involves the use of different types of transport, is quite popular. For example, first the cargo is sent by sea, then by railroad... And just the work on customs clearance of the cargo, the search for suitable freight cars and the organization of the transshipment of cargo onto the train should be carried out by the forwarder. In this case, the terms of transportation must be observed. The forwarder is guided by the time frame for the carriage of goods by different modes of transport on different routes. Therefore, he can optimally plan the movement of the load.
One of the most important duties of a freight forwarder is to control the condition of the cargo. While the cargo is in transit, the freight forwarding company is responsible for it. And if something happens to him, then the customer will ask exactly with the company. The freight forwarding company is interested in delivering the cargo to the designated place safe and sound. Therefore, insurance, unloading and loading of cargo is also carried out by the forwarding company.
You can track the location of your cargo, the shipping company provides this information to customers. You will always be aware of where and in what condition your cargo is.
In addition to organizing and controlling the transportation of goods, the forwarder prepares all accompanying documents. Waybills, waybills and many other documents fall on the shoulders of the carrier's employees, who are competent in matters of tax and regulatory legislation. Documentation for customs is handled by specialists who are guided by legal registration foreign economic activity... And if a mistake is made in any document, the forwarder will correct it. It is also the freight forwarder's responsibilities. And thanks to the experience and professionalism, the forwarder will be able to do this in such a way that these moments will not be reflected in the transportation of the goods in any way. Therefore, all these documents must be drawn up only by specialists, otherwise you risk incurring losses.
Distinctive features of a good forwarding company are not only prompt delivery of cargo from one point to another. The leading companies in the trucking market always study the existing environment and draw appropriate conclusions. Freight forwarders can help clients with strategic issues. For example, a client wants to reduce customs duties in some way. And the forwarding company will analyze all possible ways cut costs and choose the most optimal one that will suit both the customer and the company. And only an experienced freight forwarder can do this.
Let's summarize
So what is included in forwarding duties:
- selection of the most optimal route and method of cargo transportation;
- search and chartering of vehicles;
- ensuring the timely delivery of the vehicle to the place of loading and unloading of cargo;
- execution of documentation accompanying the goods and customs documents;
- loading, unloading, crushing, consolidation and storage of goods;
- are engaged in the preparation of approvals for the transportation of dangerous and small-sized cargo and their escort;
- fully control the shipping.
Actually, why is it profitable to contact a freight forwarder? After all, he is, in fact, an intermediary in international cargo transportation. In most cases, forwarders have agreements with different shipping companies and customers. This makes it possible to optimize the transport process. At the same time, every effort is being made to avoid idle runs or vehicle downtime that are disadvantageous for carriers. The forwarder has a large amount of information that he operates on. He charters the transport that is located as close as possible to the place of loading. This reduces transport costs. Forwarders have very attractive discounts from transport companies, because they are the largest customers of the transport companies. This allows customers to order shipping at a reduced price.
I received the goods, accompanied them, and handed them over to the recipient. It seems elementary. However, being a freight forwarder is not easy. Freight forwarding is a fairly wide range of services related to the delivery of goods.
In the competence of a specialist, everything that happens with the cargo from the doors of the consignor's warehouse to the doors of the consignee's warehouse.
Experience and established contacts are valued much higher than a diploma. Employers are usually satisfied with secondary or incomplete higher education. However, transport universities offer such specialties as "Organization of transportation and transport management", "Technology of transport processes".
What does a freight forwarder do
The list of responsibilities depends on the profile of the company. Thus, an "internal" freight forwarder, an employee of a trading company-supplier, is engaged in the delivery of goods to customers. His task is to receive the goods from the storekeeper according to the documents and promptly deliver it to outlets within a city or region.
A completely different matter is multimodal transportation with the involvement of several types of transport and international transportation. This is the field of activity of forwarding companies, whose employees are real professionals.
Having received the goods, the international freight forwarder is obliged to:
- choose a method of transportation and develop a route of movement;
- to charter a vehicle (ship, plane, railway carriages, car);
- receive the goods from the shipper and a package of accompanying documents;
- control the loading, sealing of the vehicle;
- carry out customs clearance, cargo insurance;
- accompany the cargo, controlling the conditions of transportation;
- deliver and transfer the goods to the consignee strictly within the agreed time frame;
- ensure that both parties receive correctly executed documents.
Requirements for the forwarder
Whatever happens, the freight forwarder is obliged to deliver the goods on time and in perfect condition. For this, an excellent knowledge of geography, the location of roads, and the length of routes will be very useful to him.
In international transportation, you cannot do without knowledge of a foreign language, peculiarities of legislation and traditions of the countries with which you have to work. Customs law, insurance activities, freight operations are not a secret for an international freight forwarder.
It is extremely important to have a good understanding of the product, assortment, labeling and packaging, conditions of transportation, storage and implementation time. This is especially true for perishable goods and requiring special conditions of transportation. You need to be able to work with documents (invoices, tax invoices, quality certificates, routing lists, powers of attorney).
Attentiveness and responsibility are the main qualities of a specialist. Ability to communicate, negotiate, be flexible, make decisions in difficult situations are inherent in a good forwarder, because everything happens on the road.
Research by regions showed that the highest salaries are offered in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
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Pros and cons of being a freight forwarder
Advantages:
- high demand in the labor market;
- decent salary;
- the opportunity to see other cities and regions.
Disadvantages:
- for some, frequent travel may seem tiresome;
- frequently encountered problems that need to be resolved are absolutely independent of the forwarder.
With the proliferation of domestic and international transport, the profession of a freight forwarder has become very important. In fact, these are intermediaries who organize the delivery of goods from the door of the sender to the place of unloading. V freight forwarder services includes the chartering of rolling stock, registration of a package of documentation, transportation of goods, their transshipment, escort, safekeeping and transfer to the recipient. It is within the competence of a specialist to coordinate the entire chain of product movement.
Freight forwarders are people who understand economics and logistics, know the rules of transport, effective communication techniques and are able to prepare a weighty package of accompanying documentation. In order to arrange international delivery of goods, the logistician must have a good command of foreign language and navigate the nuances of international agreements.
Such work requires special knowledge; a diploma from a technical, transport or economic university is required. However, not only education is appreciated, but also work experience, established contacts and knowledge of the routes of Russia, CIS, Europe, Baltic, Asian countries. The experience of the forwarder is a guarantee that the international one will be accurately calculated.
What does a freight forwarder do?
The specialist accepts the application from the client, processes it on the mobile and makes the necessary requests. An agreement is concluded with the consignor in accordance with the rules of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. A bill of lading is drawn up, in which the range of products, its cost, shipping and unloading addresses, delivery times are recorded.
From the moment of signing the documents, the freight forwarder is responsible for ensuring that the goods are properly packaged and delivered without visible defects. He draws the optimal route along which the cargo delivery... The logistician keeps in mind free warehouses, customs tariffs, delivery times, the conclusion of the sanitary and epidemiological station and much more.
The forwarder personally enters into an agreement with transport organizations and charters cars, ships or trains. He issues a package of accompanying documents to the carrier, settles all controversial issues, organizes security, if necessary, or personally accompanies the cargo to the point of delivery.
Difficulties in self-delivery of goods.
Any associated with big amount transport connections and product reloading. It is difficult for a beginner to develop an economical delivery scheme without rolling stock downtime. As a result, delivery times can be increased several times.
Any unaccounted for little things in the travel schedule are expensive, because the products quickly deteriorate and lose their presentation, and the equipment breaks down. Special attention it is necessary to pay to the preparation of documents for customs clearance. Otherwise, the consignment may be arrested, and the customer will have to pay an impressive fine.
Very often, unforeseen situations arise that force the logistician to become a real diplomat. When organizing international deliveries, lack of knowledge of the language can lead to the conclusion of a contract with extremely unprofitable carriers.
Unpleasant surprises also happen to those who in a hurry entrust the delivery of products to random people. Where is the guarantee that the chosen driver will not disappear with the goods? And if the deadline is delayed and your client turns to a competing firm. In addition, negligent intermediaries thrive various schemes fraud, there is a danger of losing your reputation and losing your business.
There is only one way out - to entrust the delivery of goods to reputable companies, where competent forwarders work. This will save you time and money.
