Well here we are again, it has been a while since we penned something on MDS Cargo but we promise to be consistent these days. Over the years we have seen how handling have become a serious hassle with the increment of customers and which also comes with increment in the amount of goods to be handled. Most cargo businesses operate a storage and handling department which will oversee the correct and appropraite handling of customers goods. The problem here is the extra burden given to handlers by customers by being careless with their own goods, by having no clue on how to put their goods together for shipment. These problems cuts accross all types of customers male, female, old and young. With this in mind we have come up with the following advice for customers.
1. Treat your goods as if you are the shipping agent yourself - Ask yourself one question? How would you like your receiver to receive the goods? Your answer should be 'Well packed and intact'.
2. Understand that your goods may pass through different hands and depots before getting to final destination - A typical shipment will depart from your door, then enter into shippers warehouse where it will be handled and stored, then loaded onto van or truck again, loaded onto Container or Aircraft if required, then handled and stored at destination depot, loaded onto van again for delivery. There may be more other stops for a good before it arrives destination. A proper handling will keep goods intact till destination.
3. There is a difference in packing pieces of clothes and packing breakable items - Pieces of clothes/rages can go in normal boxes but anything breakable should go in a wooden or strong plastic enclosure. You dont want breakables being damaged if a heavy item is stacked on top.
4. Whichever transport mode requires proper packing - All transport modes will require proper handling of goods, there are no exceptions, handling your package for air cargo is not different from road, sea and rail cargo services. Goods classed as dangerous goods (DG)should be sent to a Dangerious goods expert for handling. Dangerious goods are a no go area for Airlines, please declare these type of goods to the shipping agent .
5. Why not put a call accross to your intended shipper and ask how your stuff can be packed - If you are not in the freight or logistics business, then we know you may be lost on how to put a celotape on a box, what type of box? what type of celotape? What are dimensions and many other confusing situations. Pick up the phone and put a call accross to your shipping agent.
6. Always declare accurately the description of your package content - This brings us back to Dangerous goods declaration (DG GOODS), breakables declaration, contraband declaration and so on. One thing is for sure in logistics, a customer will never get full compensation if the goods and value is not properly declared before shipment. We will keep this topic updated!
