[260211.EN.AIR] ESC Tells Shippers Be More Active In Handling Air Cargo Services

A recent survey conducted by the European Shippers' Council (ESC) has found that while most shippers are happy with the service they receive from their air freight forwarders and logistics services providers, a "sizeable" majority feel that the industry could do more. 

"Among the areas for improvement indicated by the shippers surveyed was the need to be more proactive, and to better understand the shippers' business and supply chain in order to find the best logistical solutions. However, the survey, also suggested few shippers were prepared to be more proactively engaged in the management themselves," an ESC statement said.

It quoted the chairman of the ESC's Air Transport Council, Ramiro Dias, as saying in a report by Air Cargo World: "I expect the freight forwarder to be very proactive in looking for solutions and improvements to the way we do things for our clients; therefore, they need to know the businesses we work in and for," he said.

"Shippers must be prepared to be equally proactive with the freight service providers: two heads thinking and working together to make the supply chain more efficient and effective is likely to be better than one."

Said ESC secretary general, Nicolette van der Jagt: "The ESC has long been of the opinion that service quality and efficiency are best improved when the shipper is proactively engaged with the service providers in the chain.

Outsourcing of air freight procurement and management activities is a fact of life and yields considerable benefits for the shipper, but it could be unwise for a company to remove from its organisation all knowledge and expertise in this area. 

The shipper needs to know what is happening, how the industry works, what drives it and affects it, and ultimately what influences the performance of the service," she said. 

Source : HKSG, 22.02.11.