3 Reasons to Work With a Purchasing Agent
The cargo shipping industry is huge, with $6.4 trillion worth of cargo being shipped through the air alone in 2012. Factor in the that the cargo industry is not limited to the air, but the oceans and ground too, and the logistics can become daunting. This is where purchasing agents come into play. The job description purchasing agent is responsible for is making sure that freight shipping is done in a timely, efficient, and effective manner.
There are tons of reasons that a purchasing agent is important, but here are three of the most important.
Quality Control
There are a lot of moving pieces when you’re shipping large amounts of cargo at once. That’s why the job description purchasing agent includes inspecting the freight to make sure that nothing was damaged. Furthermore, they make sure that the entire order is included in the shipment. This not only leads to products getting to the customer much faster, but it also prevents extra cost from replacing a shipping damaged product and leads to higher customer satisfaction rates in the long run.
Offer Insight to Buyers
Another key part of the job description purchasing agents have is to be as up to date on the cargo shipping industry as possible. By staying on top of the industry they can then pass on their insight to their buyers, which is a huge benefit to those buyers. For one, agents find buyers a seller who matches their needs. They can also talk buyers through online orders, which helps open up international freight shipments and help logistically organize as bulk shipments.
What all of this amounts to is better prices, more options, and higher quality service for buyers.
They Can Save You Money
Between the amount of time it takes to be in communication with vendors internationally, let alone learn all the laws and regulations regarding freight shipping in locations like Miami, the Virgin Islands, and the Dominican Republic, a lot of personal time is lost. This time is a lost opportunity to make money. However, by using a purchasing agent you can not only save that time, but they can negotiate prices for you that you wouldn’t normally be able to do on your own. These better, negotiated prices are the result of their industry experience, and connections, which the typical buyer wouldn’t normally have.
The job description purchasing agents have amounted to acting as a middleman between buyers and sellers in the cargo industry. It’s a complicated, difficult, and important job. However, it is vital to the freight shipping process and a role that cargo companies rely on because they make navigating a difficult industry more manageable.
