When to Use a National Same Day Logistic service Instead of a Freight Forwarder

You’ve got an important package to send.

It could be valuable documents with sensitive information or something irreplaceable and fragile. Maybe you’re sending a precious gift to a friend or rushing a shipment of products to a retail store.

You can’t trust this special delivery with just anyone. But who can you rely on? 

Whether you’re sending a personal package or you’re a business owner making a sale. You may be wondering when to use a national courier service or a freight forwarder. Or maybe you’re asking yourself: what’s the difference?

If you’re scratching your head over where to start, don’t worry! We’ve broken down the differences between a national same day logistics service and freight forwarder so you don’t have to. Plus we’re going to tell you which one to use based on your needs.

Read on to find out when to use a national courier service instead of a freight forwarder. It’s easy!

What Is a National Same Day Logistic Service?

Courier services date back to the late nineteenth and early twentieth century in the U.S. Back then few homes had telephones. In fact, personal messages had to be delivered by hand! 

Over time technology, transportation, and mail-order retail advanced. Courier services grew in response, to the giant delivery providers we know today. They’ve even grown to become highly competitive with the government operated mail service.

Is Same Day Logistics Right for You?

Does your package have to make it to your customer or business partners before the end of the day?

Whether you’re a small business owner or you just have to rush a package to a friend, we’ve all had moments where we absolutely need to send or receive something right away.

That’s when a national courier service comes in handy. These companies will work with you and their staff to make it happen. They typically can offer same day or overnight delivery options as well as other services.

Courier services aren’t strictly vans and ground shipping. Some courier service providers offer air transportation of goods too! There are some further requirements and rules to follow when shipping things by air. Luckily you can rely on your courier service to help you out.

Plus, courier services offer more reliable and higher quality delivery than your typical mail service.

Choose a Dependable Same Day Logistics Service

In short, a courier service is for small deliveries and is typically used to transport products from person to person. It is also useful to businesses for transporting smaller items to retail stores or from business to business sales.

Pretty simple right? Hold on, there are a few other factors that make a courier service different from a freight forwarder.

For one thing, typically when working with a courier service, they will supply the van or mode of transportation, as well as the staff themselves. The difference is that when working with a courier service you are coordinating with the business itself. They provide the transportation and staff to directly transport your package along a specialized route or system of routes.

When you call up or schedule online to have something delivered, you’re going to speak directly with the service provider. This is a great option for last-minute shipments of less sizable packages.

What Is a Freight Forwarder?

When transporting large shipments overseas and across the country, you’re going to need more assistance for things like documentation and legal requirements involved when shipping internationally. That’s why freight transportation companies will only work through freight forwarders to ship larger scale products.

Larger companies who are regularly shipping commercial goods over land, air or sea, will go through a freight forwarder. This is because of the complexity involved in moving a ton of goods across a large distance. 

The freight forwarder acts as a consultant to help the businesses figure out the best transportation options for them. The freight forwarder will connect the company with transportation services that specialize in large-scale shipping. They will also take care of the logistics involved in getting large shipments from one place to another. 

Whether it’s by plane, ship, or train, the freight forwarder will make the arrangements.

This benefits the businesses because they are able to share the cost of shipping large freights with other companies. These other companies may have similar destinations for their cargo. This means you’re only paying for the space that your cargo takes up and sharing the rest of the costs.

Sometimes the freight forwarder will be the owners of the shipping service business, but more often they act as the contact who connects the business owners to the service provider. The transportation service providers are unable to communicate directly with their clients because of the complexity and quantity of businesses involved.

Instead, they defer to freight forwarders to coordinate their shipments for them. This streamlines the process for both the transporters and the businesses.

A freight forwarder is not only going to connect you with the shipping service provider. They will also work to get you the best price, fastest route, and quality results. 

Which Should You Choose?

While both the freight forwarder and the national courier service are used to transport cargo from one point to another, choosing one depends on very different needs.

To the outside client, it may seem like both offer the same services and you wouldn’t be wrong. Both the freight forwarder and the courier service makes sure your shipment gets to its final destination.

That’s why knowing when to choose between the two can be confusing!

The Final Breakdown

If you have important documents or a delivery that requires speed and reliability, then the national courier service is for you. This is also true for occasional shipments from person to person. 

For large-scale shipments of cargo that are ongoing, it might be time to speak with a freight forwarder. They’re going to be able to work out the right method of transportation for your business.