SIGforum
Any Logistics Brokers Here?
July 25, 2021, 04:40 PM
PoacherAny Logistics Brokers Here?
I have been in logistics for 30 Luis years and have moved everything you can think of by rail OTR and air but very little ocean going. I all of the sudden want the freedom of being a broker. Oh and I'm 57, but unattached.
Is that nuts? What does it take?
NRA Life Member
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Teddy Roosevelt July 25, 2021, 08:08 PM
Rey HRHI'm not a broker but I've worked with internal and external logistics in my career.
They have companies dedicated to such things as it gets complicated apart from knowing the mechanics of ocean shipping logistics. You may want to consider getting a job in one of them. As you can imagine, it's the regulatory part that is a big part of the work and knowing what paperwork for which country and how to fill the paperwork out. If a person has to use a broker, you can bet they're going to need a lot of handholding if there is any hiccups like what import classification a shipment falls under; you can't just go, "hey, customs need to know the classification number; what is it?" (I was the guy that needed the hand-holding.)
You'll need to plan and coordinate shipping from origin and informing the receiver what's coming when, getting the shipment cleared for customs before the ship arrives, consider if the shipment requires climate control, coordinating with a trucking company and the destination for when to pick up the shipment and deliver to the destination. Provide support for when shipment is missing or partially delivered or damaged.
As a customer of the broker, I think the price paid by my company was well worth the services of the broker.
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
July 25, 2021, 08:43 PM
PoacherI'm thinking more domestic than international. At least for starters.
NRA Life Member
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Teddy Roosevelt July 27, 2021, 03:53 PM
.38supersigSounds like fun. We just started a logistics company and could always use the help of any additional brokers.
Good luck!
July 29, 2021, 06:09 PM
Rey HRHquote:
Originally posted by Poacher:
I'm thinking more domestic than international. At least for starters.
Since you said you have moved everything by rail OTR and air but very little ocean going then I thought you know everything there is to know about rail OTR and air and wanted to branch out to ocean going and needed input in that area.
So I hope you see why I went where I did. But all's good.
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly. Our answer must consist not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual." Viktor Frankl, Man's Search for Meaning, 1946.
July 30, 2021, 02:43 PM
Tavmanquote:
Is that nuts? What does it take?
I was a broker for several years.
Expect a very slow start. Your logistic networking is essential.
If you've been out of it for a while it will be challenging.
Broker websites are a bit pricey but can really help at the beginning.