Most of us love what we do or we wouldn’t do it, but do you sometimes burn yourself out? I love working in the maritime industry and especially in cargo claims, but I see so many friends and colleagues working almost 24/7 that it concerns me. Do I want to see those I work with and admire, burn themselves out? No. I want to see them successful and healthy in mind and body.
We would all love to avoid cargo damage but it’s safe to say that every shipper will suffer it at some point. Meaning you will need to claim, but unfortunately the carriers are often in the driving seat when it comes to a payout so let’s look at how we can reduce the chances of a denied claim.
The beauty about this digital era means that you carry your camera with you night and day. It is a part of your every day life and this also means that for exporters, you have no excuse not to document your goods, or whoever is delegated to ship for you, they have the ability at their fingertips too!
The cargo claim industry is also an essential part of customer service, especially in a time when businesses are trying to recoup losses from business pre pandemic. Shipping lines have never been known for accepting any losses they cause the exporter, and claim handling companies such as Recoupex have been for the most part picking up the pieces and helping exporters and freight forwarders recoup losses suffered due to damaged cargo.
Sellers always run risks, it is that simple. But one of the most problematic issues that sellers face is not getting paid by the buyer on delivery. Shipping fresh produce overseas causes the seller a multitude of problems. And what do you do if the buyer simply tells you that you won’t be receiving the full balance because the cargo was damaged or was of poor quality?
Pre-shipment evidence is key in any claim you want to bring against a carrier. Photographs speak volumes and you should always take them prior to shipping and collect as much evidence as possible showing your cargo packaged perfectly prior to being shipped.