‘Cheaper is not always the best option’

WHILE IT’S certainly an important part
of the mix, price should never be the only
determining factor when it comes to
choosing a freight agent, says director of
Hike Freight Services Hilton Tait.
“In South Africa most freight negotiations
are decided by price, and the cheapest rate
seems to secure business.
“Importers fail to realise that in a market
where cargo volumes exceed available
capacity, agents need to have flexibility to
utilise more than one carrier to achieve a
smooth flow of imports. This applies to both
air and sea imports.”
Gauteng-based Hike Freight Services
has been in partnership with Dimerco since
2006, a self-described “Asian based multinational
total logistics provider”, with offices
throughout China and South East Asia.
“Dimerco has shown us that while price is
important, a large part of their success has
come from building relationships through
quality service,” says Tait.
“Improved service levels experienced by
customers have resulted in many long-term
relationships. Unfortunately this is an area
which is not understood by South African
importers.”