business tips Archives - Excelsior Worldwide Logistics Corp.

Tips Before Starting an Import/Export Business

excelsior on November 15, 2019

Setting up a business is not a simple task, let alone offering products that can reach more people on an international scale. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur looking to plunge into the tough competition of foreign commerce, you must be equipped with adequate skills and knowledge in order to survive.

Running an import-export business is now much more convenient than before with the advent of modern technology. The use of the internet to communicate with customers has become commonplace and the learning curve in managing different operations mostly requires competent organizational skills.

While you don’t have to be an expert in this kind of industry, it is still a necessity to be aware of certain things that can optimize your chance of growth as well as minimize the effects of potential risks. The possibility of failure is always present in any form of business, so you should always pay attention to every detail.

Here are some of the best tips that can help you when starting out an import or export business:

Consider Your Products

Since you will be taking on an import-export trade, the products that you’re going to sell can become the X factor for fate of your company for the following years. Think carefully when deciding which product should you sell and be sure to stick with it. Once you figured out the best products for you, use your judging skills to know whether these products are worth your investment or not.

Always keep these two important questions in mind:

Do people want those products?
Do you know how to sell it properly?

If you are confident that your products can become something that is sought-after by many people across cultures and you know at least the fundamentals of selling it properly, then you now have a set of products to sell.

Find Your Target Market

So you already have some products to sell, and the next problem you need to solve is how you can find the people that are more than willing to buy them. Those people are your customers, your target market. Identifying them from a specific country can be a herculean task, so you’ll be needing extra time and probably a hand to do this the right way.

Prepare in-depth research regarding the latest market trends of the particular location where you desire to offer your products. There are several agencies that can do this for you in case you have a pretty hectic schedule.

Set up a Website and Develop an Online Presence

Creating a website provides your company and your products the needed exposure for online users around the world. Take advantage of multiple online platforms to market your products especially your target market. Be responsive to customer feedback and complaints and establish an online community that can enhance their loyalty and ultimately accumulate sales for your company.

Amp up Your Logistics Connection

One of the most challenging things that your import-transport business will have to overcome is making a solid system or plan on transporting your products. With a bunch of legal processes that concern your line of profession, you must be ready to outsource services in logistics. Take for example freight forwarders. Hiring a freight forwarding agency can significantly lessen your load of tasks in complying with customs requirements and other legal processes. They can even help you find the best carrier so that you can cut down your expenses in shipping.

Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics conducts free orientation for those who are willing to learn. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience worth more than a decade in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.

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Reasons Why You Should Hire a Freight Forwarding Company Right Now

excelsior on July 31, 2019

Thanks to modern technology, physical boundaries are not the main issues anymore when it comes to building a successful business. Every company must be aware of the fact that shipping their goods on a wider scale requires the skills and expertise of a reliable freight forwarder. These professionals possess all the necessary knowledge in dealing with all outgoing and incoming shipments in ways that can further enhance efficiency and overall productivity.

Many businesses today tend to experience some difficulties in creating a thorough plan for product shipping. Time is a very valuable resource and that’s why freight forwarders can be helpful in this kind of situation. If you’re a business owner and still quite undecided on hiring a freight forwarding company, here are some of the most entailing reasons why you should do so.

Reason #1: It optimizes your supply chain

Shipping your goods from a specific country often involves the utilization of different carries as well as some knowledge on the shipping laws of two nations. One of the main responsibilities of a freight forwarder is to take good care of everything related to the supply chain of your company.

Reason #2: It ensures that your goods are going to be delivered on time

Ensuring the timely arrival of your goods to its intended receiver is a vital factor to promote your company’s reputation. Fortunately, many freight forwarding firms do utilize the power of technology in order to notify you about the current status of your shipment in real time.

Reason #3: It makes shipping faster and easier

Shipping your goods internationally can make you accountable in undergoing a long and arduous process in the hands of customs authorities. But with the service of freight forwarders, business requirements can become much more bearable as they have a well-established network of agents, carriers, and even some customs officers that allow them to transport freight quicker than you can expect.

Reason #4: It helps you to effectively manage your logistics and prepare essential documents

Regardless of whether you’re still in the verge of selecting your carrier or preparing your documents, a freight forwarder can always help to guide you through. Simply let them know about your shipment’s destination and they can take over all the legalities and formalities that you are supposed to deal with.

Reason #5: Provides your supply chain with a broader network of logistics connection

Hiring the service of a freight forwarding company gives your business access to an expansive network of agents, carriers and customs officials. It means that with more options to choose from, you can determine ideal shipping price, saving you more money in the long run.

With all of the benefits mentioned above, hiring a freight forwarder is a good investment indeed, especially if you’re still starting to gain a competitive foothold in your line of industry.

Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics conduct free orientation for those who are willing to learn. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience worth more than a decade in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.

4 Tips to Keep your Supply Chain in Good Condition – Infographic

excelsior on June 30, 2019

The supply chain is defined as a congregation of all the resources of an organization, including its members, activities, and technology that operates solely for the purpose of creating and selling a particular product. Managing your supply chain is an integral step towards building a reputable business brand. A highly efficient supply chain strategy can optimize your profits by reducing the operating costs as well as increment customer satisfaction.

One crucial factor in maintaining a healthy supply chain is through the integration of effective logistics especially when your company is just starting out. Amp up your competition to the global market with these four tips in keeping your supply chain in tip-top condition!

Tip #1: Optimize your transport system

Optimizing your transport system can minimize most of your financial expenditures as well as boost your productivity. By investing in TMS (Transportation Management system), you can easily record all of your progress in transporting goods real-time so that you can have a detailed record of what’s currently going on. TMS can also provide information on the latest costs of shipping so that you can identify which carrier offers the most affordable price.

Tip #2: Take advantage of modern software used for warehouse management

While managing your warehouse is highly important, doing it manually could take a significant amount of your time. Time is a precious resource in business, so you might want to find a way to use it as wisely as possible. Why not take advantage of the era that we live in? There’s several computer software out there that can automatically help you in organizing your warehouse and make it even more productive.

There are available management systems today designed to fill out your orders right away and take a detailed record of your resource allocation.

Tip #3: Formulate your initial inventory requirements

In case you’re working with an established brand, you can analyze at past inventory performance and see if it can be compared to the latest industry trends. The information that you can retrieve will serve as your reference for knowing which product can give you the most profit. It’s highly recommended to focus on selling a carefully curated assortment of products rather than a diverse product range. You have to choose a product that people truly want.

Tip #4: Track your POs and inventory to prevent stock-outs

You may already have some reliable suppliers for your business, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Keep an eye on the current condition of your inventory at all times and stay updated if there are any delays. You will also need to have a backup plan if the products that arrived from your warehouse have damage.

On the other hand, monitoring your Pos (Purchase Orders) enables you to immediately detect and deal with any customer inquiry and complaints.

Final thoughts

When it comes in keeping your business up and running your supply chain definitely plays a big part. You might spend some of your resources, but keeping a tab on these four tips will ensure that you will have no problems in perfecting your supply chain so that you can eventually reach the top of your industry!

Chinese New Year: Tips to Keep Your Supply Chain Efficient (Infographic)

excelsior on October 31, 2018

If you have been importing from China over the past years, you’re probably already aware that the Chinese New Year is one of the freight peak seasons that you should prepare for.

However, if it’s your first time, here is a detailed discussion of how the Chinese New Year can affect your supply chain:

The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in China, that is why it is a tradition among Chinese people to take some time off and celebrate it with their family.

In fact, during its celebration, businesses temporarily shut down because they are focused on cleaning their houses thoroughly (to remove negative energy) and on preparing food for the feast.

As a result, freight demands shoot up, prices increase, and containers easily become full, making it expensive and difficult to import.

Having that said, here are four tips to keep your supply chain efficient during the Chinese New Year:

Confirm your supplier’s schedule

As mentioned earlier, Chinese people are focused on preparing for the new year’s celebration. For that reason, most Chinese suppliers start to wind down their operations one to two weeks in advance.

Aside from an early halt in operations, some Chinese suppliers also take long in resuming to their normal operations that’s why you need to confirm your supplier’s schedule so that you can place your orders while they’re still performing transactions.

Failing to confirm your supplier’s schedule can have you waiting for a month or two to place an order again since the Chinese New Year celebration usually lasts for sixteen days and that’s a red alert for import delay.

Place your orders in advance

Confirming your supplier’s schedule will enable you to place your order in time but why do it on time when you can do it early?

Placing your orders in advance won’t only help you avoid delays, it will also help you cut back on expenses and find adequate space for your shipments.

Everyone is on a rush months before the Chinese New Year that’s why you need to be proactive. Placing your orders early will help you get ahead of other importers on choosing the most affordable freight rate and obtaining the lowest GRI (General Rate Increase) possible. You will also be able to reserve enough shipping space for your goods before containers run out of space.

Split your shipments

Another technique that you can use to keep your supply chain efficient during the Chinese New Year is splitting your shipments into two categories: Urgent and non-urgent.

Urgent shipments are time-sensitive goods that are either perishable or needed immediately by its user. On the other hand, non-urgent shipments are non-perishable goods that aren’t needed immediately but still needs to be delivered on time.

During the Chinese New Year freight peak season, you should consider transporting only your urgent shipments because non-urgent shipments can be transported during the regular season wherein the demand and rates are low.

Collaborate with a trusted local freight forwarder

Collaborating with a trusted freight forwarder will free you of all the trouble that comes with importing because they got the trust of their clients for a reason.

Most trusted freight forwarders are knowledgeable with freight peak seasons and has connections with multiple international transport organizations. In short, your freight forwarder can help you negotiate with your supplier for better prices.

Moreover, they will take care of the paperwork you need for importing, that’s why you can sit back and relax throughout the process.

Here at Excelsior Worldwide Freight Logistics, you can make sure that you’re in the right hands. We don’t only have equipped and experienced people that are committed to keeping our clients’ supply chain efficient, we also conduct free orientation for those who are willing to learn about importation & exportation because it is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experience for 17 years in the business.

Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph or contact us at (063) 525-9775

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Integrity in Business By Excelsior Team (Infographic)

excelsior on May 15, 2018

Several decades have passed, yet nothing rings truer than the words of Zig Ziglar: “Honesty and integrity are by far the most important assets of an entrepreneur.”

Many businesses today have been seen to close shop after 10 years; sometimes it only takes 7, or even just 5 years. If you ask entrepreneurs whose businesses have endured past the 10-year mark, they are likely to tell you that the key, the fundamental ingredient is this: integrity.

Business giants and industry leaders attest to the primacy and indispensability of integrity in their business success. Bill Gates openly speaks of how honesty and good morals have served as his stepping-stones towards his success. Warren Buffet has both verbalized and lived out how an unwavering adherence to high moral standards has paved the way for an untainted reputation, which has positioned him to be the most successful investor today.

Indeed, integrity is the crux of every business’ system infrastructure, the cornerstone on which a business’ success is founded on.

But what exactly is integrity and why does it matter so much?

Integrity comes from a Latin adjective integer, which means whole and complete. Imagine a bicycle wheel with several spokes that connect the center of the wheel to the rim. The spokes, when whole and complete in its assembly, enable the wheel to turn effectively. When one breaks, goes missing, or starts to rust, this compromises the structure of the wheel, thus contributing to feeble and ineffective functioning and progressive deterioration.

In an organization, being whole and complete has to do with establishing moral standards and living up to them, so much so that it becomes the very glue that holds the company together. Examples of such moral standards include honesty and transparency. Failure to adhere to these leads to collapse, first internally wherein mistrust occurs among employees and partners, and then externally, between the business itself and its customers.

The absence of an established set of moral values deprives companies of a “true north”. With nothing to guide them, they are capriciously directed by profit, trends, and other external mechanisms, which are all elusive at best.

Acting in integrity allows the company to be the “go-to company” for clients’ needs. Why? For the simple reason that the business has earned the trust of customers. No other factor – no amount of net worth, network, or company size – can be a better measure of a business’ trustworthiness than its integrity.

A company that has seen the powerful impact of customer trust on their business’ success is Excelsior, a budding industry leader in customs brokerage & international freight forwarding services. Today, 90% of their sales are by referral. Their clients have become their biggest marketing and sales force.

Clients of Excelsior have been a witness to their high moral standards, values of honesty and transparency, and uncompromised quality of client-centered service. Excelsior likewise upholds utmost integrity in their customer service, business dealings, and business operations. They have been in service for the past 17 years.

Truly, with integrity as the foundation of any business, it is sure to move from good to great and withstand the test of time.

Excelsior Worldwide conduct free orientation for those who are willing to learn about importation & exportation. It is our advocacy to share our knowledge & experienced for 17 years in the business. Visit our website today at www.excelsior.ph to learn more about our service.