Stop Juggling Multiple Forwarders: A Smarter Approach

The conventional wisdom in logistics is: spread your risk. Work with multiple forwarders for the best rates and minimal risk. But let's be honest: this strategy often leads to an operational nightmare. A constant stream of emails, a maze of spreadsheets, and endless phone calls just to track shipments.

You're forced to choose between broad market access and operational simplicity. Between sharp rates and your own peace of mind.

But what if this is a false dilemma?

The Hidden Costs of Juggling Multiple Forwarders

That collection of five, ten, or more forwarders comes with a hidden price tag. Let's make the 'soft costs' tangible. Requesting quotes from four parties for a single import shipment can easily take two hours. Do this for ten shipments a week, and you've lost twenty hours – half an FTE – to pure coordination work.

Add to that the onboarding of new suppliers and checking individual invoices, and you'll see the overhead explode. You're constantly chasing the lowest price, which means you're not a valuable client to any single forwarder. When a problem arises, no one will go the extra mile for you. And by working with separate systems and email updates, you can't manage your supply chain; you can only put out fires.

The Illusion of the One-Stop-Shop

Okay, so what about consolidating everything with one large, global player? One point of contact, one invoice. Problem solved, right?

Not so fast. This approach creates its own set of problems.

As an SME, you're often a small fish in a big pond for a logistics giant. You don't get their A-team, but the B- or C-team, and your 'urgent' problem lands at the bottom of the pile. Furthermore, they offer you choices from their own, limited ecosystem. You don't get an overview of the entire market, but a selection from their preferred offerings. It's a beautifully manicured, but walled garden. You don't have true market access.

The Best of Both Worlds: A Network via a Single Platform

So you're stuck: too many forwarders is chaos, one forwarder is a restriction. This is where a platform model changes the rules of the game. At Cargoplot, we combine the power of a network of specialists with the convenience of a single point of contact.

This might sound abstract, so let me give you a concrete example. For China alone, we work with five different, specialized agents:

• Agent A is a star in air freight from Shanghai.
• Agent B has unbeatable LCL rates from Shenzhen.
• Agent C gets things done in the port of Ningbo that others can't.
• Agent D specializes in rail transport.
• Agent E focuses on cross-border e-commerce.

Through Cargoplot, you request one quote. Our system shows the best options from this network based on your preferences for price, speed, or reliability. You get the best of five worlds, through one simple request.

Radical Transparency: Trust Our Motives

The forwarding world is known for its opacity. We do the exact opposite. With every quote, we openly show our margin.

Why? Because this fully aligns our interests with yours. Our business model is based on delivering the best, most efficient solution from our network, not the one that is most profitable for us. This transparency is the foundation of the trust we build with our clients. You can be sure that we are presenting the best option for you.

Stop Juggling. Take Back Control.

The days of choosing between market access and operational simplicity are over. You no longer have to accept the chaos of countless partners, nor do you have to limit yourself to the walled garden of a single logistics giant.

It's time to stop juggling and take the reins. Spend the hours your team wastes chasing quotes on tasks that add real value: negotiating better purchasing conditions, optimizing inventory, or exploring new markets.

Frequently asked questions on multiple forwarders

What are the disadvantages of working with multiple forwarders?

Working with many different forwarders leads to high 'soft costs'. You lose a lot of time on administration and communication (up to half an FTE). Moreover, it fragments your volume, meaning you don't get priority from any single party when problems occur.

Why is consolidating everything with one large forwarder often not a good solution for SMEs?

For large logistics giants, SMEs are often small clients. You don't get the best service and are limited to their 'walled garden' network. This means you miss out on full market access and the flexibility of specialists.

How does Cargoplot's platform model solve the multiple forwarder dilemma?

Cargoplot acts as a single point of contact (simplicity) but uses a background network of specialized agents (market access). This way, you get the best specialist for each specific route or modality, without the administrative chaos.

Why does Cargoplot show its margin on quotes?

We believe in radical transparency. By showing our margin, you can be certain that we are choosing the solution that is best for your situation, not the one that secretly makes us the most profit.

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