We recently sat down with Bruce Tucker, Founder/Owner and CEO at Octane Seating Solutions Ltd., in an eye-opening talk where he told us more about the value he sees in Ship4wd’s services, the problems his business faces in today’s changing shipping landscape, and why he hopes his competitors don’t find out about Ship4wd.
Octane Seating Solutions Ltd. provides residential and commercial seating solutions to its customers, a combination of end consumers, eCommerce and massive retail stores in America. The company imports most of its goods from China to the United States with most sales made online on all the major platforms available in the US.
In an online world, having goods available on demand is, according to CEO Bruce Tucker, crucial for his business. Port delays, lack of transparency during the complex import processes, as well as deficiencies in container allocation, such as those seen during the pandemic, can be devastating for small and mid-size businesses.
A new solution, born from the pandemic
Just like many other businesses, Octane Seating struggled with guaranteed container allocation, shipment delays and a lack of overarching transparency during the global pandemic. This was at a time when shipping space became scarce and prices skyrocketed.
The company’s logistics manager started scouting for new freight forwarding providers in response and found Ship4wd online. Bruce tells us “When my logistics manager told me that you guys can guarantee space allocation and secure prices 45 days out, I was like ‘let’s go!’”.
Bruce was not a novice to digital freight forwardeing and he knew the benefits, such faster quotes, increased visibility on shipments and real-time shipment notifications that enable timely and educated decisions. It wasn’t long after that Octane Seating made its first booking via Ship4wd’s online platform.
Complexity and technology in today’s shipping
International shipping is more complex today than ever. According to Bruce, there are too many steps, too many details and too many things that can go wrong along the way – which keeps business owners on their toes, anticipating when something will derail. He tells us that “today it’s not a matter of if, but when, something goes wrong. And when it does, your business pays the price, no matter whose fault it is”.
But technology can only take you so far in anticipating and overcoming the obstacles that exist in today’s shipping landscape. From his experience, technology can’t make up for every potential error that might happen along the way.
Because of this, it was important for him to seek out a shipping partner that was able to provide superb technological solutions, the human expertise and essential support throughout his freight’s journey.
Information in the post-pandemic world
According to Bruce: “If there is one thing that the pandemic has taught us, it is that information is power.
Information about your shipment can prevent your business from getting a $5,000 or $10,000 demurrage charge at a US port. During the pandemic, the ports were so congested that if you weren’t quarterbacking your shipments coming in, they got lost. When they got lost, they got stuck.
Someone really needs to be there. From the moment the shipment approaches the port and the arrival notices start getting in, that’s when you need to start putting processes into action.”
He explains that “this is where technology comes in. There are quite a few document flows that go on during the importing process. Using emails just isn’t feasible in this landscape, and currently I only know two companies that nail this specific technology – Ship4wd is one of them”. Bruce also highlights that he thinks “this is how you win this game., Without visibility in an environment like this, you will get hurt.”
The round-the-clock updated information provided by Ship4wd on the status of every shipment at every step of the way, has, according to Bruce, “given the right visibility I need to be on top of the process. I am now more confident in communication with my customers, knowing that I can meet the commitments I have made to them – that’s something I can’t take for granted in today’s environment.”.
Digital solutions backed by human support
Bruce tells us that this is not the first time he has used a digital freight forwarder for his logistics solutions. However, he was pleasantly surprised that even though Ship4wd is new to the market, the technology is “just as good, if not even better than that of competitors”.
It’s not only Ship4wd’s top of the game technology that will keep Bruce using our services however. He emphasizes his great appreciation for the customer support we are able to provide him with, throughout his shipment processes. “instead of me quarterbacking the shipments, you guys are quarterbacking my shipments! This is great because I can’t miss anything. It’s exactly what I need in this new (post-pandemic) environment.”
The support Ship4wd provides gives Bruce as a business owner that extra edge, enabling him to get ahead of the game and his competitors. He jokingly ends our conversation with “To my friends, I highly recommend Ship4wd’s services. To my competitors, I hope you never find out about them!”.
About Ship4wd
By land, air, or sea, we make it easy for businesses to take control of their international shipping from door to door, and we’re the only freight forwarder in the world able to guarantee your container quote 45 days ahead. With Ship4wd you can always count on:
- Fast quotes and easy booking
- 100% shipment visibility at every step
- A user-friendly digital platform
- Real support from real people, 24/7
- Competitive Prices
Take control of your shipping
