Customer care in freight forwarding: The heartbeat of operational function
Written by Duygu Sarisin from Element Logistics
In freight forwarding, most of the focus tends to be on operations—planning shipments, managing carriers, handling customs, and controlling costs.
But there’s another function that plays a critical role in keeping everything aligned and running smoothly: the customer care department.
This isn’t just about answering emails or giving updates.
In reality, customer care sits right in the middle of the operation, acting as the link between the customer and the internal teams.
Where customer care actually fits
From a process point of view, customer care is involved from the moment a booking is received all the way through to final delivery and invoicing. Their role includes:
- Validating and interpreting customer instructions
- Ensuring all required data is complete and accurate
- Coordinating with operations, customs, and transport teams
- Managing milestones and providing status updates
- Handling exceptions and escalations
So technically, they are not just “support”—they are part of the operational workflow.
Managing expectations vs Operational reality
One of the biggest challenges in freight forwarding is the gap between customer expectations and what’s realistically possible. Delays, rollovers, customs holds—these things happen.
This is where customer care makes a real difference.
A strong Customer Care function doesn’t just pass on information. It:
- Translates operational issues into clear, structured communication
- Sets realistic expectations from the beginning
- Provides alternative solutions when things don’t go as planned
- Keeps the customer informed before they have to ask
It’s less about reacting and more about controlling the narrative.
Day-to-day challenges in customer care
On paper, the role sounds structured—but in reality, no two days are the same. Some of the most common daily challenges include:
- Incomplete or unclear booking details
Chasing missing information while trying not to delay the shipment - Last-minute changes
Amendments to delivery addresses, quantities, or timelines after the booking is already in motion - Constant follow-ups
Running after updates from carriers, hauliers, or warehouses to keep the customer informed - Managing multiple stakeholders
Aligning operations, customs brokers, transport teams, and the customer at the same time - Handling delays and escalations
Explaining issues like port congestion or customs holds without losing customer trust - Time pressure
Balancing urgent shipments, emails, and internal coordination all at once - Expectation gaps
Customers expecting faster or cheaper solutions than what the market currently allows
These challenges require not just process knowledge, but prioritisation, communication, and quick decision-making.
Why it should be a separate function
In smaller setups, operations teams often handle customer communication directly. That can work—up to a point.
But as volume grows, combining both roles usually leads to:
- Delayed responses
- Miscommunication
- Increased error rates
- Reduced customer satisfaction
Having a dedicated Customer Care team allows:
- Operations to focus on execution
- Customer Care to focus on communication and experience
- Better accountability on both sides
It also creates a more structured and scalable process.
What makes a good customer care team?
It’s not just about being “good with customers.” In freight forwarding, Customer Care needs a mix of technical and soft skills:
- Solid understanding of end-to-end logistics processes
- Awareness of Incoterms, documentation, and customs basics
- Strong communication and stakeholder management
- Ability to prioritise and manage multiple shipments
- A proactive mindset rather than a reactive one
They need to understand the operation almost as well as the operators themselves.
Final thoughts
Moving freight is one thing. Managing the customer experience around that movement is something else entirely.
Customer Care is the function that connects those two.
When done well, it doesn’t just improve communication—it reduces friction, builds trust, and ultimately makes the entire operation more efficient.