What is Air Cargo Agent?
An air cargo agent is one who is appointed by a shipping line or airline to aid in the process of national or international air freight for seamless shipment and delivery. These agents are usually paid commissions by the airline company in return for their services.
Importance of Air Cargo Agents in E-commerce Shipping and Delivery
An air cargo agent is a shipping expert who assists clients in transporting goods via air and is responsible for handling all operations related to air cargo shipping. Their duties can differ as per their work location and industry. However, they are responsible for reviewing important documents related to import and export and discussing shipping and pricing options with clients. They are also responsible for:-
- Organizing goods into various shipping categories
- Assisting with payment processing and fees
- Finding out the best shipping route
- Negotiating shipping prices
- Communicating with vendors
- Managing cargo loading processes
- Tracing lost parcels and sharing details with clients
- Inspecting and counting items with invoice information
- Estimating costs for customers
- Sharing shipping status with customers
- Monitoring shipments
- Generating shipping documents (bills, reports, and invoices)
Prerequisites for Air Cargo Agent
An air cargo agent is required to have the necessary skills to monitor, manage and assist in every operation related to air cargo shipping. To master their role, they are required to have the following skills:-
- Organizational skills
- Communication
- Adaptable thinking
- Negotiation
- Problem-solving
- Technical knowledge
- Customer service skills
- Computer skills
Use Case With Air Cargo Agent
Consider a company, XYZ has hired an air cargo agent to take care of all its shipping activities. Subsequently, the air cargo agent negotiates air shipping costs, reviews imports and export documents, and even monitors the passage of goods. Therefore, the company gets to ensure a seamless delivery experience for its clients.