After many twists and turns of Shipping from China to Indonesia, she still told me it was "reliable."
In the freight forwarding industry, the worst thing isn't a customer saying "it's too expensive," but rather a customer saying "forget it."
This month, I completed a DDP shipment from China to Indonesia for an old friend. She runs a small wholesale business in Indonesia, sourcing from multiple suppliers in China—mouse pads, silicone products, pet snacks, toys… a whole variety of items, all needing to be consolidated for shipment.
She said she'd worked with over a dozen freight forwarders before; they were all very enthusiastic when quoting prices, but once something went wrong, they were nowhere to be found. I understand; some people in this industry do operate that way.
But I didn't expect so many setbacks for this shipment.
First setback: Wrong shipping marks.
As the goods arrived at the warehouse, we discovered the shipping marks were incorrect and didn't match the packing list. She had already categorized the goods according to the shipping marks, but the actual goods we received differed from her records.
I said to her, "Did you check the invoices I sent you before?" She checked them and realized that it was indeed a mistake during data entry. Later, we checked everything back and reorganized the shipment before finally getting it right.
She's a businesswoman, not a logistics professional, so mistakes are inevitable. But if the freight forwarder also makes a mistake, the goods won't be shipped.
The second setback: The delivery fee suddenly changed.
After the goods were sorted, news came from Indonesia—the last-mile delivery company adjusted its minimum delivery standard from 0.3 CBM to 0.5 CBM, adding a 100 RMB surcharge for small shipments.
I told her about this, and she was a little unhappy: "Why does your company keep changing?"
I understood her feelings. Anyone would be upset about suddenly incurring extra charges. But I didn't argue with her, only stating three points:
• This is a unified price adjustment by the last-mile delivery company, not a price increase by our company.
• The fee is the actual charge; we haven't increased the price.
• If the shipment is small in the future, I'll try my best to apply for a reduction of this fee.
After listening, she said, "Okay then." She didn't pursue the matter further.
The third setback: Disagreement on payment terms
This was the hardest part. She said, "We've worked with over ten freight forwarders, and they all only pay after the goods arrive. How do you arrange things?"
I said, "I'll arrange the shipment first. After loading, I'll send you the bill of lading confirmation and the vessel name and voyage number, then you can arrange payment."
She hesitated a bit: "What if I paid?"
I said, "Once we receive payment, I'll release the bill of lading, and you can pick up the goods. If you don't pay, you won't be able to clear customs or pick up the goods even after they arrive at the port, and you'll be the one who suffers the loss."
She thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll pay after loading."
Later, the goods were loaded onto the ship, and I sent her the vessel name and voyage number. She transferred the payment that same day and we received the bank slip two days later. I didn't press her for payment through the process.
Let us solve your problem: sales09@senghorlogistics.com
Why did she agree to this method? Because I didn't just make empty promises about payment. I arranged the shipment first, actually loaded the goods onto the ship, and then gave her the evidence. The vessel name and voyage number were irrefutable proof—the goods had already left, not just something I said. She knew the goods had left China, so her trust was based on that.
Later, when she chatted with me, she said, "Actually, I didn't think you were wrong."
It wasn't because I won the argument, but because I got the job done first, then asked for payment. The order was right, and she felt at ease.
The goods arrived. Customs clearance and delivery went smoothly without any problems. After receiving the goods, she sent me a message:
“I didn't expect the shipping to be so fast; my first sea freight order was completed just like that. Reliable.”
This shipment made me realize something:
What customers fear most isn't a high price, but things beyond the price.
• They fear that the quote is all-inclusive, but then there are extra charges after the goods arrive.
• They fear that if there are problems, they can't find anyone, or if they do, they can't solve the problem.
• They fear that the freight forwarder only cares about collecting money, not about delivering the goods safely.
This shipment didn't have a high profit margin. Three things happened along the way, and none of them went smoothly. But in the end, she told me I was "reliable," not because of the low price, but because every time a problem arose, I clearly explained the cause and provided a solution; I didn't shirk responsibility.
In freight forwarding industry, you don't earn a client's trust by avoiding problems altogether. You earn it by how you handle problems when they do occur.
This article is based on a real cargo consolidation case and was written by Vilien, a sales representative at Shenzhen Senghor Sea & Air Logistics Co., Ltd.
Any inquiries about shipping from China, welcome to contact our sales, Vilien.
Send your shipping requirement: sales09@senghorlogistics.com
Post time: Aug-18-2026
