Shipping to Colombia, Mateo Didn't Choose Us at First, but Later Regretted It

Shipping to Colombia, Mateo Didn't Choose Us at First, but Later Regretted It

On May 29th, I received an inquiry from Mateo, a customer from Colombia, about shipping a batch of dishwashing sponges (5.4 CBM/450 KG) to Colombia.

It was late Friday, almost closing time, and the airline office had already closed. I gave Mateo a quote, but he didn't respond immediately, likely because he was still looking for other logistics companies or maybe busy with other matters.

The following Monday, Mateo told me he found a lower price and asked if we could match it. Mateo is the type of customer who only looks at price, not service. Many people shipping to Colombia focus solely on cost, but price is just one part of the equation. Price, speed, and service all matter—each plays a crucial role. If there are no issues, it's fine, but when problems arise, that's when you see the real difference in how logistics companies handle issues and take responsibility. Many of our customers shipping to Colombia come back to us because of the quality of our service.

We've worked with industry giants like Huawei, Costco, and SF Express, along with over a hundred other major companies. Partnering with such large firms is proof of our reliability and cost-effectiveness. Big companies are very thorough when choosing a logistics partner; they assess the company's strength, scale, service capabilities, background, and history of disputes, and they even conduct site visits before signing contracts.

So, I regretfully informed Mateo that we couldn't match the price, and he understood. The next day, Mateo told me he found an airline service flying from Hong Kong to Colombia and needed help with the Shanghai to Hong Kong leg. To save costs for him, I suggested options including direct flights from Shanghai to Hong Kong or a route via Shenzhen. Later, it seemed his supplier and Mateo coordinated, so they handled delivery to Shenzhen, and then from Shenzhen to Hong Kong.

Everything was going smoothly until Mateo's Hong Kong logistics agent became unreachable. I was worried! My WhatsApp messages were being read but not answered, and calls weren't going through. Due to the time difference, I left a message for Mateo asking him to help sort it out. When we finally got in touch with the agent, their responses were painfully slow.

Normally, you need a warehouse number or entry paper for delivery, but the Hong Kong agent took forever to provide these, so the goods sat in Shenzhen without moving to Hong Kong. If items aren't delivered promptly at the port, extra charges rack up, which isn't cost-effective for the customer. I explained this to Mateo. After many back-and-forths, we finally got all the necessary documents and arranged the cross-border delivery.

This experience shows why some logistics companies can offer lower quotes—because they cut corners on service. You get what you pay for. To maintain operations with low prices, they have to compromise on efficiency and service quality.

Just when things were at their peak, Mateo's payment agent informed us there was an issue with their account, and all payments would be delayed. This made me a bit anxious, as it violated the contract terms and could pose risks. However, not arranging delivery due to delayed payment would incur even more costs.

I didn't hide my concerns and explained them directly to Mateo. He understood and reassured me by sharing his details and promising that payment would be made before delivery. I chose to trust him. Luckily, the payment arrived on the same day I delivered the goods. A few days later, Mateo told me that he received everything intact.

Even though we only handled a small part of the shipping to Colombia, Mateo felt our genuine service throughout. He was touched and said we were one of the few truly responsible logistics companies. We didn't shirk responsibility when issues arose; instead, we actively found solutions, which is what a responsible logistics company should do. Mateo mentioned he has another shipment coming in a week, and he will definitely work with us again.

Opening up to customers, offering solutions, and wholeheartedly resolving issues when they occur leaves a lasting impression, paving the way for future cooperation.

We have our dedicated foreign trade warehouse at Yantian Port, one of only three among 60,000 peers in Shenzhen. We also own an 1,800-square-meter A-grade office space, ranking us among the top three in the industry. Plus, we have our own fleet of container trucks, which only 10% of our peers possess. Feel free to contact me if you need any assistance!