Chapman Freeborn OBC matches the perfect courier for each job

Hiring and keeping loyal couriers is a special skill. Courier capabilities do vary according to Chapman Freeborn OBC Broker, Tom Kanschat.  “We are very picky about finding the perfect match between the customers and the couriers.” There are between 1400 -1600 couriers worldwide but not all of them meet standards.

The relationship process typically begins with a referral from a successful courier or a letter of interest. This is followed by a qualitative survey and a quantitative questionnaire to help determine the suitability for the courier for domestic or international travel or both.

Questions include, what passport and visas they’re holding; do they have Global Entry and of course, proof of current vaccinations. Frequent flyer status is also important. Frequent Flyers often have various benefits, which can result in cost savings to the customer. It can also protect the shipment (and the courier) from being bumped off of a flight.

Previous experience and good manners cannot be stressed enough. Some professional couriers are very busy because they know how to navigate the ins and outs of the flights, connections, customs. “All the couriers are independent contractors, not employees of Chapman Freeborn OBC. The veterans have some tangible skills and they are viewed as an important part of the team, explained Kanschat. Some of them are super loyal and never complain, always available. They send in airport terminal updates, weather alerts and we encourage that.”

Kanschat has experience as a courier, so he knows that expert couriers may bypass long lines because they know there is a shorter line around the corner that the airline crews use. They have taken the same flight a number of times for a customer and now know that taking the train into the city is going to make delivery faster than a cab or an Uber. Integrated technology also helps Kanschat pinpoint where the courier is and all the details of the job in real time.

Chapman Freeborn OBC look for couriers based in airline hub cities like LHR, DFW, HKG, so they are strategically located. Also, dual citizenship – EU citizenship – may be helpful in the future. As the UK and EU are still sorting out the path for various goods. It’s also important to maximize the courier’s schedule as much as possible, for example, from El Paso to London, then on to Frankfurt, then Tokyo and return to El Paso.

Most of the couriers fly for other companies too but may not have the same kind of loyalty.  Once a job is delivered, the courier is done. Chapman Freeborn OBC will stay in touch to learn they have returned safely and hopefully with another mission waiting for them. “It doesn’t happen often but when a flight got canceled on the return, we were able to help find an alternative flight back. Couriers have lost their glasses, jackets, etc. and we try to help them out. It’s a relationship,” said Rob Alleman, Manager, Chapman Freeborn OBC in Los Angeles. There is a team in each of Chapman Freeborn OBC global operations hubs (CGN, HKG, LAX) helping to hire and manage the couriers and keep tabs on details like when passports and visas are expiring.

This kind of expertise is part of what makes hand-carry services invaluable for multinational businesses, which are vulnerable to supply chain delays. Chapman Freeborn OBC has years of experience in providing this service and an in-depth understanding of the legal and operational requirements to carry high-value cargo on flights around the world.