One of the cargo charter brokers at Delta World Charter – Wisam, wakes up at 6am every morning with a strong commercial spirit. Everyday, he works with clients analyzing routes, payloads, dimensions and timelines in order to propose the best-suited cargo aircraft for their requirements. This is not a 9 am to 5 pm role, but demands round-the-clock support needing full dedication and commitment. The demand could be from a middle-east based client, with the solution coming from a completely opposite time zone (e.g United States).
Requests are received from around the globe to transport all types of cargo such as emergency supplies, vehicles, aircraft spare-parts, perishable goods, dangerous goods, high-value goods, live animals, etc. Some requests are at a short notice and may require turnaround time of a few hours. Wisam knows exactly which types of aircraft can carry which loads and how to administer the charter flight.
Based in Dubai, Wisam’s day-to-day tasks amongst many are:
Establishing portfolio of clients by maintaining close contact with existing clients and seeking new clients through research, cold calling, networking, events, online enquiries etc.
Pre-qualification to build and develop a capable, reliable and sustainable supply base of aircraft. Verifying supplier contract thoroughly and ensuring all terms comply with charter agreement.
The broker serves as a veritable link between the aircraft operator and the client, and thus needs to constantly communicate in generating suitable offers for customers and prospects.
Offering competitive pricing to clients and managing cargo charter bookings all the way from enquiry to successful completion.
Assisting clients on the ground to ensure all aspects run smoothly.
Overseeing flights that are being operated even at odd hours.
Build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with customers and operators.
What kind of skills does a charter broker need to succeed?
In order to succeed in the 21st century cargo charter marketplace, cargo charter brokers like Wisam need to have a grasp of the skills below, else all efforts may be headed for naught:
Customer Service & Customer Relationship Management: Providing the highest standard of customer service by being attentive, patient and having the ability to ‘read clients’. That’s not all; it is a process that demands time and effort in developing long-term relationships.
Win-Win Negotiation: In order to help procure the best value for all stakeholders in a timely manner, the broker needs to find a mutually acceptable solution that gives them as much of what they want as possible in a professional manner.
Cargo Charter Broker as a Career
Yes, being a charter broker is not easy and requires a lot of perseverance and notions of multi-tasking. But a taste of the job is enough to keep most going and have faith in its viability as a lucrative career option. It is the one that rewards your management, foresight, communication and strategic thinking skills with competitive compensation. Once, one has a hang of it and gained experience, he may be hard-pressed to find anything more satisfying.
The global air cargo market is expected to reach US$130.12 billion by the end of 2025, expanding at a CAGR of 4.9%. It has evolved tremendously and offers a bustling and rewarding career. Cargo charter brokers get cargo in the air, and on its way, so that their clients can sit back and be rest assured that their cargo shipment would reach from Point A to B in the most cost effective and efficient manner.
Source: www.dwc.aero
