siberX Shipping extends telephone service across Pacific trading hours

VANCOUVER, B.C. — siberX Shipping is expanding telephone availability for its Vancouver-facing brokerage operations, giving customers more opportunities to discuss cargo arrangements outside local business hours.

The maritime cargo brokerage, which operates across 14 international offices, says the expanded service is intended to make coordination easier for businesses whose suppliers, customers and shipping partners work on different schedules.

For Vancouver-area importers and exporters, an afternoon enquiry can coincide with the start of the next business day in parts of Asia. Changes made overseas can likewise arrive after a local office has closed.

“Sometimes you don’t need a long conversation. You need to get the next step moving before the other side finishes their day,” said a Lower Mainland importer who regularly arranges Pacific shipments.

The expanded availability uses an automated telephone assistant to handle routine enquiries and gather details about proposed shipping arrangements. Customers can discuss rates, booking requests and routing preferences, with written summaries following the conversation. Requests requiring additional attention are referred to the appropriate brokerage team.

A siberX Shipping spokesperson described the service as a way to make enquiries easier to carry between offices.

“Our customers work across time zones,” the spokesperson said. “The aim is to let them move a conversation forward when it suits their business, with the relevant details available for follow-up.”

One Vancouver-area logistics coordinator said the practical benefit would be spending less of the morning catching up on questions sent overnight.

“If we can discuss an arrangement in the evening and have the summary ready for the next person, that makes the handover easier,” the coordinator said.

The company said customers would continue to use their established account contacts for complex arrangements and shipment-specific support.

For businesses coordinating cargo across the Pacific, the appeal is straightforward: fewer enquiries waiting for an office to open, and more flexibility about when to make the call.

Following the risk behind the ROI. — Leila Park