Businesses rarely use a postal service to transport their important documents and parcels anymore. Couriers have become the number one choice for ensuring a package gets to the destination quickly and affordably.
How does a business choose the right courier for the job, and how does their service vary from that of a postal service? Let’s look at the answers to these questions and determine how to choose the right courier for your business.
The Difference Between Couriers and Postal Service
There are a few notable differences between couriers and the postal service. Generally speaking, couriers have more delivery options at a better price. They can schedule a delivery for a particular day, rather than providing an estimation. In many cases, they provide tracking numbers, so you know exactly where your parcel is on the map.
Depending on where you are located, regular mail is usually a government service, and thus must adhere to the budgets and bureaucracy of a government organization. Customer service is not always to the same standard as a courier, as the latter must compete against other businesses of the same nature in the private sector. Postal services have developed courier-like packages, but they are limited.
Characteristics of a Great Courier Service
In a nutshell, a great courier service is dedicated to delivering your packages quickly and safely. Pricing is a significant factor when deciding on which courier service to use. When you determine the size of the parcel you need to send, compare and contrast pricing amongst competing couriers to determine which ones offer the best rates. You may find that some are similar, while others are far cheaper or more expensive. Your best bet is to evaluate the ones that fall in the middle.
Experts at Irish Parcels know that customers want more than just low prices when it comes to delivering their important goods. Aside from transporting documents and parcels, many product-based businesses build a rapport with a courier to deliver goods to their customers. Delays and damage reflect poorly not on the courier, but on the business itself. Therefore, working with a reliable courier is of the utmost importance.
A reliable courier will handle your items with care and adhere to the timelines you agreed upon. In the event of poor weather or traffic delays, you will be notified either through a comprehensive tracking system– a must for modern couriers– or via their customer service. Evaluating a courier’s customer service may even outrank the pricing implications, as it can make all the difference when a problem arises.
Insurance and Compensation
Despite the best-laid plans, things happen over which we have no control. Bad weather might delay the delivery of an important parcel before the holidays. Mishandling or a traffic accident can result in damage to your product.
Before deciding upon which courier to use for your goods, make sure you are clear on their insurance and compensation policies. Will they cover the full cost of your damaged goods? Is there a cap on what they will cover? Can you purchase additional insurance for high-value items? These are all important things to understand, especially if you sell high-value items to your clientele.
Pick Up Options
Another thing to understand when working with a courier is whether they have a pick up option or if you will have to take your parcel to a depot. If it’s a one-off shipment, it’s not unreasonable to take a package to the center directly. However, many couriers offer regularly scheduled pickups for businesses who ship things daily. Alternatively, they may have the option to call for a pick up or request a pick up online.
Taking the time to understand the offerings and inclusions with different courier companies will save you time and money in the long run. Ensuring your products and documents get where they need to be is a significant puzzle piece in the bigger picture of success.
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