When you excitedly open the packaging of your new gadget you probably aren’t thinking about the effort that went into getting it to you in perfect condition. Of course you may not be concerned as you’ve taken out transit insurance. However, the manufacturer needs to be aware of this.
After all, if the fault is with them your insurance company will be claiming the funds from them; effectively costing them twice.
This is why they spend hours devising the best way to protect items in transit.
The Right Packaging
To help any item arrive in good condition it needs to be packed so that it can’t move round. This is why phones arrive in specially designed boxes. The phone is held secure in the top section and the other pieces packed below; minimizing movement and the potential for damage.
When shipping in bulk the packaging is also designed to fit perfectly into a larger box; giving an exact number per row which can be multiplied to find the right number in a box.
Safety Extras
No matter how good the packaging is this won’t stop the item being thrown round during transit. This may be poor handling by the transit operators or it may be due to sharp braking or other external factors that can’t be avoided.
This can lead to the item being bashed on the side of the van, another package or even an item going through the packaging.
These signs will be fairly obvious and the packaging will protect the item in most situations.
But, it can be harder to tell if the device has been subject to extreme temperatures. That’s where safety solutions step in. A simple sensor is fitted to the box which is set for a specific temperature variation. If the box is subject to conditions colder or warmer than these parameters then the alarm will sound and an indicator will show on the box.
This means that the recipient can reject the parcel as there is a good chance the product will not work properly.
The Delivery Company
The final piece of the protection in transit puzzle is the courier or delivery service. Manufacturers need to choose a company that offers a high level of service at a competitive price. This can be difficult to balance as the price of postage is a key element of convincing a buyer to purchase the item from one supplier over another.
A good delivery service will be committed to providing the very best handling service for all the items it carries; helping to reassure the manufacturer and you that you’ll get your order in pristine condition.
When these 3 elements join together properly the delivery process is a smooth and impressive process. Unfortunately there are still too many times when this is not the case. The delivery service and the manufacturer may argue over blame but it’s the consumer that is left waiting for their product. The damage to a company’s reputation can be considerable.
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AFP
