Courier services across the world are making it easier for companies to expand into virtual shopping. They can reach much larger audiences and grow in revenue. At first, businesses had to invest in other areas such as personnel, office space and technology infrastructure. Today, a large proportion of businesses involve the transfer of goods between warehouses, collection points and couriers. This means that there is a higher demand for faster and same-day delivery.
Finding a solution is difficult. What works with one company may not work as well for another. Finding a courier provider that is 100% to your liking takes a lot of effort. It is important to know if they offer same-day, on-demand or next-day delivery however it is also crucial that you find a courier that you have a good relationship with. Leaving no question unanswered and making sure that you do not come across unnecessary difficult situations.
What Courier Services and Delivery Options Do They Offer?
Knowing what type of courier service you need is the first step in getting a provider. If you are in an area like retail or healthcare you will need same day or next day delivery options. You must also know what they specialise in; some companies focus on delivering within cities, others are better for long distance deliveries across the country. Some business do international deliveries as well as domestic.
Flexibility is another key attribute that you need to match to your business. You should check if they offer flexible time functions if that’s what your business requires, otherwise you can use a company who have strict delivery windows.
How Much Do Courier Providers Charge?
Of course for any business the cost will be at the centre of your decision making. Request a quote from any couriers you are interested in and they should be willing to provide an honest and transparent quote for the entire service. You will want to find a service that offers you a balance between a reasonable price and quality service.
Research Customer and Client Reviews
Doing your own research into a company and what others say about it is particularly revealing. A service may seem very good by what they offer on their website but you should look elsewhere to see what others are saying about them.Review sites are very useful for this. You can also often see what clients a courier service has and check with them to see if they are satisfied. Poor Customer Service, long delays and incomplete jobs are red flags when it comes to selecting your service.
What Extra Features Do They Offer?
Once you are happy that a service is reliable you can look to see what other benefits they offer. For example, parcel tracking is very popular with customers as it allows them to see how far along the process the delivery is. Other services to look out for are; Proof of Delivery, personalisation options, security and special requests. Check out one of our favourite couriers here.