When choosing the right courier company to represent your business, it’s important that you gather the right information to make an informed decision. Using an unlicensed or unreliable courier company could cost you a lot of time and money.
Here are ten things to consider when choosing a courier company for your business.
Do they have a licence?
It’s important to ensure that your chosen courier business is licensed to deliver parcels. You should also ask if they have courier insurance in place. If the answer is no, you should walk away and take your custom elsewhere.
Using an unlicensed courier, could harm the reputation of your brand. You also run the risk of your parcels being lost or stolen, as there is no guarantee they will reach their final destination.
Do they look professional?
A courier company’s overall appearance and professionalism can give you an indication of how well your goods will be handled. It’s also worth remembering that a courier company’s vans and drivers can be a reflection of your business.
It’s wrong to judge a book by its cover, but if a courier pulls up to your customer’s address in an unclean and old car, it won’t give a good impression of your brand and may make customers feel wary about ordering from you in the future..
Remember: the biggest company isn’t necessarily the best
The more well-known courier companies may make the most noise, but they aren’t necessarily the best in the business. Shop around and look at smaller, local courier businesses before making a decision.
Don’t let cost be the only factor when choosing a courier
It may be tempting to just use the cheapest courier out there, but cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean good value for money. Compare prices and see what you actually get for your cash with each company.
Do they have recommendations?
When choosing a courier to represent your business, it’s important to check their recommendations. Unless they’re a brand new company (in which case, they should be cheaper than everyone else), walk away if they don’t have good recommendations.
Can they deliver your parcels?
If you are going to be having unconventional parcels delivered (i.e. live food, perishables or large objects), it’s important to check with a courier to see if they are insured to deliver these types of products.
Are there any hidden charges?
Check with the courier company before using a service to check whether there are any hidden charges you may not know about. These could include charges for delivering in the morning or evenings, or additional fees for heavier parcels.
Always ask for the final price before committing.
How is the best way to contact them?
Ask the courier company how they prefer to be contacted and make sure that this is acceptable for you. Should something go wrong, you need to be able to contact the courier in an emergency.
Do they offer a next day delivery service?
Most courier companies do offer a next day delivery service, but it’s worth asking just in case.
Where can they deliver to?
Make sure that the courier company is okay deliver to the destinations that your parcels need to reach. This is especially important if you are delivering goods to outside of the UK.
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