Looking to hire a courier service for your business? If so, there are several important factors to consider when choosing courier companies you need to know.
In 2019, there were over 100 billion parcels shipped worldwide. When you break this down, this amounts to 3,000 parcels being shipped every second.
This astonishing figure is due to the dramatic rise in online shopping over the past 10-15 years. It’s now easier than ever for consumers to buy goods online and have them delivered to their doors.
In fact, this is a preferred method of shopping for many people. As such, e-commerce businesses are expected to offer a fast and reliable delivery service to keep competitive.
So, hiring the right courier company is key to pleasing and retaining customers.
In this article, we’ll share seven things to consider and look out for when hiring a courier for your business. By doing this, you’ll separate the good from the bad and find someone great.
Read on for more information.
-
Do They Have Positive Reviews?
When you search for local courier companies, the results can be overwhelming.
There are going to be many couriers to choose from who all claim to offer the greatest service. But unfortunately, not all of them will be suitable for your business, so it’s important to filter some out.
One of the most effective ways to do this is by reading online reviews. This will give you an insight into their customer satisfaction rating and alert you to possible issues.
Whilst reading the customer reviews, look out for any common problems such as:
- Poor customer service
- Rude staff
- Damaged packages
- Late deliveries
Just remember, all companies will have some negative reviews. Plus, certain customers are never satisfied and will overreact to the smallest of issues.
As long as there are far more positive reviews than negative ones, the courier should be ok.
Finally, we suggest only reading reviews on their Google My Business page. These tend to be genuine, whereas reviews on other sites can be fake.
-
What’s Their Experience Level?
It’s a much safer option to hire a courier company with many years of experience. If they have been operating for a while, then it shows they’re doing something right.
Usually, you can find out how long they’ve been in business on their website. If you can find someone who has been around for over 10 years, then it shows they’re fully established.
In contrast, avoid those who have only been around for a short while. You have no idea whether they’re satisfying customers or can overcome obstacles.
-
How Fast Can They Deliver?
Due to technological advancements, people have become more impatient than ever before. No one seems to plan ahead, and we expect everything available at the push of a button.
As a result, businesses are under immense pressure to deliver goods at a fast pace. And if you cannot provide this service, then you’ll struggle.
So, when analyzing courier service options, focus on their delivery speeds.
Ideally, you want to hire a courier who can offer several options including, a next-day or even same-day service. This is simply because certain customers won’t buy from you if they cannot receive it ASAP.
-
Where Do They Deliver?
Some businesses only ship products to certain areas, whereas others ship goods worldwide.
Before you start your search, identify all the locations that you ship to. Then when you are speaking to a potential courier, ask straight away if they deliver to these areas.
If they do, then great, but if not, look elsewhere. You don’t want to waste your time going through the negotiations only to find out they can’t meet your needs.
-
Can They Offer Tracking?
Tracking is a useful add-on to customers, especially if the products are valuable. It doesn’t matter how great or careful a courier is, parcels will get lost.
If this has ever happened to you, you’ll know the frustration that it causes. And from a business perspective, it costs money. So, if packages are lost regularly, it’s going to have a negative impact.
So it’s a good idea to ask the courier company whether they can track parcels. Ultimately tracking will prevent a lot of problems and stress for you and your customers.
-
Are They Professional?
Whenever one of their drivers delivers a parcel for you, they are representing your business. In fact, many people think of the driver as one of your employees.
So, you want to ensure that the courier is professional, reliable, and reflects your company values. And to determine this, you should ask to meet a few of them.
Please take note of how they greet you and how clean their uniform is. First impressions count, so you want it to be great.
-
What’s Their Customer Service Like?
As we mentioned before, issues can arise, like parcels being lost. So, the courier must have a superb customer service team.
When you first contact them, you’re probably going to speak to a customer service representative. So, you should pay attention to how professional they are and consider the following:
- Were they polite?
- Were they patient?
- Were they helpful?
All great customer service agents have these qualities. So, if the answer is no to any of these questions, then look elsewhere.
What to Look For When Choosing Courier Companies
As you can see, choosing courier companies isn’t difficult as long as you know what to look for.
These factors are the most important, and you shouldn’t ignore them. Remember, the courier you hire will play a big part in the daily running of your business. So, it’s important to pick someone professional and reliable.
Finally, contact our friendly customer support team if you would like information about our courier services.
