As a business owner, you need to be able to rely on your shipping company for prompt deliveries and secure shipments. If you’ve looked online for a courier service company, you’ve likely run across a long list of small and large couriers. Knowing which one will be best for your business, offering you the peace of mind you deserve, can be challenging.
To help you weed through all the poor choices for couriers and find the one that will work hard for you, ask each courier the following questions before hiring one.
How Reliable Are Your Drivers?
The drivers set the pace for how well packages and documents are delivered. If the drivers don’t care about their job and don’t have standards to meet, your shipments could arrive late and/or damaged. So, before hiring a courier, it’s essential to ask them about their drivers. A good company will have performed background checks on their drivers and have them fully insured. You will also know the drivers are dependable if they are wearing uniforms.
How Big Is Your Current Fleet?
Whether you are only looking to ship a few packages a month or several each week, you should be concerned with the size of the courier’s fleet. If they only have a few trucks and drivers, your packages may arrive at their destination well past their delivery date. You’ll want to ensure the company has enough resources to support their current demands and yours.
How Do You Protect Packages?
In addition to hiring competent, dependable drivers, how else does the courier company protect your shipments? You’ll want to find out how they sort, load, secure, and unload packages, as well as if they provide insurance against damages caused by handling. You can also ask if their trucks are insulated to protect your shipments from harsh weather conditions. It’s important to note what safety precautions the company offers its clients.
How Will You Keep Me Updated?
Unfortunately, shipping delays occur at no fault of the courier company. The weather may have prevented on-time delivery, or an incorrect address may have caused the order to be canceled. How will your courier notify you of such changes? You’ll need to know their standard procedure for cases like this so that you can come up with a backup plan on your end.
You should also inquire about notification options. Can you receive shipping updates through email or an app? Will you be given a confirmation of delivery? All of this information is important for helping you run a successful business.
Do You Offer Same-Day Delivery?
Business moves quickly and changes rapidly. For this reason, you need an emergency courier on your side to provide express deliveries when you need them most. While reviewing prospective couriers, be sure to ask about their delivery options, specifically if they offer same-day or overnight deliveries. These services could save your business in a pinch.
What Are Your Package Restrictions?
Confirm with the courier company any of their package restrictions. Take note of their rules for packaging and find out if there’s anything they will absolutely not deliver. Additionally, ask them if they have any package weight restrictions. Even if this weight exceeds your needs at the moment, you’ll want to take note of these guidelines so you can be sure to hire a courier that can support your business growth in the future.
Hiring the Best Couriers for Your Business
While there may be dozens of courier services to choose from, only one is suitable for your business. We believe if you ask the questions above, you will see that Wanner’s Transport & Delivery is the reliable, experienced, and professional box truck and cargo van courier business you need on your side. For exceptional customer service and on-time deliveries, contact us today!
