5 Tips For Using A Courier Service

Are you going to start using a courier service to regularly make deliveries for your business?  If so, it will help to know the following tips for using their service successfully.

Have The Item Ready To Go Before You Call

One thing to keep in mind about courier services is that they have a lot of couriers traveling around the city at any given time. If you were to call in an order where they need to pick an item up, make sure that the item is ready at the time you make the call. It's possible that a courier will be in your area at the time of the call, and they can be at your door in a matter of minutes.  By having the item ready to go, it helps ensure that the courier isn't waiting around for you to finish packing up your item.

Tell The Size Of The Item

It's very important that you let the courier know the size of the item they are picking up.  You do not know what kind of courier is going to arrive, and if it is a bike messenger, then they may not be able to carry a particularly large item with them. You'll then need to wait for them to send a courier with a car instead.

Tell Them The Delivery Deadline

Letting your courier service know when an item needs to be delivered by can help determine the speed of the service. Expect to pay a premium for an item that needs to be delivered on extremely short notice, but you can usually expect a reduced rate for delivery by the end of the business day. 

Package The Items Together

What makes a courier service unique is that you do not always need official packaging as if you were using a shipping company. They can often just take the item that you are delivering directly from you.  However, it is a good idea to package multiple items together so that they do not get lost. This can be as simple as putting them in a bag so that it is sealed shut, or using a box.  

Label The Item Properly

Make life easier for your courier by labeling the item properly. You can take that bag and stick a simple label on it that shows the address it is going to and the contact information for a recipient. It helps to have a cell phone number that the courier can call when they arrive to help avoid dealing with things like getting through security to get into a building or meeting them curbside for a pickup. 

Keep these tips in mind when looking for a courier delivery service near you.