When it comes to improving customer service and increasing customer retention, selecting the right courier is incredibly important. However, if you’re not sure what factors to consider when choosing a courier service company, this process can be tricky, expensive, and time-consuming.
What to Look For in a Courier Delivery Service Company
There are hundreds of courier companies to choose from in the United States, but not all of them deserve your attention.
Here’s how you can narrow down your courier choices.
1. Look for an End-to-End Solution
An end-to-end solution is classified as something that provides a solution for processes from the beginning of the workflow to the end. End-to-end delivery services, like Dropoff, help businesses with all of their delivery needs, from scheduling a delivery to pick up to tracking to confirmation.
With an end-to-end solution, you barely have to lift a finger. However, you do have to make sure the delivery service you hire also checks off the other important factors, or it won’t matter.
2. Lighting Fast Delivery Speed
49% of shoppers say same-day delivery makes them more likely to shop online. Your customers want lightning-fast delivery, and they may not forgive your company if you miss the scheduled delivery window. You should always choose a courier company that prides itself on its speed.
While looking at different couriers, find a service that can handle a wide variety of shipment options. You shouldn’t compromise on same-day, next-day, or 2-day shipping delivery options.
3. Great Reputation and Reviews
It’s vital that you find a brand and company you can trust. If you find that the courier service you shortlisted has a negative reputation or has a long string of low-star reviews on Trustpilot or Google reviews, pass them up. There’s a good chance they aren’t reliable or trustworthy.
Still, if you also find a company that only has positive reviews, you should be suspicious. If you want to find out the truth, contact their previous customers and ask for their personal opinion.
4. Decent Shipping Prices
While there are customers who are willing to pay for fast shipping, the majority of your buyers want to pay the lowest price possible. On your end, you can mitigate high costs by only offering same-day local delivery or offering free shipping if customers buy up to a certain dollar amount.
At the same time, you should find a courier service that absorbs shipping costs in their pricing model. This will help you see if you’re getting the lowest rates possible from a reputable service.
5. Impeccable Tracking Capabilities
In the past, tracking was a prized add-on that customers would often pay a high fee for. Now, businesses have to provide GPS package tracking, or they’ll really upset their buyers. Not only that, but companies are expected to go the extra mile by offering email and SMS delivery alerts.
Modern courier services should use technology to show your customers where their package is at all times. This gives your buyers peace of mind and can increase confidence in your brand.
6. A Large Delivery Coverage Area
Most local courier services won’t be able to ship your products across the globe, but they should have the fleet to take your business stateside. If you require an international shipping company, ask your courier if they partner with companies like USPS to help ship your packages globally.
Businesses that ship perishables, like medicines or food, should only partner with a service that can keep these items safe. Otherwise, your products may spoil before they get to the customer.