01753 776000Working with the wrong courier can create various problems for your business. When an issue does arise, if your courier does little to rectify the situation, it can still have a negative impact on your business. We’ve put together six of the most common courier problems and provided tips on how you can avoid them.
- Late Deliveries
- Goods Delivered in an Unacceptable Condition
- Competitive Pricing
- Delayed Customs Clearance
- Poor Customer Service
- Frequent Service Issues
Late Deliveries
Late deliveries are a problem for both the recipient and the sender. The recipient doesn’t want to wait longer than they need to for their delivery and you don’t want your business to get a bad name for not being able to deliver on schedule. Customers will make plans around the time your courier has specified for delivery, so they’ll be frustrated and inconvenienced if that deadline is missed.
How to Avoid This
One way you can combat this is by conducting extensive research into a courier’s reputation. For example, take a look at their testimonials and reviews before you make a decision. If a courier receives plenty of five-star reviews for timely deliveries, you’ll know that you can trust them to get your goods to their destination on time.
Goods Delivered in an Unacceptable Condition
You want your goods to get there in the condition that you originally sent them in. What you don’t want is for your recipients to contact you, saying that items are broken or unfit for purpose. If this happens, you’ll have to send replacement stock so it’ll be your business that loses out. Your courier should ensure the safe delivery of your goods to the best of their ability.
How to Avoid This
To avoid your goods arriving at their destination in an unacceptable condition, the best thing you can do is work with a reputable courier that will be able to offer advice on safely packing your products. Each and every item should be packed safely and securely so that nothing is damaged or lost during the delivery.
Competitive Pricing
Nobody wants to pay over the odds for a service that they’re not receiving. You need to find the right balance between affordable and wildly expensive. If you choose an option that’s too cheap, there’s a possibility that you may receive poor service.
However, that doesn’t mean the most expensive option will be the best for your business either.
How to Avoid This
As we said, you need to find the right balance between the two extremes. One great way to avoid paying too much for a service you’ll never use is to look for couriers who offer bespoke solutions. This allows you to tailor the service to your specific needs so you won’t be wasting money. When speaking to potential couriers, aim to receive a competitive quote from each of them.
Delayed Customs Clearance
Problems at customs can often cause delays. As we mentioned earlier, late deliveries result in unhappy customers. Your shipment will have to have all the right documentation in order for it to pass through customs without any trouble. Late deliveries can be detrimental to your reputation.
How to Avoid This
In order to get around this, we’d advise you choose a courier that’s well known for having good knowledge and experience with customs. This means that they’re more likely to notice any potential issues that will arise with shipments missing the right documents. The right courier will work with you to get a solution before they’re sent, which in turn will avoid any problems with shipments before they’re even sent.
Poor Customer Service
Rude, unfriendly and unhelpful customer service are three traits that you certainly don’t want to experience with your courier. In any industry, including logistics, polite customer service will go a long way. If something unfortunately goes wrong, you don’t want your business or your customers to be dealing with a bad-mannered person on the other end of the phone. People are generally more forgiving if they’re being treated with respect.
One thing to consider is the level of support that customer services will provide should something go wrong, they should be empathetic and understanding to your situation. The last thing a business will want is something to happen to their delivery and the courier service not to care as it isn’t their goods that are being delivered.
How to Avoid This
During your first touch points of contact with a courier, you’ll be able to gauge whether their customer service is good or poor. Are they polite? A polite manner is important as you don’t want to work with somebody who’s unhelpful and rude. Do they seem willing to help and be patient? If they are, great. But if not, then that’s not a business you should be looking to partner up with.
Frequent Service Issues
From issues such as a quotation being received inaccurately, the pickup not happening as expected or the delivery being sent out to the wrong address, service issues can cause problems with the process. Frequent issues can lead to frequent problems across your business, which is something that’ll definitely tarnish your reputation.
How to Avoid This
Couriers that keep up with the latest technology, i.e. intelligent route planning, are usually the ones that experience the fewest issues. Not only does their innovative system help them manage their day to day operations efficiently but it also allows them to take a proactive approach that means they can deal with problems before they become too serious.
At Crossflight, our intelligent route planning is constantly updated using assessments of our suppliers’ performance. This allows us to be able to find the perfect solution and most efficient routes possible for your packages. The latest technology also ensures that there’s less risk of your items arriving late or being held up at borders.
Choose the Right Courier with Crossflight
So, now you know which mistakes to look out for but do you know how to choose the right courier for your business? You needn’t worry if you’re not sure, we’ve produced a free checklist for you to work out which courier will be the best fit for your business. Download it today and take the first step to streamline your courier process.
