Sameday Courier vs Standard Mail: Which is Better for Business?

Are you having a hard time deciding between sameday courier services and standard mail services?

Courier services are an important part of modern day life nowadays. Everyone from those in the food industry to small local businesses uses courier services to boost the convenience they provide for their respective customers. People have taken such a liking to it that it’s made couriers a staple in any kind of business.

This led to the normalization of courier services though. In an effort to break the mold, businesses have come up with different kinds of courier services to give their customers different options. This then led to the most favored type of shipping, same day delivery services.

The question now is, should you opt for that kind of service do you stick with standard courier services? Read what’s below to know which service is what you need for your business:

1. Delivery Time

First off, let’s knock out the most important aspect of deliveries, the time it takes for your package to get to you. This is the most important part of delivery because it’s a testament to the credit courier services deserve to have.

The standard mail service can vary in this part. Depending on certain factors like the size of your item and its weight, it can take them around 2-3 days to get a package delivered to you. The time it takes it to get to you can get reduced if the package is lighter and smaller.

Same-day delivery services, as they’re named after, can get your package to you on the same day you order it. Of course, there are some limitations to this, such as the distance from the nearest fulfillment center to your house and such. For the most part though, services won’t offer you this option if they cannot deliver on their word.

They may even offer specific times so the customer knows when to expect their arrivals. A useful feature for customers who like plotting their schedules ahead of time.

2. Quality of Service

Standardized delivery services don’t have much to make their quality of services stand out. For the most part, they do the job they’re paid to do, they take your package and get it to you in whatever way they see fit.

It’s also worth noting they get more than thousands of packages to deliver every day. This means there’s no room for special treatment for your items. You can expect them to be less than gentle with the way they handle your package.

Couriers providing express services have a higher standard of service quality. This is because there’s a lot of information about it before you can opt for this service. For example, some services allow you to view the information on your designated courier.

This makes it so you can hold them accountable for any damage made while your item is en route. It reflects on their record when something goes amiss, so you can expect great care for your package.

3. Security

Express services are not perfect for their security leaves much to desire. Many people choose these services on a regular basis. Focusing that on a small area, that means a lot of packages for one courier.

This can lead to some complications like mismatched packages and such. Also, the pressure of making the marked time may get to an individual, leading to instances where they skip certain addresses to keep up with their timelines.

Though that’s not to say they don’t have some unique ways to cope with what they lack. For example, some ask for the signature of the receiver before surrendering the item. They also need you to leave a letter of authority to the receiver if you’re not there when they deliver your item.

Standard services have it better in this case. Their timetable allows their couriers to be more relaxed. This makes it so they can check everything off before handing over the package.

Problems occur when an item becomes lost in circulation. This happens more often than not because of the sheer number of orders they have to handle. If your item has a lot of value staked on it, it may not be a good idea to opt for the standard option.

4. Variety of Options

Mail services may offer different options when you want them to deliver something, but they often don’t follow through. They won’t come in the specified time, they may contact you out of the blue to tell you they can’t deliver to your location, or they leave your packages to complete strangers,

When it comes to express couriers though, you get what you ask for and more. For instance, they will never fail to keep track of your package. They will even give you the ability to track where your package is at the current moment.

Also, they give you options like last mile delivery services and warehousing services. In short, they have services to fit your needs whatever they may be. They always follow through, too.

This is because most of the time, they’re an independent service provider. This means they only have their reputation at stake when they make deliveries. One bad customer review can affect how others view their reliability.

5. Pricing

The great thing about standard mail services is they have a fixed rate for packages. It all depends on your item’s weight for the most part. Some include the distance of the destination when they’re estimating a price.

Often, their prices are more affordable than you expect. You also don’t need to worry about an unexpected surge. This is because they always post a notice if prices are to change any time soon.

Same day services though have a price associated with their services. This makes sense because of the convenience they provide their customers.

Know Whether to Choose a Sameday Courier or Standard Services Today

Sameday courier services have an edge over standard services in a lot of ways. What you end up choosing should still reflect how important your package is though. Evaluate your item and make a choice now!

Looking for a great courier service? Need It Now Courier is the choice for you! Contact Need It Now Courier and have your package delivered to you in the way you want.

LTL and FTL Ship Strategies to Make the Most of Your Money

About 71% of freight ends up getting moved on trucks. This is the most cost-effective way to get large shipments across the country. 

When looking to book your freight shipment, it can be easy to fall into what you are comfortable and familiar with. The freight process is complicated enough with many moving parts, why purposefully add more? 

This complacency can be costing you money. If you aren’t fully utilizing your LTL and FTL ship strategies, then it is time to reevaluate your shipping methods. 

Start using these strategies to optimize your shipping methods and make the most of your budget. 

Choosing FTL Shipping 

As a rule of thumb, full truckload shipping is more expensive than the less than truckload. But if you have a lot of product to move, this is the ideal choice. You can load up to 40,000 pounds on a single truck. 

This method tends to be faster. This is because there is no need to move the freight between trucks to get it to its final destination. 

You also get more security with this method of shipping. Again, because your shipment is put on the truck and then not taken off until it arrives at the destination. There is no risk of loss, theft, or accidental misplacement on the wrong truck. 

Choosing LTL Shipping 

This is the ideal shipping method for small freight shipments. It is cheaper than FTL because the carrier is combining your shipment with many other shipments to fill a single truck. 

The price you pay for the lower cost comes with longer shipping times. This type of shipping gives businesses more flexibility though. 

National carriers that offer LTL shipping tend to have extensive networks of shipping lanes. This gives businesses many solutions for getting their shipments to anywhere in the country. 

Are You Using These LTL and FTL Ship Strategies?

When it comes to quoting your freight shipment, you could be wasting more money than you realize. Use these strategies to help you choose the right method for your shipping needs. 

Know Your Dimensions and Class 

One of the biggest mistakes shippers make is estimating their dimensions and weight. Get these wrong, and you end up using the wrong NMFC class for your shipping quote. 

This can result in a difference in price that is hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Carriers depend on the information you give them to plan out which shipments will go on which truck for transport. 

If the carrier has to reweigh or rework a truckload, this will be costly for them. The carrier will turn around and pass this cost off on to you by readjusting your freight class. 

It is the shipper’s responsibility to report the correct information for their shipment. 

Choosing Between LTL and FTL 

One to three pallets will generally be cheaper when you choose LTL over full truckload. When you start having five to six pallets, it will become more affordable to choose full truckload. 

Of course, this greatly depends on the size and weight of your pallets. 

Consider Your Origin and Destination 

When a carrier dedicates an entire truck to your shipment, they are losing that truck in their rotation. This can result in lost profit for the carrier. 

Because of this, the carrier will charge you extra if the truck has to drive out of the carrier’s standard shipping lanes. When looking for a carrier, you will want to find one that regularly ships to your origin and destination locations. 

Choosing Between LTL and FTL 

If you can ship your load by LTL, you may get a price break on shipping to a more remote location. The carrier will hold your shipment until they have enough loads to fill the truck, then take all of the shipments to the remote area. 

This lowers the cost for the shippers and makes the trip worth it for the carrier. 

If you need to ship by full truckload, try looking on load boards. You may find a shipper that is already scheduled to your remote origin location. You can score a discount by booking the truck’s return trip. 

Get Creative with Your Options 

Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box when it comes to how you arrange your shipment. You may find that using multiple carriers and shipping solutions will get you the best price. 

For example, you can combine multiple shipments to create a full truckload and send it to the carrier’s terminal for the region. You save by combining shipments and having convenient locations for the carrier. 

Then arrange for a final mile service to take your individual shipments the final leg of their journey. These services have more focused efforts and trucks available in a smaller geographic area. This means they can give you a better price for the local shipments than the national carrier. 

Doing this will get the shipment to the customer faster also. Instead of everyone waiting for one truck to make many stops, multiple trucks will deliver at the same time. 

Start Saving Money on Your Freight

Choosing the right LTL and FTL ship strategies is all about knowing your options. Be sure to measure and weigh your shipment correctly so that you can get accurate quoting. 

Get quotes for both LTL and full truckload. Get creative with your shipments to create a solution that both works for your needs and is budget friendly. 

Get a quote for your final mile and other shipping needs today.