What Can Courier Companies Do for Your Business?

same day delivery

If your day to day delivery requirements have an impact on your success and reputation, you may need something more than UPS or FedEx.

Fortunately, courier companies offer a number of options the large parcel delivery services can’t provide. It may be time to make a switch.

But exactly what does a courier service do for you? If you’re asking yourself this question, keep reading.

We’re going over some of the primary benefits of using a courier service and how they can help your business.

Fast Service

Whether you’re sending products out to customers or need business documents delivered across town, speed is always important.

A courier company can provide you with a level of timeliness the larger parcel services can’t. Couriers offer a much more personalized experienced, pacing your needs as their top priority.

When you hire a courier, they can show up when requested and will guarantee your package makes it to its destination on time. This is a level of service UPS or FedEx doesn’t have the ability to provide.

With them, your delivery gets grouped in with the rest. Even if you pay for faster service, there’s no guarantee it will arrive when promised.

In addition, a courier company is available 24/7 and can even provide service on holidays. This comes in handy if you have an emergency delivery.

Professional couriers also have an intimate knowledge of the city and know the best routes to take in order to ensure prompt delivery. With postal services, you never know for sure.

Reliability and Care

Damaged or missing items could mean a loss of business. Knowing your package is in good hands is an invaluable service, especially when shipping important documents or products.

You’ve likely heard stories about packages getting abused and damaged by the larger parcel services. Maybe you’ve experienced this yourself.

When you use a professional courier, you eliminate this worry. They understand the importance of your delivery and will handle it with care.

One reason you can trust your package with a courier is that they’re handling fewer deliveries at once. They’re not throwing you package in the back of a truck with a hundred others.

For salaried couriers, they have an obligation to provide good service for every customer. If they don’t, they could lose their job.

Many courier companies also offer freight services with the same level of care and reliability. Regardless of the size of the item, you get to have the peace of mind it’ll arrive safely and on time.

Cost-Effectiveness

Depending on your shipping needs, using traditional methods could be extremely expensive. There’s a good chance a courier service will provide better rates. Plus, you get more personalized care for the money.

Courier companies don’t have the same fees and regulations as the large parcel services. Instead, they offer different options such as flat-rate or per-mile.

Choosing to enter into a contract with a courier can make your daily delivery requirements much more cost-effective. You’ll know upfront how much you’ll pay each week, which makes forming and adhering to a budget much easier.

If you often ship heavy objects, you’ll likely see huge savings. Courier services typically don’t charge exorbitant amounts for items over a certain weight. They can also offer discounted rates for shipping larger volumes.

The cost-effectiveness of a courier can also allow you to provide better shipping rates to your customers. This is great for client retention.

You can often get online quotes from couriers, so you’ll know upfront how much you’re about to spend.

Better Customer Service

The customer experience you’ll get is one of the biggest benefits of using a courier service. What’s even better is this customer service is extended to the recipients of your deliveries as well.

Couriers are trained to provide a professional, personalized experience for every customer. This is one of the things that sets them apart from traditional parcel services.

They maintain a good appearance, are polite and have quality vehicles. This means a lot to businesses who have high delivery requirements. A courier’s professionalism is an extension of your business and can help maintain a good reputation.

On your end, you’ll enjoy a level of customer support the large parcel companies don’t have the resources to provide. This includes online ordering, phone support, easy tracking, and instant quotes for every type of service they provide.

Courier companies can also send electronic proof of delivery, so you know the second your package arrives. This could be by phone or email.

Streamlining the entire delivery process is what courier companies are all about. Postal services simply don’t have the resources to provide this level of service.

More Delivery Options

When working with an established courier company, fast delivery service isn’t the only thing available to you. Many companies offer a full range of shipping and storage options.

This may include warehousing service for items that need to be stored until a future shipping date. They may also offer refrigerated services for perishable items.

These services are great for online retail businesses and companies that need help storing inventory until a specific delivery date.

You’ll also be able to take advantage of pre-scheduled deliveries and same-day delivery. Regardless of your business’s needs, a reliable courier service can become your one-stop resource for all your delivery needs.

Discover How Courier Companies Can Help Your Business

If traditional shipping methods are no longer getting the job done for your business, it’s time to hire a courier service. Not only can they provide faster service, courier companies can offer a number of other resources that will help your business function smoothly.

Consider your daily shipping needs and determine what kind of commitment you need from a courier. Regardless of what you need, finding a professional service will solve a number of problems at once.

We offer a full range of courier and warehousing solutions in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area. Contact us today to learn what we can do for you.

How to Ship a Cake for a Special Event

Cake Delivery

You can ship cakes to people across huge distances. This can expand your business and make you more money.

But first, take a look at this guide to learn how to ship a cake safely.

Pick Your Cake

When you’re shipping a cake, dense, moist cakes are always a better choice. Things like pound cakes, carrot cakes, and fruitcakes tend to ship well. Though you can ship any type of cake, light cakes are much more likely to crumble and break during the trip.

Cakes steeped in things like syrups and liqueur are also ideal shipping cakes. Because they are infused with the syrup, these cakes are less likely to fall apart.

If your cake has some kind of cream filling, you’ll need to make sure you ship it correctly, especially if the cream is dairy based. Anything made from eggs or other dairies must be refrigerated at all times.

This doesn’t mean you can’t ship these cakes, but it does mean you’ll need to make sure you keep the cake at the right temperature during shipment. If you don’t, the filling can spoil and give your clients food poisoning.

Pick Your Frosting

Again, if this frosting is dairy based, you’ll need to ensure your cake stays properly cooled during the shipping process.

But you should avoid shipping cakes with delicate, fluffy frosting or a lot of intricate designs. These might not hold up well during the trip.

For example, the frosting on your cake can start melting if the temperature gets too warm. This will leave whoever opens the cake with a sticky, slimy, mess.

Fondant holds up a lot better. It will hold its shape and won’t stick to the packaging if things get a little warm.

If you have delicate or intricate cakes, save those ones for hand deliveries only. Shipping cakes like that will only lead to disappointed customers and a damaged reputation.

Prepare Your Cake for Shipment

You should always freeze a cake before you ship it.

This will actually set the icing in place and help the cake stay together and keep its shape. It also keeps the cake cool, which will, in turn, keep the cake fresh.

You should put the cake in the freezer at least 12 to 24 hours before you’re ready to package it. This will ensure its completely frozen through.

Once frozen, wrap the cake in plastic wrap so it’s completely covered and wrap that layer in aluminum foil. This will both give the cake some support and keep the cold temperatures inside the wrapping.

The cake will start to thaw during shipment, but that’s what you want. Thawing will keep the cake moist and fresh.

How to Ship a Cake

Becuase you want the cake to arrive at its final destination in good condition, you must package cakes very carefully and treat them like a fragile item (because they actually are).

These shipping instructions will help your cake stay in one piece during the delivery.

Put the Cake in a Styrofoam Cooler

A styrofoam cooler will keep the cake from getting too warm.

First, put the cake in the cooler. Then line the cake with some kind of frozen gel packs to keep the cooler nice and cold.

For the best results, put the cooler in the refrigerator before packaging the cake. This way the cooler will already be the temperature you want, and the gel packs will work better.

If you can’t find a styrofoam cooler, you can also…

Put the Cake in a Specially Designed Cake Box

These are essentially the same things as styrofoam coolers.

They are made from foam insulation so the inside will stay cool, but they are also cut to the exact shape of a cake. Most of them also come with compartments in the bottom for frozen gel packs.

Put the Cake and Cooler in Another Box

Whatever cooler you decide to use, putting the whole thing in a cardboard box is your next step.

Spread a layer of foam peanuts on the bottom of the cardboard box. Having these peanuts underneath the cake will keep it from sliding around during shipment.

Place the cooler on top of the foam peanuts and fill in any remaining gaps with more foam peanuts. When the box is completely full and secure, place another layer of foam peanuts on top of the cooler as well.

This should prevent the cooler from moving and damaging the cake.

Tape the Box Shut

Use packing tape, and make sure you put several layers over every seam. The last thing you want is your only layer of tape popping off and spilling your foam cooler and cake into the back of a truck somewhere.

Mark the Package

The cake should not be turned upside down, so you must mark which side of the package is the top.

You can either do this with stickers or a permanent marker.

Write the phrase “THIS SIDE UP” on every side of the box and include arrows that point to the top. You should also mark the box as perishable and fragile.

Choosing the Right Shipping Method

Obviously, you want your cake to get to your client as fast as possible. A longer shipping time only means a bigger risk of your cake getting damaged.

Though the cake could probably last a one or two day shipping time, you should get same day shipping as often as possible. If you can’t do this, your next best bet is overnight shipping.

This will minimize the shipping time and make sure your cake stays in good condition for your client.

Let Your Client Know Your Plan

As you’re considering how to ship a cake, make sure your client knows what to expect. Tell them what kinds of cake you can ship, how long the shipping will take, and how they can expect the cake to arrive.

Because the cakes are frozen, your client should wait until the cakes thaw out and reach room temperature before eating.

Need some help shipping your cake quickly? Take a look at some of our services.

Everything You Need to Know About Mailing Perishable Food Items

Do you sell perishable food items online?

Or, do you want to send your kids in college those tasty homemade pies you promised them?

Mailing perishable food items is easier and convenient today than in the past. With speedy delivery and proper packaging, you can mail food items to your customers or loved ones with less worry.

In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about mailing fresh and frozen food. This includes special packaging, mailing speeds, and cooling methods.

Let’s get cracking!

1. Understand Government Regulations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements are essential to consider when shipping perishable food items.

Mailing food items may cause concerns about shelf life, food safety, and distribution. If you find a reputable mailing service, they can help you navigate and meet these requirements.

First, you need to ensure that your courier service ships perishable items. It’s encouraged for the food to be delivered quickly, probably overnight. The outer packaged should have a “Keep Refrigerated” label to alert the handlers and recipient.

The package must be kept below 40 degrees F. The recipient should use a thermometer to check the temperature at the time of delivery. Or, the food should be frozen or partially frozen with traces of visible ice crystals.

If the food arrives warm with temperatures above 40 degrees F, it’s advisable not to eat it.

2. Proper Packaging

As expected, this is the most critical aspect of mailing food items.

First, you need to pack the food in airtight containers to avoid the risk of spillage during movement and handling. Proper insulation is also an important consideration when packing your food items.

You need to keep the heat out, and there are several materials you can use to do this. This includes:

  • Styrofoam cut sheets – You can use these as inserts for your shipping boxes
  • Styrofoam boxes – Boxes with thicker wallers are the best, but they cost more
  • Insulated liners – Liners are great for tightly wrapping your items
  • Air-filled insulated liners – This option uses thermal properties of air for safe shipping
  • Insulated pads – Pads feature Styrofoam and insulated liners to keep your products fresh

You can also keep the perishable items cold. As a rule of thumb, use ice packs for refrigerated items and dry ice for frozen products. The amount of ice packs and dry ice you need depends on your product’s weight. The anticipated shipping time is also important.

When using dry ice, keep in mind that it’s a hazardous material. Wear gloves while handling it to avoid burning your skin. Be careful enough not to let it come in direct contact with food. Be sure to label the package that it contains dry ice.

Avoid using brown paper and strings when packaging the food. The paper can tear, and the strings are likely to get caught on sorting belts. Also, don’t use duct tape as it becomes loose when exposed to cold conditions.

3. Find the Right Mailing Service

Even with proper shipping, choosing the wrong courier service will result in a disaster for you. Ideally, the longer it takes for your package to be delivered, the more likely the food quality will decrease.

As such, pick a service that offers a guarantee for same-day delivery. They should offer pre-scheduled routed delivery and rush courier & on-demand services. These services allow you to get your package delivered in the minimum time possible.

Be sure to compare quotes offered by different services before making your selection.

Also, consider the shipping speed. Reliable courier services should provide a shipping time of 12 to 48 hours. Of course, the type of the product and the destination of the package will determine the exact shipping speed.

4. Choose the Right Shipping Day

Some courier services don’t ship products during national holidays and the weekends. So, be sure to determine the ideal day for mailing perishable food items.

Delivery will take longer if you mail the packages at the end of the week. They are likely to sit in a warm warehouse over the weekend, and this means the quality will decrease. Some companies can offer storage services, but this will come at a fee.

So, plan in advance, probably early in the week, to ship your package without risking spoilage.

5. Use Local Produce

If you’re in the grocery business, the best way to ensure your products are safe is by using local producers. This way, you can close the production gap. Ideally, you don’t need to ship products from other states or towns when there are local producers who can meet your needs.

Being close to where you’re shipping your products from means the products will spend less time in the sun or warehouse. If there’s no local producer near you, consider finding one located near your courier service.

Be sure to work with a producer that can offer packaging and tagging services.

6. Always Check the Package Destination

It’s not uncommon for courier services to deliver a package to the wrong address. This can be their mistake or yours.

Whatever the case, always confirm the mailing address to ensure it’s correct. If the recipient gave you the address, be sure to call them to validate it. When the package is ready for shipping, review the shipping details to ensure everything is accurate.

This is particularly important for same-day delivery packages. Delivering to the wrong address will add more hours to the shipping time. This is likely to affect the quality of the package.

Also, don’t send the package to business addresses or other places with no adequate refrigerator storage.

Mailing Perishable Food Items – Final Thoughts

We trust that these tips for mailing fresh food will help you to ensure your recipients and customers get their packages as fresh as possible. The essential aspects of mailing perishable food items include proper package and reliable courier services.

At Need It Now Delivers, we offer national courier and logistics services to deliver your package on time.

Do you have any question about our services? Be sure to reach out to us at any time.

5 Tips for Shipping Food Across the Country

shipping food

shipping food

If you have a child away at college, sending a care package with his or her favorite baked goods can make your student less homesick. But, what’s the best way to ship baked goods?

During the holiday season, you may want to send relatives your famous homemade chocolate truffles as gifts. So, how does one send perishable foods?

Or you might be thinking about starting a cupcake business that would include shipping your delicious treats across the country. Is there a particular way to ship cakes or cupcakes?

All of these situations involve shipping food, which requires special care and protection from the elements. In addition, these packages can be subject to extreme temperature conditions which can affect the quality of the contents.

When sending food in the mail, it’s important to consider proper packaging, refrigeration, and insulation to keep food safe and intact when it reaches its final destination.

It’s also important to choose the right courier service.

If you follow these five tips, you can ensure the food will arrive safely when sending edible gifts and perishables across the country.

1. Place Goods in Appropriate Container

After baking, allow the food items to cool completely. If you pack up baked goods before cooling, they will release condensation and will become soggy.

Place in an airtight container that is a snug as possible. If the container is too big, items will move around and may fall apart. If there’s extra space, fill that space up with something soft to cushion the food.

You can also use a zip-locked bag. Containers or bags should be wrapped in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to help maintain the temperature. Also, it will contain possible spillage.

2. Keep Cold

Even perishable foods that don’t normally require refrigeration should be kept cool, especially during the summer. Duct tape a cold pack to the bottom of the container. Cold packs can keep food cold for a long time.

If shipping meats or poultry, then attach the cold pack to the top with duct tape. Then wrap the whole thing with plastic wrap or aluminum foil.

It’s important to keep fresh foods from freezing, or frozen foods from melting or thawing. Non-frozen foods should be kept at 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Place Contents in Box

Put the entire contents in a box with room for packing peanuts. The box should be either foam or corrugated cardboard and be new. Old boxes degrade over time and become weak.

Foam is a good choice for foods that must maintain a certain temperature, and especially if it needs to stay cool.

If you’re shipping items in glass, such as mason jars, wrap the glass containers in bubble wrap and then surround with peanuts.

Newspapers are not a good source of insulation. It can get wet, tear and doesn’t provide sufficient protection.

Wrap and seal the box with shipping tape only, and not duct or masking tape, which can melt in the heat.

4. Choose a Reliable Shipping Courier

Find a courier service that is experienced in handling and quickly delivering last minute packages that contain food item. Some courier services do not necessarily prioritize these kinds of shipments.

Food shipped in the mail should be sent as quickly as possible. Ship it early in the week to make sure that it doesn’t get slowed down over the weekend. This is especially important over the holidays.

Packages mailed on a Thursday or Friday, or just before a holiday, sometimes experience a delay or end up sitting in a warehouse until Monday.

Properly label the box and write “keep refrigerated”, “perishable” on the box. You will need to let the carrier know that you are shipping food items.

When you mail the package, you should receive a tracking number and an estimated date of delivery.

At this time, notify the recipient to be on the lookout for the package, so that it doesn’t sit out on a porch for too long. You should also remind the recipient if the package needs to be refrigerated or placed in the freezer right away.

5. Make Sure Packages Arrive Safely

When the food arrives, check with the recipient to make sure it arrived safely. Food that should be frozen should arrive at least partially frozen. Ice crystals should be visible.

If food is warmer than 40 degrees, notify the shipping company immediately and do not eat the food.

How to Ship Perishable Foods Review

For review here are the steps for Shipping Refrigerated Items:

  • Use gel coolant
  • Freeze coolant a couple days prior to use
  • Pre-cool the shipping container
  • Double-bag foods with liquids
  • Line the inside of the container with plastic if shipping liquids
  • Place the container in a box and surround completely with packing peanuts
  • Seal inner liner
  • Place styrofoam container into a corrugated box
  • Seal with shipping tap on all seams

And for Shipping Frozen Items:

  • Freeze food items before packing
  • Precool the container
  • Line the container with plastic
  • Place dry ice in the container all around the item
  • Seal and place in a corrugated box
  • Fill the box with packing peanuts
  • Seal all seams with shipping tape

Dry ice is considered a dangerous good/hazardous material. Prior to shipping you must fill out all required paperwork and label the box appropriately.

Shipping seafood requires some additional steps:

  • Seafood should be double-bagged in plastic, with each bag individually sealed
  • Place absorbent materials on the bottom of the container, such as paper towels.
  • Ship overnight if possible

To ensure speedy and safe shipping, it’s important to take these necessary steps.

Shipping Food through the Mail

If you take all the above steps, you should have no problem sending thoughtful and delicious packages to your friends or loved ones.

If you’re sending food as part of your business, using a reliable shipping company is essential and makes all the difference between a bad Yelp review and a repeat customer.

Contact us for more information on courier services or for a free quote.

8 Ways to Reduce Shipping Air Freight Cost

Air freight is much faster than shipping freight. Especially when ships have already slowed down to the pace of a sailing clipper to save on fuel. And when confidence in the ocean shipping market is looking a little shaky compared to air.

But the freight cost covers that speed difference. Shipping your goods in a plane is speedy but pricey.

The good thing is there are ways to optimize your air freight routine to reduce the transport costs, and we’re going to share these tricks with you.

1. Space Out Your Shipping

More cargo, less often. That’s the golden rule to keep air freight costs low.

There are two main things to consider when pricing up a freight job: the distance and the weight of whatever you’re shipping.

If you send lots of small and light packages, the price you pay covers the distance factor each and every time. If you combine these into one large shipment, you’ll pay a lump sum all at once, but it’ll probably be cheaper overall than the first option.

Of course, while it’s ideal if you’re able to space out your shipping, that doesn’t match up with every business’ needs. Or it might not match up with your cash flow. So if this isn’t for you, how else can you keep those air freight costs low?

2. Use a Consolidation Shipping Service

Consolidation services take small packages and bundle them together in the ‘spare space’ within other shipments.

This is an ideal solution for any business that can’t avoid sending relatively small packages on a regular basis.

Rather than paying for your own, expensive, shipping space, you ‘fill in the gaps’ in another shipment, paying only for what you use. The company sending the larger shipment save money by not paying for empty space, and you get a great shipping cost.

3. Negotiate a Long-Term Agreement

To cut down on the amount you spend on shipping, don’t just keep using the same service. But we don’t necessarily mean shop around for a better price.

Developing a relationship is more valuable than the short-term gains of looking at other providers. Talk to your regular provider about setting up an agreement which benefits you both in the long term.

You may be able to make a commitment to ship a set amount of goods each month, for example. If that’s the case, to ‘lock in’ that business for themselves, the courier service is likely to be able to negotiate with you on the price.

4. Prioritize and Keep Freight Costs Low

One other way to keep overall shipping costs low is to prioritize your shipments by order of urgency. Things that can’t wait go by air. Things that can wait go by road or boat, whichever is suitable.

Using a mix of transportation solutions means that only your urgent shipments cost you air freight prices.

It’s a simple and easy way to save money. Just make sure all staff involved in your shipping process know what types of shipments take priority.

5. Do You Need All That Packaging?

We understand that people are a little more cautious when shipping by air. Airplanes’ speed and the potential for turbulence, make many customers a little nervous when shipping their precious cargo.

But in many cases, the packaging we see is just a little over the top.

Take a proportionate view of the risk of damaged goods. If you’re shipping very sturdy items, save cash by stripping back some of the packaging. You’ll save both on weight and on the packaging materials themselves.

If you’d like some advice on suitable packaging for your needs, just ask us.

6. Let the Carrier Pick Up Later On

Most businesses have closed up shop by around six in the evening. Which means the carrier can’t pick up their goods.

Reduce transport costs by allowing them to come by later on. When you do this, you’re helping to maximize their efficiency – as they can pick up more items in a day. So they might be able to offer you a better price.

It can also be a good way to build a good relationship with the carrier. Which in turn should affect the rates you’re offered.

Of course, if you’re not willing to hang around yourself, you’ll have to pay staff to stay on until later in the evening. Do the math and make sure it still makes financial sense.

7. Ship Off-Peak

Some days are more expensive than others. This depends on demand, though it’s generally the case that Friday is the cheapest day to ship on.

This is because many recipients want to be stocked for the weekend rush, and will be looking to receive goods on Thursday or Friday. These need to be shipped on Wednesday or Thursday.

So if your shipment can wait until Friday, you might bag yourself a better deal.

8. Outsource Transport Needs

A small business probably doesn’t have much call for a freight team.

Outsource your shipping management needs to a reliable logistics company. They’ll sort everything out for you at a fraction of the cost of a full-time member(s) of staff.

Plus, they already have the in-house expertise to keep all your logistical needs running smoothly.

Are You Ready to Ship?

ASAP Courier provides national and international shipping solutions for time-definite delivery needs.

Set up a new account in minutes and get a quote for your next vital shipment. Our licensed and insured staff will make sure your package arrives when it’s needed.

If you have any questions about air freight costs, or any other shipping queries, we’ll be very happy to help you.

6 Instances When It’s Cheaper To Hire A Local Delivery Service

local delivery

Even in the era of non-stop digital communication, there are still thousands of bike couriers in cities like New York alone. Local delivery is essential to businesses like law firms, food and beverage companies, and major institutions. While it might be appealing to have things handled by your standard national mail delivery service, a local delivery service can guarantee cheap delivery.

If you need your forms downtown by the end of the day, hiring a package delivery service could cost your hundreds. Hiring a local courier service could cost a fraction of that and get done right on time. While you might think the service level of a local delivery service would cost more, it’s more efficient and effective than a national service.

There are a number of ways that hiring a local delivery company can save you money. Here are 6 instances when you should rely on local delivery.

1. Shipping Perishables

Shipping perishable items can be costly with a large national chain. You’ll be paying for a special refrigerated vehicle, likely be storing it overnight, and could run into all kinds of risks in the interim.

If you simply need these perishables sent across town, hire a local delivery service. They can often pick them up and drop them off within an hour. Given that you don’t know how long your packages could be sitting on a dock with a nationwide chain, a local delivery company provides services they can’t.

This could save you a lot of money in potentially lost or spoiled inventory. You’ll have satisfied customers, and you’ll have provided service few companies can. There are very few companies, aside from local pizza delivery, that can get you a perishable food or medication within a couple of hours.

Hiring a local service ensures that customers get what they want at a price point that could cost you less than if you went with another service.

2. Dealing With Legal Documents

When you’re dealing with a legal matter, time is often of the essence. A delayed transfer of ownership could cause one party to develop cold feet and back out of a deal. That could cost you or your firm thousands to millions of dollars.

Don’t trust these vital documents to go out with the 5 PM mail. Hire a local delivery service to pick up the papers and drop them off immediately.

Local couriers know the quickest route to get to Point B. They won’t throw your vital forms on the back of a truck and deal with them when they get a chance. Your needs will be the priority of the moment and will be met with top priority.

You won’t have to worry about a deal going south so long as you’ve got a local delivery company handling your package.

3. Working In The Medical Industry

While many industries claim that their matters are “life and death”, this can be true in the medical industry. If older x-rays or files need to be brought from one end of the city to the next, a local delivery company is your best option. Rather than having medical staff leave their post, you can have a much less costly delivery professional bring them to the office they’re needed at.

If a sample needs to get across town for an important test, you might not be able to wait until the next business day. A local delivery company can get it there safely and securely within an hour or two.

You’ll save money for your medical office by retaining patients who love the efficiency of your services. You’ll also be saving on the costs you would be spending to do a same-day delivery with one of the big 3 or 4 national delivery companies. A local delivery company can help to ensure patients get the care they need when they need it.

4. You’ve Made Mistakes In The Past

If you’ve had trouble with other delivery services or have had a lot of returns from a certain client, a local delivery company can be a lifesaver. They can offer your clients the kind of personal and professional attention that they demand.

Instead of shipping items out at the end of the day as most companies do, you can send a single personalized shipment to a customer you’re on the mend with. Repair your relationship with a customer who is skeptical by giving them the time and attention they deserve. They’ll take notice and will begin to rebuild their loyalty to you and your company.

5. You Want To Outdo Your Competitors

Most businesses don’t offer same-day or local delivery. Other than flower shops on Mother’s Day, people don’t expect to have their orders delivered on the same day. If you can work this service into your budget, you will increase sales with just a simple gimmick.

Every industry is competing online now. Take things to the next level by giving customers the option to have things delivered in a few hours. Team up with a local delivery service to do this more cheaply than customers could imagine.

6. You’ve Seen A Drop In Sales

Every industry seems to be competing with Amazon. People love the convenience of their services even though they often have to wait a few days to receive their shipments. As a viable alternative, you could offer same day shipping on most local orders.

If you specialize in one particular city, you can build a strong following by getting your products into the hands of customers the day they make their orders.

A Local Delivery Service Is Good For Profits

The rarity of being able to receive your orders on the day you make them makes a local delivery service a must-have for your business. Local delivery can increase sales by showing customers a personalized and caring approach to their needs. You’ll see loyalty, profits, and brand reputation increase when you pair with a great local service.

Autonomous or drone delivery is coming to revolutionize the industry. If you want to know more about how it can affect your company, check out our guide.

6 Times When You Might Need A Same Day Document Courier

You need to get this package delivered today.

But you don’t have time to take it yourself. You also can’t spare anyone to send them out with it. They’d end up stuck in traffic for hours anyway and it would ruin their productivity for the day.

What do you do? The answer might be easier than you think. A reputable same day document courier can get your package where it needs to go at the speed of light.

…Well, maybe not quite that fast, but almost.

Let’s look at 6 instances when same day document delivery would come in handy for your business.

1. You Want to Shine at Customer Service

Customer service can make or break a business. Businesses lose about $62 billion in revenue due to poor customer service. You don’t want your business to be a part of that statistic.

What is an excellent way to go above and beyond and provide stellar customer service? Use a same day document courier to deliver important papers like contracts or invoices.

Same day delivery services are fast. What if traffic is so bad that the delivery truck or van can’t get anywhere quickly? Many services use bicycles or even send a walker to bypass the gridlock and deliver your document on time–or even ahead of schedule.

Your customers will also be impressed that their documents arrive hand-delivered. It shows them that you take their privacy seriously and want to meet their needs as best you can.

2. You Want to Cut Costs

Using a same day document courier can actually be cheaper than delivering documents yourself. When you go yourself, you take time out of your day and put wear and tear on your vehicle.

To get around that, you might send an employee. But you’re still paying that employee, perhaps hourly, and they’ll go in a company vehicle. So you’re putting wear and tear on your vehicle.

Depending on where you are and the time of day, you could be sending them out to sit in traffic. Traffic can turn a 30-minute errand into an hours-long nightmare and increases the wear and tear on your car.

By that time you’ve spent far more paying your employee than the cost of delivery.

Courier service can save money by moving packages in bulk or using some of the alternate means of transportation we mentioned earlier.

3. You Want to Avoid Extra Training and Liability

Do you tend to send a lot of documents? You might think that it is worth it to you to create your own in-house delivery team. But that delivery team comes with a price.

You’ll have to pay someone (or several people) to handle the deliveries. You’ll also need to purchase and maintain a company car to use for deliveries.

Another thing you might not think about is that you’ll have to train those people. There are also certifications they have to keep current on.

Plus, you are now liable in certain cases. For example, what if your in-house delivery driver gets into an accident? The whole thing gets even worse if it turns out to be your employee’s fault.

Now you’re liable and it falls on your insurance. That can turn into an ugly situation pretty quick and at the very least, your insurance premiums will go up. We don’t have to tell you how much of a headache and a financial risk this can be.

It’s easier to avoid all that and use a reliable same day document courier. You can rest easy with the peace of mind that your package will get where it needs to go. And you’re not liable if something goes wrong.

4. You Send Packages Infrequently

An in-house delivery team would also be extremely impractical if you don’t send packages that often. Even if you send a few packages a day, that doesn’t warrant paying a full-time employee to handle deliveries.

Your wallet will be much happier if you simply hire that out. A courier service will get it delivered faster anyways. They have the process far more streamlined than you can make it.

5. You Need Last-Minute Delivery

At times you may have an emergency package that needs to go out at the last-minute. You’re closing down and people are already heading home for the day. How will you get that package where it needs to go?

Many rush couriers are available 24/7. They can get your emergency packages where they need to go at any time of the day. That’s far more than you can expect from an in-house crew.

6. Specialized Services

A same day document courier will often offer useful specialized services. For example, they may serve legal papers or provide last flight out services. Final mile delivery ensure that your packages make it where they need to go as fast as possible.

Some places even offer luggage transportation. That can come in handy for those business and personal trips when your luggage must travel separately.

Find Your Same Day Document Courier Today

There are many instances in which a same day document courier can come in really handy. Most of all it has to do with the convenience of getting your packages delivered fast and on time.

It can be expensive to maintain your own in-house delivery team. Building a relationship with a dependable courier service is a great alternative. Fewer headaches for you and, in most cases, you’ll save money at the same time.

Looking for a quick quote on a package? Get your quote from Need it Now Delivers! today. We make sure that your package arrives at its destination on time. We can even offer same day international delivery within certain parameters.

Check us out today to find out how we can get your business moving at the speed of light!

Smart Travel Tip: How to Ship Luggage

For every 1,000 bags handled by US airlines, only 6 get mishandled. While this figure sounds good at this scale, with nearly 2.5 million passengers traveling every day, this number quickly jumps up over 10,000 a day.

This has led an increasing number of people to look into how to ship luggage.

If you’ve ever lost a piece of luggage or know someone who has, you know what it can do to ruin a trip. You’ll show up for business meetings looking unprofessional. If you’re on vacation, you could show up to the beach with nothing but your winter clothes.

Shipping your luggage might be a no-brainer after considering the statistics but if you don’t know how to ship luggage, you could feel stuck. Follow these 9 tips to make sure you’re prepared for your next trip.

1. Eliminate Waste

Your first step before deciding how to ship luggage should be to make a list of all the things you absolutely need. Then rewrite a leaner version of that list. For the least expensive shipping and easiest time moving your luggage around, get rid of unnecessary items.

You should be able to shave some weight off by considering the weather and if necessary, wearing some of the clothes you’ll need while traveling. You can always take advantage of the hotel or your host’s laundry machines.

Make sure you pack intelligently. If you have fragile items to pack, use softer objects to help to pack or protect them. Don’t add packing materials to your luggage when you can avoid it.

This will help save space, weight, and time.

2. Get All The Details

Before you decide how to ship luggage, get all the details about where you’re shipping to. If you’re going to a work function, you might be checking in at a hotel or conference center that you’re unfamiliar with.

Make sure you have the right room number, address details, and phone number. You don’t want to have your luggage meant for West 42nd Street delivered to East 42nd Street.

Double check spelling with the person you speak with from the delivery company as well. You don’t want someone with a similar sounding or similar spelled name getting your luggage in their room.

3. Find Out Urgency

Do you know how soon you need the package to be delivered versus how much the delivery options cost? Compare some carriers to see who can offer you the best deal.

If you get a good quote from someone but would rather work with another company, quote the other company when you speak to the one that you want to work with. You never know what it’ll take for them to dig out a promo code or special discount for you.

4. Check Weight Limits

Some shipping companies have weight limits for individual packages. Any luggage or package that exceeds that limit should be split into multiple packages or parcels.

You might also be packing lightly when you’re far off from hitting the limits. It’s better to know how much rope you have before you start limiting yourself.

Some companies have no weight limits at all, just size limits. Call ahead to find out when you’re figuring out how to ship luggage.

5. Schedule Pickup

If your package is too heavy to drop off or if you’re too busy before your trip, see if they can pick up your package for you. You might need to have someone around to do the handoff.

Scheduling pickup should be fairly easy. Most delivery companies will work around your schedule and be available to pick up on off hours if you work a 9-5 schedule.

Some companies even offer airport courier services to make things easier.

6. Let Your Recipient Know

Call the help desk or hospitality service desk of where you’re heading and be sure that they can accommodate you. They may need some information from the delivery service or to hold a credit card number from you.

Just be sure they’re prepared before a 100-pound baby gets dropped on their doorstep.

7. Label Inside And Out

Make sure you’ve included a label with all of the essential contact information you can think of. Add your phone number and even an email address along with your home address.

Tape it securely to the front of your luggage and make sure it’s completely visible and weather resistant.

Put all the same information on another piece of paper and place that inside of your luggage. Accidents can happen, things can get torn, and having a second label on the inside of your luggage can save it from being lost.

It can also help confirm with handling staff that you’re the rightful owner, rather than your luggage being handed over to someone who claims it’s theirs.

8. Wrap It Tightly

If you can find some masking or painter’s tape that won’t damage your luggage, pick that up. Wrap the zippers and every potentially porous edge with the tape. This will keep anything from falling out or anything from seeping in.

Buy some plastic cling wrap for your luggage. Tightly wind it around the outside of your luggage. This will protect it from the elements and also make sure your label doesn’t get wet.

The more tightly you pack and protect your luggage, the less damage your items are likely to incur during transit.

9. Get Insured

Don’t skimp on insurance. If your delivery company offers insurance of any kind, you should take advantage of it.

See what the limitations are and find out what you could be covered for. If you’ve already got insurance on expensive electronics, you might not need to buy a redundant plan.

Figure Out How To Ship Luggage So You Can Enjoy Your Trip

Worrying about your luggage should be the furthest thing from your mind when you’re preparing for a trip. There are so many other things to prepare in advance and ensuring that your luggage arrives on time and to the right location shouldn’t be one of them.

If you’re ready to ship luggage in advance of your next trip, contact us today for more tips on getting the right service for your needs.

The Ultimate Guide to International Delivery

Have you ever shipped a package and then wondered if it was sent via the Pony Express? Or maybe it took so long you wondered if they invented a special Snail Express and put your package on it.

Joking aside, sometimes it seems to take way too long for international delivery. Does it really need to be that way?

No, it doesn’t.

Transportation these days is fast. There’s no reason you can’t get a package to almost anywhere in the world in a couple of days.

The problem is that international delivery is a little more complicated than domestic. There are borders to cross, more paperwork to fill out, and customs to clear.

However, there are a few things you can do to help the process move along. Here are five tips to help speed up international delivery.

1. Choose Your Carrier with Care

The most important piece of the puzzle is choosing the correct carrier. It would seem that shipping times would be pretty standard from company to company. But they’re really not.

It depends on a variety of factors. Some examples are

  • The volume of packages they handle
  • The type of transportation they have available (hint: airplanes are faster)
  • How often they send out shipments
  • The type of technology they use
  • Their relationship with customs

The customs issue is a big deal. A lot of delays in international delivery have to do with clearing customs.

To facilitate deliveries, courier companies develop relationships with customs in the receiving country. The relationship isn’t always the same.

That means that even shipping times with the same company may vary from country to country. It depends on what kind of deal they’ve worked out with that country’s customs department.

Do you tend to ship to a particular country or countries frequently? You want to check your potential courier’s average shipping times to those countries.

Package tracking is an important part of international delivery. Packages often change hands as they move around the world. Nothing gives you better peace of mind than knowing where your package is at all times.

Some couriers may charge extra for package tracking. That’s not always a bad thing, but you need to realize that it may be part of the cost.

When comparing companies, the cost is, of course, an important consideration. But if speed is very important to you, the cost may be secondary.

Decide which is most important when choosing your courier company. Understand that you will usually pay more for faster service.

2. Understand Your Shipping Options

Most courier companies offer a variety of shipping options. This is great for you because you can offer your customers more choices.

Some customers may be more concerned with cost and don’t mind a longer shipping time. Others may want their items as fast as possible and don’t mind paying for it. A flexible courier gives you the opportunity to be flexible with your customers.

A courier with superior customer service can also come in handy. You don’t have to figure out the best way to ship a package yourself.

You can simply call and talk to a representative from the courier service. They are well versed in shipping times and costs to the areas they ship. Tell them what factors are important to you and they will recommend the best shipping method.

3. Clearing Customs

As we’ve mentioned, clearing customs is often a factor in delaying international deliveries. Most courier services help a lot with this and handle any customs inquiries. They will work to ensure your package arrives on time.

However, there are a few things you can do to help facilitate quick customs clearance. The main thing is to completely and correctly fill out the paperwork. Most customs delays happen because the description is lacking or doesn’t match.

Countries have different regulations regarding items that they will accept. It’s unreasonable to expect you to know them all.

But it would be a good idea to know the regulations concerning your product. At least for the countries you ship to most often.

Also, be sure your customers are aware of customs and import taxes. It’s standard practice for the customer to pay the tax, but it’s good form to let them know.

Sometimes customers may ask you to mark the package as a gift. This lets them avoid paying the customs tax. This is illegal and you will be liable if customs figures it out.

4. Insurance

While rare, packages do go missing in transit. It happens more often with international deliveries because they change more hands.

Insurance is a great backup plan to have in place in case something happens. But be smart about it. It may be more cost-effective to pay for the occasional stray package yourself. It primarily depends on the product you sell.

5. Currency Concerns

Set your shopping cart up to display prices in the correct currency for your customer. For example, for a customer in the UK, it would show pounds, in European Euros, etc.

This will help to avoid confusion about pricing when customers are purchasing internationally. Plus, to do their own conversions, customers have to leave your site.

Clearly display the shipping options that you offer for international delivery. Again, do this in the customer’s currency to keep things simple. People like websites that are clear and what you see is what you get.

This helps cut down on returns and disgruntled customers. The last thing you want to have to deal with is international return shipping. It’s a pain and expensive. Make your return policies clear to customers so they’ll know if they have to pay return shipping.

International Delivery Made Easy

Find a courier company that will make your international deliveries easy. This will cut down on shipping headaches and help your business run smoother.

For more information about lightning fast, reliable international courier service, contact us today. Focus on your business and let us take care of the shipping. It couldn’t be any easier!

Why Your Shipments Need an Insulated Warehouse

insulated warehouse

Wondering if an insulated warehouse is worth the cost?

When you’re shipping goods, insulation can make a huge difference in ensuring they arrive safely. If your courier service doesn’t have an insulated warehouse, you could run into problems down the road.

This guide will show you everything you need to know about why shipments should have an insulated warehouse so you can make the right decision. Keep reading to learn more!

What Does Insulation Do?

Insulated warehouses have two important benefits: they have stable interior temperatures, and they don’t allow moisture to get inside and collect. This can go a long way toward protecting valuable goods from damage.

Many warehouses are made of materials like metal that offer little to no insulation at all. This allows for huge swings in temperature and damage from water, leading to mold and other issues.

Without insulation, buildings made of metal and many other materials can’t keep heat in during winter or keep the heat out during summer. When the temperature inside varies, moisture is more likely to collect as condensation. This leads to corrosion, rust, and all kinds of other problems in the building.

How Does Insulation Work?

Insulation controls the flow of heat into and out of the building. It also prevents moisture and condensation from forming on the goods stored inside. An insulated warehouse doesn’t allow heat to move as quickly from outside to inside and vice versa, so they’re more energy efficient, as well as better for storage.

Many kinds of insulation contain a vapor retarder that keeps water vapor from passing through, so condensation can’t form inside or on the insulation itself.

A few key terms related to insulation are:

  • U-Value
  • R-Value
  • Vapor Retarder

U-value refers to the thermal performance of the insulation around a building, depending on the materials it’s made out of.

The R-value measures the effectiveness of the insulation, also known as how much thermal resistance it has. A high R-value means the resistance to heat is high, while a low R-value means the resistance is low and the insulation won’t work as well.

Vapor retarder is a fairly self-explanatory term. Vapor retarders prevent or reduce the amount of moisture that can get through the insulation. Vapor retarders often have fire retardant properties, too, making this a great choice for keeping your belongings safe.

Insulation Types

Now, let’s take a look at the different kinds of insulation used for an insulated warehouse.

1. Loose Fill

Loose fill insulation is made with loose fibers or pellets that are projected into the cavities of a building, sort of like water spraying from a hose. This insulation tends to be more expensive than other varieties, but it’s useful for difficult to reach corners that need to be insulated.

2. Batt and Blanket

Batt and blanket insulation is made of fiberglass or rock wool mineral fibers. This is an inexpensive option, but it won’t work unless it’s installed properly.

For metal buildings, batt and blanket insulation with radiant barrier backing are ideal to help control the flow of heat.

This kind of insulation comes in rolls, which can be measured and cut to properly fit the building.

3. Spray Foam

Spray foam insulation is comparable to loose fill insulation since it’s also sprayed into place. This insulation is in liquid form, and contains both an agent to create foaming and a polymer, such as polyurethane.

This type of insulation is easy to spray into the ceiling, floor, walls, or anywhere else insulation is needed. It will automatically expand to fill the space and harden into plastic containing air cells.

If a building has corners that can’t be reached with other insulation types, spray foam insulation can get those spaces completely airtight. Many people use spray foam for buildings with an odd shape or spaces that have obstructions in the way.

Although it costs more than batt and blanket insulation, it also insulates better against air flow.

4. Fiberglass

Fiberglass is one of the cheapest ways to insulate a building. Many homeowners also use fiberglass insulation.

This insulation comes in rolls that are easy to install, even by people who aren’t professionals, although a mask must be worn to prevent the inhalation of dangerous particles. Fiberglass also sheds little fibers, so it shouldn’t be touched with bare hands.

One issue with fiberglass insulation is that it’s soft enough to be penetrated by rodents, birds, and insects looking for a place to nest. It’s also prone to absorbing moisture, so it usually needs a vapor barrier or another protective barrier.

5. Reflective Foil

Reflective foil insulation, also known as foil bubble, is a great choice for waterproofing. Although it’s expensive, it’s easy to install.

6. Rigid Board

Rigid boards made of foam are effective insulators no matter what the climate is. This insulation can be made of a variety of materials, including fiberglass, polyurethane, and polystyrene.

Rigid board insulation comes in a number of different performance ratings, so it can be very effective against moisture and heat when it’s at a high rating. The thickness of the board often determines how effective it is.

7. Insulated Panels

Insulated panels use a core of insulating foam, between two panels made of metal. This is one of the most expensive options, but it offers some of the best insulation out there and is quick to install.

Why Use an Insulated Warehouse?

With so many different insulation options out there, companies can easily insulate a warehouse. If they don’t, it’s a sign that they don’t really care about what’s stored inside.

Insulation helps protect your goods from damage thanks to heat, cold, pests, mildew, and many other problems. Many types of insulation also help protect from fires, leaks, and other more serious issues.

If you’re shipping goods, you need to seek out an insulated warehouse to make sure they arrive at their destination safely. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing a lot of money in the process.

Looking for the best courier service to protect your goods? ASAP Courier & Logistics can help – check out the contact page now to get started.