Courier Service

To Insure or Not to Insure: What Is Shipping Insurance? Everything You Need to Know

As the holidays grow smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror behind you, you may begin to reflect on how well everything went. And maybe how well some of those things didn’t. For instance, maybe some of the packages you had shipped to friends and family around the world arrived damaged and broken.

That would get anybody’s blood boiling. But it’s not that hard to imagine and almost forgive. After all, an estimated 2.5 billion Christmas packages were expected to be shipped in 2018. That’s a high volume of packages that could lead to some maltreatment of some shipments. 

And Christmas presents are the only shipments suffering fates like this during the holidays. Even businesses are feeling the strain of the volume increase and seeing their own shipments become damaged and broken before making it to the buyer.

But what can be done? Where can you turn? The answer may lie with shipping insurance. Keep reading to find out what is shipping insurance and how can it help save you some heartache next holiday season.

What is Shipping Insurance?

Shipping insurance is much like any other insurance policy. It offers to cover your shipment and protect you from incurring any major losses as a result of a damaged parcel.

Not all companies offer the same insurance policies but there are a few key things and basic coverages you should be aware of before purchasing any shipping insurance.

You Might Not Need Additional Insurance

Before you even start looking over policy options check first to see if additional insurance is even necessary. Both FedEx and UPS automatically insure packages that are worth less than $100.00. However, the U.S. Postal Service only does this for express carrier mail that is worth less than $100.00.

What this means is that the courier will only cover your shipment for up to $100.00 worth of the contents’ value.

However, if the items you are shipping are worth more than $100.00 and you don’t get it insured you’ll only be covered for no more than $100. Be sure to declare how much the contents of your package is and purchase the extra insurance if you want the full amount over $100 covered.

Read the Fine Print

When deciding which shipping insurance policy to purchase be sure to read all the fine print throughout the policy. There are certain things, events, scenarios, and situations for which the insurance policy will not cover.

For example, shipping your package to certain international locations could cause a denial of coverage.

This would mean if your package was damaged at the courier facility, you can file a claim and get reimbursement. However, if that same package doesn’t become damaged until it’s in a location that the courier does not offer coverage to, you are responsible for the cost of the item.

Be sure to read over each of the insurance policies you consider and understand where, when, why, and how they will cover something. The same also goes for when they will not cover something.

Packing Requirements

This goes along with reading the fine print, however, it deserves its own section due to the magnitude and scope of this problem. And yes, it is a problem. More damage insurance claims are denied due to improper packing than anything else.

Here are a few reasons why packing a package can be difficult and cause problems later on if done improperly:

  • The government has established proper packing and shipping regulations
  • Those change every year
  • Each courier also has their own packing and shipping regulations and requirements.
  • Those also change every year.
  • The average consumer is very confused.

And for good reason. The problem though is that the regulations and requirements have to change every year due to changes in consumer behavior and shipping trends.

What this means though is that you need to pay attention to how your courier and the federal government want your package wrapped and shipped. Failing to comply with these requirements could see a denial of an insurance claim should the improperly packed parcel become damaged.

These requirements can be found on the courier’s website as well as the U.S. postal service website.

Filing a Claim

Speaking of having problems when it comes to filing a claim let’s take a quick look at what filing a claim looks like.

Remember to keep all those things in mind from earlier, pay attention to fine print, make sure your package is packed properly, and make sure you’ve purchased the correct policy for your package.

Now that all that is done and out of the way, what do you do if you’re package is actually damaged?

Again, each courier will have their own claims departments and policies, but a few general things to remember and be aware of when filing a claim:

  • Start your claim the moment you discover your package was broken, lost, or stolen.
  • Most couriers have a cut-off date of the longest you can wait before filing a claim.
  • Have all the right documentation filled out correctly.
  • Take photos of the damages or have photos taken and sent to you.
  • Be prepared to wait.

The last one is the hardest one for some people. Once you’ve filed your claim and submitted all your paperwork the claim must be reviewed by claim managers who will decide to cover or not. That process can take a while as well as the amount of time before receiving any actual money.

Be patient and cross all your ‘t’s and dot all your ‘i’s.

To Insure or Not to Insure

That is the question hopefully you’ve found an answer to. Along with the answer to what is shipping insurance? Remember to always read the fine print, purchase the right policy for your needs, make sure you’re not already covered, and file as soon as you are made aware of any theft, loss, or damages to your package.

If you have any questions about shipping insurance or finding the right courier services for you, contact us today!

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Who’s The Real Star Of A Stellar Online Customer Experience?

We all know that shopping online has taken over the way companies do business. But what you may not know is that shipping options can make or break the deal for the majority of buyers. 

About 85% of Amazon users won’t buy a product because of the shipping charges. Then 60% of Prime users won’t buy your product if the shipping is too slow. 

How do your delivery options stack up? You are probably missing out on a lot of sales because your delivery options aren’t what shoppers are looking for. 

Let’s go over the delivery options that you have available to you. 

Tracking 

First things first, no matter what shipping options you offer your buyers, you must provide tracking. Your customers want to know when their order ships and when they can expect it. 

In fact, they are more likely to be happy with a longer shipping time as long as they know when the delivery will happen. By offering them an online portal to track their shipment you give them a higher level of communication and build trust.

Rush or Expedited Shipping 

Amazon has proven that some customers want their items fast. In fact, there is a whole community of Prime members who pay a yearly fee just to have two-day shipping on all of their orders. 

Sephora has followed suit and they offer a yearly membership of $15 to get their FLASH shipping. That’s free 2-day shipping on all orders. 

The advantage for you is that these customers are more likely to order more product because they know they have free shipping. 

One Off Rush Shipping 

You don’t have to offer a membership to offer rush shipping. This will be a more most expensive shipping option, but your customers will expect that. 

This option is about service and speed, not price. 

Low-Cost Shipping 

You need to provide a low cost or free shipping option. This will cover all of your customers who don’t want to pay for shipping. 

Now this means that you need to cover the shipping cost yourself. You could build the cost of shipping into the price of the product. This isn’t always possible though. 

Your other option is to reduce your shipping costs. One way to do this is to work with a shipping service that provides warehousing. 

You would then hire them to store and ship your inventory. This does two things for your business. First, it reduces your shipping costs by streamlining the process. It also reduces costs by allowing you to leverage the shipper’s volume for lower rates. 

The second thing it will do is place your product closer to your future customers.

Think about it this way, if your company is in Florida, but most of your customers are in New Jersey, then they have to wait for their order to go from Florida to New Jersey every time they order. 

Instead, have your company in Florida, but warehouse your inventory in New Jersey or nearby. Then when a customer orders it only travels a short distance, getting to your customer faster. 

In-Store Pickup

Another popular option is in store pickup. Walmart and Target have been leaders in this type of shipping service. It works well for your business because you already have the logistics infrastructure in place to support it. 

It can also streamline your inventory management since the product may not even need to be shipped. It may already be located in the store. 

There is also the added benefit of getting your customers in the store. This increases the likelihood of buying more once in the store. 

For those who do business online and in brick and mortar locations, this is an option that should be embraced. About 60% of shoppers aged 15 to 49 would be happy to have and want to use this service. 

Shipping Large Items 

If you are in the business of shipping large items then carrier or parcel shipping isn’t for you. In this case, you can provide your customers with the highest level of customer service by arranging shipping for them. 

If you work with a broker you ensure that they get full service at the best price. Your customers may not know that they will have to pay extra for last mile and in-home delivery. 

You can get the best rates for both of these by leveraging your broker’s shipping volume. This also takes all of the headaches and work out of the buying process.

Your customers will appreciate the prompt on-time delivery. This type of service is what will separate your business from your competitors. 

Delivery Options for Your Business 

You don’t need to give buyers all of the delivery options that are out there. You just need to offer a couple of different options. This will allow you to cater to the needs of a wide range of shoppers. 

You want to have one low-cost option. This will cover those who don’t care how long the shipment takes, they want the lowest cost possible. 

Then you want a mid-grade option, people who are willing to pay a little bit to get their item slightly faster than the cheapest option. Many buyers will choose this option because it seems like a better option. 

Finally, you want a fast shipping option. This is for those who want their item RIGHT NOW. These shoppers are willing to spend extra money to make sure they get their item as fast as possible. 

With these options, you are sure to have something to satisfy the biggest amount of people. 

Contact us today and let us help you formulate your shipping strategies. 

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National Delivery Service vs Regional Delivery Service: Which is Right for You?

Do you think you offer the best services your customers need and deserve?

Think about it: there are almost 30 million small businesses in the country. How does your business stand out?

One area you can excel above the rest is package delivery. Customers hate poor courier service like the plague. People also want their orders delivered as soon as possible.

If you need to get your package delivered, you need to understand the different types of courier deliveries. You need to know whether a national delivery service fits your requirements. Otherwise, you might need to use regional delivery instead.

The reason you need to differentiate is to narrow down your choices. Remember, if you’re a business who wants to save money, you need to stay informed. If you want to learn which shipping partner to choose, read on.

What’s the Difference Between a National Courier and a Regional Courier?

Before you know which to choose, you need to understand the differences. The first thing you should remember for national services is that they’re big. It means they have a larger means of transportation.

Having these traits help them with their reach. It allows them to operate anywhere in the country.

National deliveries have the capabilities to use shipping routes that take a week to travel. For example, large companies like FedEx Freight are national courier providers. They can give continuous delivery services no matter where you are in the country.

As for regional carriers, they’re smaller companies that operate in local areas. That means their area of operation is much smaller compared to national carriers. Most people consider businesses as regional carriers if they’re giving services for shipments within a 500-mile radius.

Some of the better regional companies can deliver up 1,200 miles away. It’s only possible if the clients can wait for an additional day. That means far-off customers can only use the second-day services offered by these businesses.

What are the Advantages of Each Carrier?

The advantages of these services depend on your situation. Your business size and your area of operation are two of the best factors to consider. Here are the things you should consider:

National Services

National delivery services have the size for a wider reach. With the size, these companies have access to a greater level of resources like the latest technology.

The resources make it possible for the national carriers to maintain more complex delivery routes. This allows them to keep a bigger customer base. Some can even partner up with large retail companies sell items by the bulk.

The size and abundance of resources make it possible for national carriers to have the proper equipment. It enables them to serve longer routes. It’s much longer than any regional or local courier services.

National services, because of their scale, tend to have a stronger system to protect their company’s integrity. They might offer better insurances to protect packages. Also, even if they cover a larger area, they sometimes work faster than regional couriers because of their organized operations. 

It’s also common for national couriers to have better customer service and more efficient tracking. Very often, it’s not a hassle to log into their website and get efficient real-time data regarding the location of a package. Regional couriers don’t often get this because they might not have the resources to maintain this level of monitoring.

Regional Services

The regional carriers are great when you need to rely on shorter deliveries. Their limited area of operation gives them more flexibility to their services. Often, they’re more familiar with the routes within their service area.

They know shortcuts and other situations since they’re traveling more often in the same area. A lot of customers feel satisfaction when they work with regional carriers. It’s not unusual since these carriers have a smaller customer base.

What are the Drawbacks of Each Carrier?

When it comes to freight weight, trucks move around 71% of the entire country’s packages. Despite this, both types of services have their own drawbacks. Here are some things you need to remember:

National Service

The biggest issue with national couriers is that they may charge a higher price. However, you have to put this into context: most national couriers offer better service, better insurance, and faster delivery. You get what you pay for, after all.

Although national services can be faster, there’s no denying they may have to travel farther distances and go through different vehicles. A package from one end of the country heading to the other might have to go through a bus, an airplane, and finally a truck before reaching the customer. This raises the risk, albeit only sightly, of the package getting damaged while on the road.

Regional Service

The most obvious limitation of regional couriers is their limited geographic areas. What this means is that they will charge you a lot. It’s especially true if it’s outside their normal delivery area.

Even then, it’s possible that they’ll reject your request. It happens when it’s too far for them to make it worth their resources.

If you coordinate different regional services, you might get the deliveries done faster. But the problem is that it’s expensive and often unwieldy. This means regional carriers aren’t the best choice if you plan to have longer shipments.

National Delivery vs. Regional Delivery – Learn the Best Choice Today!

Your choice of courier service changes with the shipment distance involved. If you’re a large business serving the country, national delivery couriers are for you. They have access to bigger infrastructure and resources.

Even if you’re a small business, national delivery might be the right solution for you. They can give you a competitive level of pricing while delivering efficiency. These companies can give the speed you need but give you satisfaction at the same time.

But always remember that there are more factors out there that can affect your choice of courier. If you need a versatile courier, you can contact us today to get a quote. Otherwise, we can talk about how we can help your business grow with our services.

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slow moving inventory

Quit Dusting Your Dead Stock! How Delivery Options Can Boost Slow-Moving Inventory Sales

slow moving inventory

slow moving inventory

Even in a well-run business, there could be 20 to 30% of inventory that is dead stock.

Carrying dead stock and slow-moving inventory can increase your costs and harm the rest of the store.

There are ways you can move these problem items and get the cash your company needs.

Continue reading this article to learn how to keep inventory moving and decrease the time it spends on your shelves.

Say Goodbye to Slow-Moving Inventory

The same shelf of products is staring back at you. It has been for months now and it is taking up valuable retail space. There could be a number of reasons that you have dead inventory on your shelves, such as:

  • Lack of customer interest
  • Selling products that are too similar
  • Failure to train staff to sell a product
  • Defective products

No matter what the reason is for having excess inventory, there are solutions that can help you get those annoying boxes off the shelves.

What Is Dead Stock?

Dead stock is inventory that doesn’t sell. If your company doesn’t use inventory management software, you may have product hiding out in your warehouse for years.

Whether you manufactured the products yourself or brought them through another company, if you aren’t moving inventory, you are amassing costs. The cost of storing the products is only one of the costs. Having old stock in your store can make your store look out of date and behind the times. Instead of looking like a retail professional, your store might look like a once popular liquidation special.

Avoiding Dead Stock

The first step to solving your problem is knowing that you have a problem.

Having software that will alert you when you have an aging inventory will allow you to get to work on a solution.

Instead of the wait and hope “strategy”, you can put systems into place that will help you shed the dead weight.

You might find some of your products aren’t worth saving, and they have to meet the dumpster, but that isn’t always the case. There are many smarts ways to get rid of these products and recoup some of your costs.

Some ideas for cost recouping are:

  • Selling to discount stores
  • Donation to charity (Hello tax write-off)
  • Using it as a gift giveaway with selective purchases
  • Offering the product in a bundle

Inventory should sell in 90-120 days in most situations. After the 90-120 day period, it is time to get concerned.

Since cash flow is the life-blood of any business, you need to get that inventory moving even if it means taking a loss.

Before implementing any of these strategies, make sure you are not continuing to order products that are not selling. If you are getting rid of the product at a discount only to have more come in behind it, you will never be able to solve your problem.

Quick and Free Shipping Are Your Friend

When selling your products online, it is important to have the best shipping services possible. Shipment is one of the determining factors for whether a customer buys your product or a product from your competition. The days when your company could charge hefty fees for shipping are far in the past.

When inventory isn’t moving, you can offer free, fast shipping on those products to get them to move. If the free and fast shipping alone isn’t enough to make them move then offer a deep discount to sweeten the deal. The longer you leave the product on the warehouse shelves, the more money you will put out in expenses.

While you will not make a profit off of these sales, your company will come out better in the long run since you didn’t have to count these products as a total loss.

You can use the situation as a way to win new repeat customers by giving them an amazing first experience. When first-time customers buy one of your deals, they will experience your fast shipping and customer experience.

If you haven’t thought much about your customer experience when they receive your package, this is a point you need to address. Your customer’s first connection with your product is often when they open your package.

Getting Customers to Promote You for Free

Once you’ve wowed your customers with free, fast shipping and a great deal, the experience needs to continue when they open the product package.

Pay special attention to the wrapping of the package, the messaging within the packages and any promotions you include. All these things are part of the customer experience, which will make or break the relationship and any free promotion you get from the customer.

If your packaging is unique, interesting and enjoyable, it is likely they will share it on social media or at least send it to a friend to see. Word of mouth and social media advertising is very powerful and can turn your dead stock into a part of your marketing campaign.

What to Look for in an Order Fulfillment Company

As you choose the company that will fulfill your orders, keep in mind that their commitment to their promises to your customers. If they can’t deliver product when they say they will, your customers are going to blame you, not them.

Working with a company that has a great reputation for following through on their promises is a must. Not only should they offer long-distance shipping, but having same-day delivery allows you to get packages to local customers at the speed of light.

Read customer reviews, speak with the sales team and even call customer service to make sure there is a good match between your companies.

Keep the Inventory Moving and Customer Satisfaction High

Slow-moving inventory can be a thing of the past. Offering the best shipping services to your customers will put you out in front of the competition that is skimping on shipping services. Speak with our professionals today to learn more about how we can help you and your business.

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Shipping Courier vs Freight: What’s the Difference?

Choosing the right shipment method can mean the difference between making money, breaking even, or losing money. Did you know that 45 percent of companies actually make money on the shipping fees they charge?

The first thing to consider is what are you trying to ship so you can narrow down your options. If you are shipping individual items to customers, it is probably obvious you will pick a courier.

But what about your inventory shipments? Or what if your product is too large or heavy for regular parcel mail?

We will help you make the right choice for your bottom line with a comparison of shipping couriers and freight shipping.

What is Courier Shipping?

Think of courier shipping like standard parcel shipping. It works best with shipments that are 100-150 pounds or less. Your package also needs to be smaller 165 in combined length and girth and less than 108 inches in length alone.

Many local businesses provide courier shipping services. As you are probably already aware, they are fast in providing door to door service.

Courier shipments will travel by truck, but if you pay for expedited shipping they can also go by plane. Your shipment will also stay with one courier for the entire length of the journey.

What is a Freight Courier?

If your shipment is over 150 pounds, you should use a freight courier over a courier service. The shipment time will take longer with this method.

Freight shipping happens in a couple different modes, truck, train, air, and ocean. The most commonly used method though is truck.

For those shipping their item by truck, you will hear two terms used, LTL and FTL. An LTL shipment means it is “less than a truckload”. While an FTL shipment is a “full truckload”.

LTL shipments will typically be less than 10 pallets and under 15,000 pounds. If your shipment is more than this, it is more cost effective for you to pay for the whole truck with an FTL shipment.

Truck shipping will be a door to door service. Though this means that your shipment will end up at the curb or loading dock. You will have to pay for the extra service of inside delivery if you want further service than that.

Air, ocean, and train shipments are done to their hubs. This is because you can’t physically get a plane, train, or ship door to door. For these, you should expect shipments to be done from airport to airport, port to port, or station to station.

You will then need to arrange for truck shipping from these locations to the destination. This final shipment service will be final mile shipping from hub to door.

Benefits of Courier Shipping

Courier shipping gives you fast and reliable delivery times. This is in thanks to the extensive network that shippers have developed over time.

Your package can literally go from one front door to another front door in just days. You can also trust that your package will be safe during transit.

Benefits of Freight Shipping

Freight shipping can give you significant discounts once your shipment becomes large or heavy. It can also let you ship more at one time instead of breaking up your shipments into many different packages.

It is also easier to get a volume discount if you plan on making more than one shipment.

Downside of Couriers

Once your package becomes too large or heavy you will have to pay very high prices. Then at a certain point, a courier will refuse to ship your item.

Think about it this way, do you really expect your delivery guy to lift and carry a 300-pound box up to your front door? No, you don’t. They also don’t have room on their trucks to carry equipment to move these large shipments.

Downside of Freight

Freight is not known for being a reliable form of shipping. Your delivery date will be an estimation. Though you can pay extra for expedited shipping if you really need your package there on a certain date.

There is also a lack of security when it comes to your shipment. With LTL shipping, there are multiple shipments on one truck.

That truck then makes many stops delivering each shipment. This means your shipment can come on and off the truck many times before delivery.

You may also find that you need to use more than one freight carrier to get your shipment delivered. This is because many carriers have specific regions where they will deliver to.

Your shipment is now at risk for damage or theft. To address this you can pay extra for a sealed shipment or a full truckload. Both of these will secure your shipment for the entire shipment and only get opened once at the delivery site.

Hiring a Shipping Courier

If you have a shipment and you are trying to decide between courier and freight, you need to consider the distance and size of the shipment. Once your shipment reaches a certain physical size or weight it becomes cheaper to use freight.

Sure, a shipping courier is automatically door to door and is faster. They also provide a reliable regular schedule. But it is not the smart choice for large or heavy items.

Freight becomes the smarter choice even if it can take longer and be less reliable for timing. Freight shippers have the ability and equipment to move shipments well over 150 pounds. If your shipment is on a pallet, you will want freight.

Let us help you book your courier or freight shipping today.

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On Document Archiving: How to Choose the Right Archive Record Storage

While many companies associate a digital archiving system with an increase in costs, it can save you money overall.

If you’re paying for rent by the square foot, you need to make the most of your office space. Document archiving will ensure that you get the most from your space and keep your most important documents in a safe and secure site away from your office.

Here are 6 steps to proper document archiving for your business.

1. Run an Audit

While you might think your first step is to take all of your documents and start boxing them up, you could end up storing things you don’t need. We all have a pile of papers waiting to be tossed out. You should make sure you separate what you need to keep, what can be scanned, and what should be thrown away.

You’re going to risk wasting valuable and expensive storage space by just boxing everything up. There are so many files and forms that could be redundant or unnecessary. Take a ruthless attitude and treat nothing as sacred.

When you decide what to discard, keep in mind the minimum retention rates for things like tax forms.

Keep in mind your carbon footprint as well. Make an effort to recycle everything from phone books to light bills. If you’re working with a document storage company, they’re going to offer secure destruction and shredding services for you. Double check that they recycle everything they get and leave it in their hands.

2. Digitize Some Documents

If you’re not legally bound to keep a document, you don’t necessarily have to keep the paper form around. Unless it’s something you feel sentimental value for, it can take up less storage space sitting on a hard drive. Back it up twice and you’ll have it whenever you need it in an emergencywithout keeping it onsite in a box.

If you don’t have a good scanner, ask if the storage provider you’re using has one. Many copy machines have high-quality scanning capacity built in, so if you have extra time to hang out around your office you might have access and not know it.

An electronic document management system allows your documents to be scanned and stored on the cloud. Whether you use Google Drive or your own home server, you can have your documents accessible wherever you are in the world. Install some security permissions and password protection and you should be able to keep any nefarious actors out of your personal or professional business.

3. Finding the Right Boxes

When it’s time to start boxing things up, you need to choose the highest quality boxes available. They should be durable enough to handle lots of heavy files and last for years to come. Cheap corrugated cardboard shipping boxes meant for single use won’t suffice.

A few drops of water and they’ll start to fall apart.

You should also clearly label your files and your boxes. This will allow you to get quick and easy access to what you need when you need it. Have a hybrid file system with a digital database connected to your physical storage so you know a file is in box A17 and can find things easily.

A records database will keep everything much more accessible than just throwing it in boxes labeled 1-100 with no digital database to correspond.

Streamline the process for finding files later and you’ll thank yourself.

4. Choose the Right Location

When you’re looking for storage, you need to keep your files in a location that’s easy to get to. Not only should it be physically close, but it should be a place where you can get ahold of them quickly.

If your small business has an extra room, an onsite storage room will probably be good enough. You’ll see that as the years go by and that your business grows, you’ll need more room. It takes space to put in climate control and maintain a facility for your records and might need that space for your business soon.

An off-site solution is one of the best ideas you can have if you think you’ll outgrow your space soon. You’re better off starting your business with an off-site storage space rather than having to move and implement a new strategy later. Start that strategy now rather than having to change things up when your business is up and running.

6. Organization is Key

You need to keep the documents that are alike together. Only you know what kinds of documents you have and what you need to store, but there are some basic rules to follow.

You should have a few categories of documents to hold on to. There can be tax returns, invoices, employee data, and customer data in separate categories. You should then organize each one of these by date.

When you do this, you’re able to get access to your files quickly without fumbling aimlessly through boxes. You can look up what index the files you’re looking for likely are in and then retrieve them from your facility

Keep retention rates marked in your records as well. This can help to remind you when you can have your files destroyed so that you can keep rotating them. The best thing you can do to protect your data is to get rid of anything you really don’t need anymore.

Document Archiving Is Good For Business.

No matter what industry you’re in, document archiving is a concern about space, staffing, and budgeting. Since all of these elements work hand in hand to contribute to your profit margin, you need to take document archiving seriously.

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Things to Consider When Choosing a Medical Courier Service

Courier services are big business on a global scale. It’s an industry that’s booming, well into the many billions of dollars, with more and more companies entering the market every year.

But how do you know which ones are reliable? And how can you trust them when it comes to sensitive, delicate deliveries like the ones required for medical courier services?

Even more importantly, what if you’re a business that needs a medical courier service but you’re feeling skeptical that any of them could measure up to your very high standards? After all, shipping and delivering medical products can be a very costly and sensitive process, and you or your business might rely on delivery success.

Keep reading for the ultimate guide on how to select the best medical courier service, so that you or your clients receive the highest standard of care.

Medical Courier Employees: A Vital Element

There are several things to consider when looking at hiring a medical courier service, and chief among them is the courier staff.

Employees must have a friendly, calm and compassionate manner. They’re dealing with chronically ill, stressed, or otherwise incapacitated clients who may not have much interaction with the outside world on a regular basis.

Some of them might rely on service animals, and so a courier must be able to manage and interact with those animals.

Delivery people must be vetted with appropriate background checks and possess HIPPA compliance, because they are moving and handling material that’s not only expensive or confidential and personal but also literally life-saving.

They also need to be detail-oriented, time efficient, familiar with routes and familiar with handling of toxic or expiring compounds and chemicals.

They should also have training with communicating with lab technicians, physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

Customer Service

For your peace of mind, in addition to couriers that have been thoroughly trained and vetted, you’ll want to know that the entire customer service staff is also top-notch.

Should an issue arise, you’ll want to be able to communicate quickly and effectively with a real, live person.

Also, since many clients are patients with difficulties in communicating, such as being hearing impaired, you’ll want to ensure that the courier service has those bases covered.

Patience in this industry is also a big bonus. If you’re dealing with communicative and laid-back customer service employees, even a major snafu can be pleasantly managed.

Your Courier Must be Insured

In case of unforeseen events such as weather disasters, it’s important that the courier service you select is licensed and insured by a reputable company.

As well, their couriers should also be insured.

Timing and Availability

Customers relying on medical couriers are often waiting for time-sensitive items. A delivery that’s a day or even a few hours late can seriously impact their lives.

It’s necessary that when choosing a medical courier service, a client or business sees that their website or other resource has tracking options, as well as dates and times of availability.

Ideally, you choose a courier that is available every day of the year, at most times or 24 hours a day and always with the option for same day delivery.

Careful Transportation

Delivering medical products is a careful process, and the delicate nature of the products makes the method of delivery all the more important.

Why is this? Weather, both hot and cold, as well as changing environments over long distances, makes the trucks or delivery vehicles one of the things you must consider very closely.

In addition, a courier service that understands and uses high tech insulated packaging will be key in your decision-making process. And let’s get blunt here: blood, organs, and other organically-based compounds must be stored at very specific temperatures. There is no room for mistake or negligence, ever.

Please be sure to ask questions of the courier services you are considering, like what are their trucks equipped with, and are they built for climate control?

Ensuring this will also ensure that your products are successfully delivered to you or your patients.

Experience is Everything

Even though the courier industry is booming, and new businesses are arriving on scene with cool technology and innovative ways to deliver your medical supplies and products, that doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to be great.

Sometimes, experience can trump the bells and whistles. When it comes to something as sensitive as medical deliveries, this couldn’t be truer.

Research the courier company to see if they have a long history of success. That will include client testimonials, and any other published proof of their superior courier abilities.

And if their services are a bit more expensive, it’s usually worth the extra expense to have peace of mind and a guaranteed delivery.

While the younger companies might entice you with flashy promises and cutting costs, it might not be wise to pursue their services when considering your needs.

Your Medical Courier’s Abilities are Vital!

This guide is a great way to carefully consider the couriers you’re interested in hiring, either for yourself or your business.

It’s a bit of an in-depth process, but don’t be overwhelmed. In the end, with your products successfully and safely delivered, it will be well worth it.

Are you ready to start researching the amazing courier services available, but don’t know where to begin? Head over to our blog and get an idea, then let us know how we can help you.

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Why It Pays to Pay for Hand Carry or On Board Courier Service

You used the tracked, registered, certified parcel delivery…where is your package? The Hope Diamond was sent to the Smithsonian Museum via ordinary mail carrier. Can you imagine trusting your vital medicine, a human kidney or fragile electronics to the public and private postal services today?

Most parcel services have fixed pickup and delivery times, huge sorting hubs and automated sorting. Many things can go wrong. Many hands have access to your cargo before it reaches its destination.

Sometimes you need your delivery faster than posted timetables, even the same day. When speed and security are a priority, a courier to hand carry your items aboard a passenger flight is the best choice. Read on to learn more.

Reasons You Might Need Hand Carry Service

Emergency shipments aside, there may be security or other reasons to prefer hand carry courier service. Antique glass, legal documents like passports or contracts or even the latest draft of a future movie are often too precious or a security risk to trust to common carriers.

Absolute white glove service for an antique concert bass? It sits in its own seat! A 10k pink diamond ring? Never leaves the courier’s pocket. The master copy of next year’s Call of Duty game? It walks directly from the hands of the software developer to the duplicator a whole continent away.

If you need an uninterrupted chain of control from your hands to the recipient, you need hand carry/on board courier service. There are other reasons to select on board courier service, though.

No Rigid Timetables or Routes

Missed the 5:00 p.m. deadline for next day delivery? Not on the scheduled route for the area? On time service, even when your parcel isn’t on a timetable shared by the common carriers is no problem. An on board courier service is only bound by the last flight out of the airport.

A courier can take custody of your product right as it leaves assembly, hand carry it aboard a passenger flight and deliver it straight to the recipient.

High Priority Cargo

Larger items travel as the checked baggage of the courier. As checked baggage, they travel in a pressurized hold. They receive priority handling and are available to travel to their final destination faster than ordinary cargo. At check-in, a courier is present for security screening and can request TSA special handling if necessary to speed your goods on their way.

Oversized goods are presented as oversize baggage and are transported accordingly. At the destination, your goods are unloaded as passenger baggage and are available for delivery to their final destination within minutes of airport arrival.

High Security and Real-Time Whereabouts

When the safety and security of your parcel are important, couriers can provide real-time status updates. For small items that meet carry-on baggage requirements, your parcel will never leave courier custody. Larger items will be personally presented to baggage check-in and picked up at arrival.

From the airport, your courier can hand carry your parcel directly to the recipient and confirm delivery. GPS tracking throughout the process gives you peace of mind.

Fast Customs Clearance

As accompanied baggage, your parcel will go through passenger customs clearance. This ensures expedited processing speed. This can mean the difference of minutes and hours instead of days spent in customs clearance.

Once through customs, your item can then be handed off for delivery to its final destination. A waiting delivery vehicle can speed your package on its way or your courier can hand-deliver the items.

How Do You Prepare for Courier Service?

Contact your courier company for specific guidance. In general, make sure your documents are in order for delivery. Your courier will meet you at a designated place. For small-size shipments, the item is placed in an airline-carry-on, backpack or briefcase. Larger items may be placed inside a suitcase or taken boxed.

Items should all be securely packaged before the couriers’ arrival. All items should be sealed and secured before leaving your custody. Your courier checks the packaging and will ask you to correct any irregularities before taking the parcel.

Items traveling as baggage must be packed to withstand rough handling or stacked baggage on top. Checked boxes, cases or bags may be subject to search or x-rays. For high-value items and electronics easily damaged by x-rays, your courier requests TSA hand inspection. They will accompany the shipment during inspection.

What Happens After the Courier Takes Custody?

The courier clears the security checkpoint and gets onto the plane with everyone else. Small carry-on items remain with the courier the entire time. Your courier must place them in the overhead compartment or underneath the seat in front of them.

Your package then flies to its destination, taking advantage of any direct or connecting flights. For most domestic deliveries, the same day handoff is possible. International delivery in less than 24 hours is within reach, too.

In the end, your courier may be met by someone to take your package to the recipient or they may deliver it themselves. Either way, courier delivery allows unmatched speed and security for your special items. Want to request ID confirmation and a photo of the recipient? The courier can do that!

How Do I Arrange for Service?

One telephone call and our representative can walk you through the process and find you the most economical, safe and fast delivery for your needs. Having a courier hand-carry a 200 lb hospital scanner part across the country and into the next one over is not much more than sending the parts by express overnight service.

However, no customs delay, use of scheduled commercial flights and positive control over the shipment means that the hospital scanner is back in business faster. When speed and security are off the essence, a courier taking charge is ideal.

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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.

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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.

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