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Courier services are provided by companies whose business is to deliver
documents, packages, parcels, and so on between two parties.
Courier
companies are generally privately owned, which sets them apart from
larger delivery firms and state-operated mail services.
As such, courier companies can often offer you more competitive rates.
For instance, many courier firms provide 24/7 or door-to-door and same-day
deliveries.
Most courier companies will provide you with worldwide
service, with your delivery tracked all the way.
Courier services are ideal if you have an important delivery to make, such
as a birthday present that needs to be sent for next day delivery.
Choosing a courier will give you peace of mind that your item will arrive safely and
on time.
You can also track its progress and feel secure that your item is
protected with insurance cover.
There are various courier services available in the United States, but
choosing the best one can be challenging.
For instance, what would you
consider the difference or best courier option from DHL, FedEx, UPS, or
USPS?
Obviously, the answer to this question will depend on your
situation.
1. Speed of Delivery
If you are a retail business owner, the chances are that you’ll have some
level of online sales and need to get your products to your customers as
soon as possible.
However, it is not only e-commerce businesses that need
things delivered quickly.
You might need to send important business or legal documents urgently, or
a gift may need to arrive fast to be in the right hands at the right time.
There are countless occasions when speed is of the essence, and you need
a courier service that can deliver quickly.
If you’re sending something
overseas, within what timescale does the courier guarantee delivery.
Also, you need to consider the pick-up time.
You might think you’re getting
next-day service, but what if the courier doesn’t collect your package until
the following day?
How about weekend services, is this done as quickly as
during weekdays?
2. Tracking, Guaranteed Delivery, and Insurance
You may want to send valuables, something of a sensitive nature, or an
item that you wish to treat with additional security.
In these cases, you
should consider the courier’s tracking service, delivery guarantee, and
level of insurance provided.
It might sound like you have a negative
attitude, but you must consider what happens if your item goes missing.
To mitigate this risk, you should choose a courier that offers tracking service
and additional insurance.
Similarly, if you are sending fragile items, you want to ensure that the
courier takes extra care of them.
More crucial, though, is that you want the
peace of mind of having them covered in the event of damage.
Tracking services use a barcode and corresponding tracking number for
your package.
As it moves through the various stages of delivery, your
package’s barcode is scanned.
The scanner records information such as
time and location, then feeds that to the courier.
This procedure allows you
to track your package’s progress via your courier’s website.
There are several comparison sites where you can track parcels across
several courier services.
This facility is beneficial if you’ve used different
couriers to send different packages, as you can monitor all their progress
from a single site.
It also means that you can shop around for the best deals
knowing you won’t have the hassle of tracking via several sites.
3. Price
Price isn’t so much a consideration if you are sending a small item just
once.
However, if you are using a courier often for more oversized items or
even moving your entire possessions; the cost is something to consider.
In the case of moving a home, especially to a different part of the country
or overseas, it can be challenging to make a reasonable comparison
between various couriers.
Quotations will vary significantly depending on
several factors, including the number of packages, size, weight, value,
speed, distance to the new location, etc.
There are sites such as ShippingToGo on which you can compare couriers
using standardized metrics to ensure you are comparing like with like.
These sites will help you get the best service for your domestic and
international shipping requirements.
4. International Services
Thanks to cheaper air travel, e-commerce, and social media, most people
nowadays have friends, family, or businesses in other countries.
Sending
packages is quite common for many people, and if you are one of them, you
should consider your courier’s international service record.
Using a
comparison site can make you considerable savings on international
courier services.
5. Package Collection and Delivery Times
Package collection and delivery times will add to or detract from the
convenience of your delivery.
When choosing your courier service, you
should consider the convenience of getting your package picked up or
dropping it off at the courier.
Perhaps you’ll need the facility at the
weekend or at certain times during the day, so ensure that these times are
suitable.
Remember, if you have to drop off the packages yourself, there may be
other customers, resulting in long waiting times.
Therefore, you might
want to consider a courier that offers a collection service.
As we’ve already mentioned, you can benefit from using a courier
comparison site to get the best delivery and shipping deals.
These sites
have been created to help remove the hassle and stress of finding the right
courier service. The best thing about such sites is that they’re entirely free
to use, and they can give you considerable savings.
Regardless of your location, getting the best deal on courier costs is
satisfying in cost, time, and effort.
All you need to do is put your details
into the courier comparison calculator and get an instant quote.
Want to hear more or just consult? Message us and we will
get back to you right away!