One reason for posting with a courier is because you’ll benefit from electronic tracking.

This means your parcel will move through the courier network with a traceable barcode.

You see most courier networks are complex and intricate.

Once the driver collects your item, it’s transported back to the depot before being sorted to its onward destination. Often, large courier companies will have a centralised hub. Here, parcels from all over the country converge to be sorted back to a delivery depot ready to be taken to the recipient.

These networks are organised, time sensitive and enable couriers to get parcels from A to B professionally and efficiently.

If your parcel has an electronic barcode, it can be scanned at various points through the network…

This offers some significant benefits.

1. You can check in online to see where your parcel is.
2. You can use the delivery scan to check the item has been delivered on time and to spec. This is useful if you use a courier service to fulfill customer orders because you can confirm deliveries without making unnecessary phone calls to recipients, and you can be sure you’re achieving your own delivery promises.
3.You get peace of mind knowing your item isn’t entering into the network void! You’ll usually be able to see a collection track and a delivery scan, and in addition, larger courier companies may collect tracks when an item arrives at a depot, a hub or is sorted onto a vehicle.
4.If you use a courier for business, this helpful information supports your own high customer service standards.

You stay in control. You can access all this information from the comfort of your home simply by typing in your unique barcode reference.

If you run a small on-line retail business, you probably have customer orders to fulfil.

That means you have a number of things to consider:

You have to weigh up the postage rates when setting your retail price.
You have to ensure your parcels arrive at their destination in one piece and on time.
You have to be able to respond to customer enquires about their order – which could mean you need to know where in the courier network your parcel is.

Each of these requires a reliable courier who not only offers a professional service but also is competitive on price.

A courier delivery is a good alternative to the postal service. That’s because you can book a courier collection at an address you specify, whether that’s your home or your office.

This is a very convenient option. It means you don’t have to drop everything to meet the Post Office cut-off. In addition, you could find it very handy if you get a last minute order in. You could have time to get it packaged and despatched before the courier driver arrives!

Then you’ve also got the peace of mind that with electronic tracking you’ll be able to locate your parcel within the courier network. A lot of courier companies offer this service and it means you’ll be able to update your customer. You won’t face an embarrassing “I don’t know”.

If you have customer orders to fulfil, consider choosing a courier partner to help you get it right.

What shall I buy tonight?

The internet explosion means there’s a lot of on-line shopping taking place. What’s more all those orders need to be fulfilled.  If you are a seller, whether you choose to use Royal Mail or a courier to send your sales, be sure to get some form of proof of delivery.

Did you really post my purchase?

That’s because if for some reason your parcel doesn’t get delivered, you can at least prove to the buyer when the item was sent. In this way proof of delivery can help combat one of the risks involved in on-line shopping – will I get my purchase?

Using Royal Mail’s standard service?

If so you can ask for a free proof of postage receipt. This is stamped with the postage date. However standard parcels are not traceable meaning if the item goes astray it’s difficult to pinpoint where in the network the parcel could have gone missing.

Express courier products are traceable.

A more advanced form of proof of delivery is the traceable barcode attached to your parcel when you use an express courier product. With this barcode your parcel stays more visible. It gets tracked at various stages through the network meaning if it does go missing it’s easier to narrow down where. What’s more with a traceable product you can give your customer a more professional service and more information.

Parcel insured?

Many courier services offer compensation if your parcel gets lost. Although this is added peace of mind do check it covers the value of the contents or consider buying additional cover.

Proof of postage v track and trace.

If you are fulfilling a customer order, a courier delivery may be a better choice. That way you’ll get peace of mind that your parcel is traceable, while your customers see evidence that their parcel was dispatched.

It’s a big deal.

You have something important to send, but your delivery destination is just too far away to justify jumping in the car and taking it there yourself. What’s more with the price of petrol these days, and the possibility of getting caught in a traffic jam on the motorway the thought of driving yourself is probably not that appealing anyway.

Fortunately there is a better solution.

Parcel couriers offer a cost effective, reliable way to get your parcel and its contents from A to B. What’s more if you book a collection from your home you won’t even need your car.

If you select an express product such as a Next Day delivery or a 48 hour service your parcel will be posted with a unique tracking number. Armed with this you can quickly check the location of your parcel as it moves through the network. It may be a bit of a compromise but it’s nearly as good as taking it yourself!

Even better courier products are kind on your pocket. You can post your next day parcel with City Link from as little as £6.99 + VAT. That’s a lot cheaper than filling up a thirsty car with petrol!

And did you know couriers are happy to pick up just one parcel? It’s a misconception that you can only use a courier if you have a bulk of items to post.

Meaning next time you have something important to send pick a courier, and if you want some suggestions for how to choose the best one for you read this recent blog on how social media can help:  http://www.collectmyparcel.com/blog/the-benefits-of-using-social-media-when-choosing-your-parcel-courier/1181/

We think that’s parcel delivery made as easy as 123!