Choosing a new courier service?

For some businesses the new year starts with reviewing their current suppliers and looking at the ones that need replacing. So how do you choose a new courier service?

Business customers buy on value rather than price in a lot of cases, and if a courier service or delivery service has let you down in the customer services area, then it’s time to find a new one. Many businesses have learned the hard way when it comes to buying on price alone.

How do you source your courier services? Crowd-sourcing through twitter is useful if you are sending a small item that isn’t high value, or if you are a regular forum user a good local parcel carrier can be sourced there. The problems that you will have in sourcing a great courier service come when you haveto send something out of the ordinary.

Often a quick internet search is done and all that will tell you is how much a courier has invested in their website. A deeper look will indicate how good they are.

• Do they have more than a one page website?
• Do they have a landline telephone number? as well as a mobile?
• Do they show testimonials?
• Can you contact the testimonial givers?
• Do they offer advice in a blog or newsletter?
• Do you get to talk to a real person or is it all automated?

A combination of the above is a good sign, it shows they care about what they collect and deliver and when those items belong to you, you need to know that they will be taken care of professionally.

The next step is give your shortlisted companies a call – do they sound like they know what they are doing? In the times of copywritten webpages, it’s easy for companies to project an image of something they are not, so a phone call is essential.

• How long did it take to answer the phone?

Because you need a swift response if something goes wrong or you need to add or alter information you need someone to answer promptly. If the phone is ringing off the hook, you may find they are too busy to take the correct details or even call you back when they specify.

• How do they sound?

is there an engine running in the background? Whilst not every courier service needs someone in the office, they do need someone who will pay attention to the small details, and that cannot be done whilst driving. A good courier will take your details and call you back when they are not a danger to others because they are distracted.

• Automated booking?

Double check what will happen if you have a query, a phonecall gives a rapid response but what if you can only update online or by email? How will that affect your customer service?

When you have called for your quotes, make a pros and cons list and weigh up the customer service you received. That’s the customer service your customers will receive and itcan affect what they think of your business.

Whatever new courier services you choose for your deliveries, make sure they understand what you mean about good customer service. A good courier will help your business, a great courier will help you win new business.

Sarah