For businesses that sell products online (and who doesn’t these days?), the shipping process becomes a natural part of their daily operations. However, even if it works perfectly, it is still worth evaluating and modifying it once again to ensure that the customers are getting high-quality service and the businesses are not overpaying for that.
In this article, we will share several pointers to help businesses provide customers with a pleasant shipping experience while simultaneously saving money. Tips include but are not limited to comparing courier services, insuring the products and evaluating transportation modes. Here is the essential information on providing a comfortable shipping experience at a reasonable cost:
Comparing Courier Services
To make sure that customers get their goods on time and enjoy a pleasant shipping experience, businesses need to choose a courier service wisely. In most cases, this means comparing services — and there are a few things to consider while doing so:
- Services. Compare courier shipping services by their offers: what features and options do they provide? For instance, it is possible to book a pickup online, choose a delivery date, and print a label with FedEx and UPS — all through their websites. On the other hand, DHL allows using an online tool to compare its services with its competitors.
- Accessibility. The more accessible a courier service is, the more convenient it will be for the customers to order and receive their goods. This means that businesses should look for a service that’s available 24/7 and has multiple pickup and drop-off locations covering different areas in the city. For instance, TNT delivery will be the best option for some companies, considering their location, while others will opt for another courier service.
- Prices. Lastly, it is crucial to compare prices, as the cheapest courier service isn’t always the best. Before finalizing the decision, it is essential to compare all costs, including fuel surcharges and any additional fees, as well as delivery time frames.
Reducing Shipping Distance
To be able to offer the customers a pleasant shipping experience at a lower cost, businesses should try reducing the distance between their warehouse and customers’ locations. This can be done by picking a courier service that offers local pickup and delivery options or using a drop-off point on their way home from work. In addition to saving businesses money, this option will also ensure that their customers get their goods faster.
Searching for High-Quality Discounted Supplies
High-quality discounted supplies are essential for businesses not only because they’re safer for use but also because they’re often more cost-efficient than cheap ones in the long run. This means that finding high-quality supplies at a discounted price instead of going with the lowest bidder would be the best deal possible.
These supplies can usually be found either at local warehouse stores or online. If purchasing them online, it is crucial to carefully read customer reviews and ratings before making a final decision. This way, there is a much lower risk of ending up with a damaged package or an expired product.
Obtaining Discounted Shipping Rates
For businesses that operate within a small region or state, it makes sense to obtain discounted shipping rates from a courier service. In most cases, all that requires is finding out if there are any offices nearby (the United States Post Office, for instance, has various offices throughout each state) and search their offer.
If choosing to use discounted rates, it is essential to check whether shipping rates are always available in the same region and make sure that they’re not restricted to particular products or sizes. This way, it will be possible to avoid paying more than necessary when trying to save money.
Offering Free Shipping
One of the most popular ways to offer free shipping is to set a minimum purchase amount, meaning that customers have to spend a certain amount of money to get free delivery. However, there are other occasions to offer free shipping, such as providing free shipping for top-selling products or at a particular time of the year — for example, during the seasonal holidays.
Insuring the Products
Insuring the products is one of the best ways for businesses to ensure that customers get their orders while also securing their profits if something goes wrong with the shipment. If ignoring the insurance, companies basically offer only the promise of delivery, which may result in decreased sales (and therefore lost profits).
When deciding whether to insure the products through the courier service or on their behalf, businesses must first search all the possible options. For instance, UPS offers additional coverage options up to $50,000 per package, while FedEx offers various insurance plans, including Cargo Insurance, which provides up to $100,000 in coverage.
Evaluating Transportation Modes
Finally, if striving to keep customers happy and ensure that their business thrives, business owners need to evaluate their modes of transportation. This includes the courier services they choose and the delivery methods used, such as air and ground transportation.
To choose the suitable method for each order, it is essential to check how much it costs and how long the delivery will take. For example, air transportation tends to be more expensive but much faster than shipping via ground — but it’s also safer and more reliable. That’s why it’s often used for large shipments and time-sensitive deliveries.
In Conclusion
While this list covers most of the tips that businesses should keep in mind when providing their customers with a comfortable shipping experience, there are some things essential to keep in mind at all times: providing detailed tracking information and delivery dates to the customers, consistently delivering on time and without damages, and using high-quality supplies.
After all, these things will help businesses save money and establish high-quality service to boost customer satisfaction at the same time!
Phil Cord is a freelance content writer. He loves exploring new solutions and their impact on business. Currently, he works with a group of specialists fascinated by the broadly understood subject of work. Their areas of interest include topics related to the future of work, offices, technology in the workplace, HR specialists’ competencies, health, communication and a wise combination of professional and private life.
