When it comes to reliable service, overnight carriers, whoever they are, have a habit of over-promising and under-delivering (excuse the pun). Here we look at some simple steps we can all take to ensure you get your delivery as you want it, when you want it.
With the now well-publicised shortage of delivery drivers’ being common knowledge, it seems the frustrations of late or damaged deliveries are not set to go away anytime soon. There are, however, some things you can do to minimise the potential for problems and it starts before the package even begins its journey.
Ensure you have the correct and complete delivery address.
It sounds obvious but you’d be amazed how many times delivery addresses lack fundamental detail. For example one postal address might contain multiple businesses and it may not be obvious, from the outside that the intended recipient is there at all. Things like ‘First Floor’ or ‘Behind shop’ or even ‘down entry at side of house’ can make a world of difference to someone trying to deliver a van load of parcels in a hurry.
Check the recipient will be there when the parcel arrives.
Most damaged deliveries are those that couldn’t be delivered on the first attempt. They get returned to the depot; often as a lone parcel sliding around in the back of an empty van, then re-handled several times. The more often a parcel is handled, the more it suffers. So simply ensuring the recipient is expecting the delivery, and is there to receive it, gives your parcel an improved chance of arriving undamaged.
Leave alternative instructions.
Carriers don’t want to have to return more than once, and in the current climate signatures are no longer the primary proof of delivery. Instead, they’ll often take photographs as proof of delivery. So, if you have a ‘safe’ place a delivery driver can leave your delivery if you’re not available, make sure the carrier is aware.
Check the tracking details.
Unless we’re delivering using our own transport, Flexpress will always send you a link to track your delivery. This is your opportunity to make sure everything has been organised as you requested and at this stage, it’s not too late to make changes.
Upgrade your service.
Timed (AM or Pre 10:00am) services are monitored more closely by carrier hubs than the more generic ‘next day’ services and don’t cost a huge amount more. So if your delivery is critical, it’s always worth considering upgrading to a slightly better service.
Palletise if possible.
It’s not always possible, of course, but palletising keeps all your parcels together as one single delivery and if shrink-wrapped and strapped correctly, reduces the possibility of both losing parcels and damaging them.
On our part, to ensure your delivery arrives in the best possible condition, and as quickly as possible, Flexpress only use extra-strong double-walled corrugated boxes and fill all voids with recyclable void fill. Where possible we shrink-wrap contents to minimise disruption in the box.
We seal vulnerable box edges and corners with a heavy-duty reinforced tape and ensure boxes are clearly labelled.
Unlike many of our competitors, who will pack to an almost immovable 30Kg, we only pack to a maximum of approximately 15Kg per box.
When it comes to deliveries, it’s attention to detail that counts. Exactly why, at Flexpress, our reprint rate is around 80% less than our main competitors.
If you have any queries about your delivery, please call our team on 0116 267 6269.