5 Things Customers Can Do To Ensure Easy Courier Shipment

International Couriers

You may be a small business owner or a regular person just looking to send out an international courier. And all you want is that the courier be delivered on time and in good condition. However, sometimes that slight delay or a chipped edge might happen, and you could be just as responsible for it. Surprised? Here are a few things you can do to ensure an easy courier shipment.

International Couriers

1. Pack It Right

This may sound fairly obvious but we cannot emphasize on the number of individuals who don’t do it right. International couriers have a long way to travel, so it’s only natural that should ensure safe and secure packing. Think double-walled cardboard boxes and a bubble wrap at the very minimum. Of course, if the product is fragile, it will need to have some extra cover. You don’t even need to wrap it yourself. You can simply instruct your courier service to do so. I mean, you do want the courier to make it through all the logistics distribution centres, don’t you?

2. Check the prohibited items list

Is your product a prohibited item? A lot of people make the mistake of sending a product all the way across borders only to have it held at customs. (God knows, I did!) The kind of items that are prohibited will largely depend from country to country. For example, products such as medicines or plants can’t be couriered from India to USA. So, make sure that you adhere to the prohibited list provided by your courier delivery service and if they haven’t given you one, ask for it!

3.  Accurate Custom Details

Again, this is another fairly simple point that a lot of people get wrong. Imagine an express delivery sent from India to USA. Maybe it even arrived a day early, but the delivery boy is unable to call you because the phone number has one wrong digit. As for the address, a 7 got smudged in transit and now reads as 1. And that’s all it takes to cause an undue delay. Another common problem is not filling out the customs form entirely. We get that forms can sometimes be complicated, but your courier service providers will surely help you with it, if only you ask.

4. Secure Labels

Labels – make sure that it’s securely pasted onto the courier. Labels also need to be weather-proof. Imagine the number of transits for a courier that’s shipped from USA to India. Your labels need to withstand the pressure of tugging, loading and unloading. In fact, we’d recommend that you attach extra labels, both inside and outside the courier, just to be on the safe side.

5. Insurance Cover

A lot of people tend to ignore this and maybe that works if the parcel isn’t an important delivery. But you simply must buy insurance cover if you’re sending any valuable items. This also applies to fragile products. While it’s not likely that your product might be damaged, an insurance will have you covered, if the worst occurs.

Supply chain trends for 2017

International Shipping

About two decades back if someone were to tell me that I could buy my favourite shoes and have it shipped from US to India in the comfort of my home, I’d just have a good laugh. The sceptic me wouldn’t have believed that express deliveries meant as little as 2 days. And I’d surely be baffled to learn that when the overall US job market was plummeting, the supply chain industry was hiring, and it was the only one to do so. In fact, an article by Fortune.com began with asking how a $1.3 trillion industry could keep growing? And it has!

International Shipping

According to a report by Integration Point, world trade is expected to increase by four times, right up to $68.5 trillion by 2050. As business blurs geographical borders, the supply chain industry continues to play a vital role in facilitating it. From international shipping and parcel deliveries to express solutions, it’s quite hard to identify a single business that doesn’t use a courier service. In fact, the onset of eCommerce labels has forced even local retail outlets and brands to maintain online shops, along with brick-and-mortar stores. Supply chain solutions have become less of a service and more of an experience. And the 2-day express delivery we discussed earlier? That’s the norm! However, a business doesn’t succeed by offering basic requirements. They are constantly required to up their game with new and innovative offerings & solutions – perhaps by offering free deliveries, an additional thank-you gift of some sort, or the like. Irrespective of how companies plan to introduce marketing elements to their deliveries, it just means more business for the logistics industry! And the big names know this.

In its initial stage, running a successful eCommerce was considered a sound achievement. From clothes and shoes to groceries and wine, customers could access the world with a single click. But as the demand kept piling up, brands started looking for improved options that could help handle the bulk. And enter, automation robots. No kidding! In fact, Amazon has its very own Robotics division. It would surprise you to know that there’s a robot-picking challenge held annually and the 2016 competition was rather tough with the robots picking around 100 items per hour. Now, that’s something!

And if robots weren’t enough, in came the use of AR (Augmented Reality). According to recent reports, DHL has successfully completed an AR pilot of its latest Vision Picking program. The program consists of smart glasses that will provide a visual display. This will direct men on the floor towards the next pick-up by highlighting where the items are located. The Vision Picking program is expected to improve productivity by 15%.

Moving on, there’s a certain measure of ecology that should be implemented. And as of now, a number of leading supply chain services are leaning towards sustainable services, whether in terms of international shipping or express deliveries.

The logistics industry is currently experiencing a boom. While business opportunities are on the rise, so are a growing number of competitors, with each looking to grab the largest slice of pie. And the only way through that is to constantly improve and innovate.

5 Things To Consider Before Choosing A Courier Service Provider

International Courier Services

Our world continues to grow smaller making it much easier to stay in touch with our loved ones and connect. I, personally prefer doing so by sending mementos and gifts every now and then. And over many years of tried and tested orders, I’ve managed to find the perfect courier service. If you have trouble finding a good courier delivery service for your requirements, here are few factors you should consider before making a choice.

International Courier Services

1. Global Presence

A few years back, I was looking for an international courier service to send Christmas goodies to my cousins, all the way from India to USA. Now, I knew a great many courier services that claimed express delivery and international shipping, but what sealed the deal for me was a courier service brand with regional offices and an established office in USA. This way, I knew that the services would be handled in-house and not outsourced to third-party providers – a gamble I wasn’t willing to take.  And that’s a vital factor when it comes to choosing a courier service. Choose a brand that has a regional presence in your Point of Destination.

2. Expertise

When it comes to certain products, it’s best to choose courier services that have an expertise in a particular area. Say you need to ship an exquisite & rather expensive chandelier to your home town. It would make more sense to choose an international courier service provider that specializes in fragile items. Or if you had to urgently mail important documents, you’d rather choose a brand that’s known for its express delivery services than a regular run-of-the-mill kind. The bottom line – choose a specialist according to your requirement.

3. Reviews

As mentioned earlier, I had a hard time choosing an international courier service. After managing to shortlist a few brands, I decided to ask around before making the final call, and trust me, it paid off! Enquire with your friends, colleagues or family about the courier service you have in mind. Perhaps, they’ve tried it before and have great reviews. Or maybe the service was absolutely horrible despite their exceptional marketing tactics. Direct reviews can give you the low-down on the real picture and help you choose the right courier service.

4. Price

Price is usually the most important aspect of any purchase decision. However, I’ve kept this for the end because the lowest price does not always mean the best service. Take any industry and the market place is choking with numerous businesses vying for your attention. Some premium brands have high rates while other upcoming brands have feasible rates and provide the same degree of service. In the end, it’s up to you to weigh the pros and cons and choose wisely!