Learning
How to Choose a Delivery Partner For Your Business
Going to the store and buying what you need seems tedious, especially in adverse weather conditions. I still remember when I had to go out for groceries or ask someone to buy me some clothes. Fortunately, now with online shopping platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Blinkit, several small businesses are going online, and even e-commerce stores like Shopify and Woocommerce; it has benefited not only business owners but us as consumers also, especially because of delivery.
However, when I began my entrepreneurship journey, I could not deliver my supplies to the respective customers. Hiring a full-time professional loosened my pockets. Soon with shipment partners in recent years, my business got a boost, and I love it. Like me, you would wonder how to Choose a Delivery Partner For Your Business!
It’s pretty apt, as I was in a dilemma when I started. Hence, I asked specific questions to myself, and that’s how things changed so that I would guide you well!
16 Factors on How to Choose a Delivery Partner For Your Business
There are several things you must consider before choosing a delivery partner for your business. Depending upon your business preferences, you must decide what kind of shipment company you would prefer to collaborate with!
Below-mentioned is a list of the same!
1] Comprehend your Shipping Frequency
One of the core factors for choosing this is to assess your business needs. This includes shipping frequency. Whether you want to deliver every day, weekly, monthly, or once in a few months. The delivery partner that you choose must be able to handle and manage the delivery frequency effectively.
2] Consider your Business Delivery Speed Needs
Every business’ delivery speed needs differ. If you are into pharmaceutical, grocery, or such firms, you need express delivery for your supplies. In contrast, for usual shopping websites, you would prefer a nominal delivery time. Ensure that your delivery partner meets the desired delivery speed. Besides the delivery time that you assure your customers, the delivery partner must fulfill that.
3] Check the Delivery Partner’s Track Record
Before choosing one, you must check the one whom you are trusting is right. This is because they have access to your customer database as if it includes customer’s details like contact number, address, and more.
Besides, they also act as payment mediators hence the delivery partner should be reliable. One of the crucial factors to check for is reviews and testimonials. Again, as they even include fake ones, verify it from your end!
4] On-Time Delivery
Not everyone provides what they promise! One of the factors where most Delivery partners fail is that their delivery times mainly extend the expected time. This results in more delays and customer dissatisfaction. Therefore, ensure that they provide on-time delivery.
5] Cost-Effectiveness
Cost-effectiveness doesn’t always mean under the budget. It indicates that the service that the price you are paying is sufficient in exchange for the services that you’re getting.
Suppose you have to pay a higher price, then it must raise the bar, and you should feel that the budget is worth it. Further, if it is less expensive, then it should provide you with all the services that you need without compromising on quality. Therefore your delivery partner must offer you affordable services.
6] Range of Services
The range of services also determines which delivery partner you should choose. If XYZ company provides services like same-day delivery, International shipping, specialized handling, and such services you require, then you can go for it. However, if the ABC company doesn’t provide specialized handling like in the case of fragile equipment, which you have, then you shouldn’t go for it.
7] Scalability and Flexibility
Businesses are meant to prosper. However, with different needs, your company becomes scalable to something different each time. Therefore, when you choose a suitable delivery partner for your business, they should also be scalable along with your business.
8] Customer Service Friendliness
A Golf delivery partner should cater well to customer responses. Thus, when you or your customers enquire about anything, the company must resolve your concerns. One of the methods To check for it is to act as a customer in advance. Check whether you get a response, how helpful it is, and if it has a customer-centric approach to its services. They should resolve your concerns and issues quickly.
9] Transparency and Real-time Tracking
Technology has advanced the era of the courier sector by producing real-time tracking systems. You and your customers would need to track your orders timely and even monitor them. Therefore, look if the delivery provider lets you track them in real time. Further, amidst plenty of parcels, it becomes difficult to manage; hence having an order management system will be a further ado. Both these things ensure transparency which is essential for business needs.
10] Geographic Coverage
Check-in which areas the delivery partner operates. Does their coverage area match that of yours? Besides, if you would extend your area slightly, then the company can cater to your shipping needs or not. Your business’ geographic coverage should align with that of your delivery partner.
11] Package Policies
Stolen or damaged packages, losing them often occurs with companies, and it is now new. However, efficient management aims at how frequently it happens. Besides, when it happens, what are the shipping company’s policies for it? A good company will always have proper procedures, and they will adhere to them to safeguard their business and customers.
12] Package Handling
Check whether the delivery partner has required Standard Operating Procedures to manage your packages effectively. Further, they should also be able to handle boxes of different sizes with proper care.
13] Sustainable Practices
Look at whether the business follows sustainable practices for optimum utilization of resources in packaging and delivery. These help reduce overall costs, and hence you can gain affordable services. Further, environmentally sustainable practices also help to regulate and protect the environment.
14] Contract Terms
To flourish your business, you would expect a long-term collaboration and relationship with your delivery partner. Therefore, prepare a formal contract that includes delivery contract terms, termination clauses, duration, costs, etc.
15] Security Measures
One of the most significant risks with shipping includes unauthorized access. There may be your competitors who would want to replace the shipment with theirs for defamation and such purposes. Therefore, check and assess the shipment company’s security measures. These include tracking systems, secure storage facilities, or delivery signature requirements.
16] Industrial Expertise
There would be a niche in which your business operates. In such a scenario, ensure whether the delivery partner has expertise in handling packages of that industry. Like perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, clothes, and such equipment need specialized shipping.
The Final Word
Various factors depend upon which you should select your delivery partner. Reliability, Scalability, Efficiency, and Cost-effectiveness are significant factors to consider. Yet, experience and longevity with services also matter. One such company which adheres to its principles, Get It Picked , is a veteran in the niche.
Further, whether it be perishable goods like flowers, groceries for express delivery, fragile shipments like crockery, or such stuff, Get It Picked deals with all. They do innovate with technology, and it’s evident as they have their mobile app for Android and iOS. You can also access their services via their official website. Besides, their customer-centric approach sets them apart, as customer relationship management is their top priority.
