Savvy Shopper
by Mie-Yun Lee
Tampa BayBusiness Journal, October 19, 1998
You need to have a document sent across town, and it's 4:15 p.m. and the receiving office closes promptly at 5 p.m. Leaving your desk to brave traffic would not be productive, and sending it by fax is not an option. What do you do? You call a courier service.
Courier services have made a business out of helping other firms meet delivery deadlines, particularly in high-traffic urban areas. Using bike and foot messengers for downtown deliveries and vehicles for longer or larger runs, ground courier services specialize in same day pick-up and drop-off. While some focus exclusively on package deliveries in the downtown area, other services extend coverage to the metropolitan region and beyond.
While they may not seem all that different, there are some differences to keep in mind. One area where courier services often differ is in the timeliness of their delivery practices. For example, some services can be called at a moment's notice, whereas others focus their business on routing, meaning your package will get to its destination over the course of a messenger's day. Although routed delivery may be perfect for a payroll processing company that distributes checks on a weekly basis, it certainly does not meet the demands of a law firm that needs to rush documents to the courthouse within 30 minutes. Also, some services operate only during weekdays, while others have messengers on call 24/7.
The courier industry is highly competitive, and entry into the market requires very little initial capital investment or experience. Therefore, thoroughly investigate the track record of potential suitors by making an effort to speak with current clients that have comparable delivery volumes and requirements.
Ask questions:
Is performance consistent?
Is messenger turnover, which can affect how well a courier knows not only the address, but how to get around a building, high?
You may also want to test trial several different couriers by giving them packages that don't need to be rushed and noting how quickly they make the drop off. Guarantees of delivery performance are always a plus.
Even more crucial is to request a copy of the certificate of insurance verifying the coverage that the service carries. A courier company that has zero or little liability coverage may translate into a future lawsuit against your company if the messenger happens to get into an accident while delivering your company's package. Besides liability, two other types of coverage to look for are cargo and bonding. The former covers packages that have been damaged or stolen while being transported by the courier. The latter protects against employee theft.
Depending on the city, average prices for a standard-sized package delivered locally range anywhere from $4 to $16. Depending on the urgency of the delivery, the size of the package, and the distance it needs to travel, tack on an additional 50 to 200 percent for rush or off-hours delivery. Try not to keep your messenger waiting, either, as that could potentially cost you another 20 to 50 cents per minute after an initial five- to 10-minute wait.
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