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6 Do's and Don'ts for a Successful Delivery Service Partnership

Carry Metkowski

October 10, 2017

These days, people want a greater variety of products than ever before, and they want them at their doorstep faster, cheaper, and more conveniently. With such a high level of customer demand, it may be time to partner with a delivery service in order to serve your customers better.

Being a small business is a tough undertaking at the best of times, which means that it's sometimes hard to find the right solution and tools. Nevertheless, joining forces with a technology-based courier service to tackle final mile product sales can be a highly rewarding (and profitable) activity. If you're ready to jump into the deep end, here's a quick overview of the things you should both accomplish and watch out for.

  1.  Create a List of Possible Partners

Ideas are one thing — but having the willpower and the fortitude to execute them is something entirely different. Before you get behind the wheel, you need a business plan for service tools that give you a clear idea of things like your current and potential customers, your budget, and your current and future business objectives. This will help you narrow down the playing field so you can evaluate your top choices for delivery solutions.

  1.  Put Your Customers First

When creating a strategic partnership with a delivery service, it's important to make sure that your choice of partner is actually strategic. For example, if your customer base has a broad range of package sizes, it doesn't make sense to partner with a courier service that has inadequate options. Your final decision should come down to who can best attend to your customers' needs.

  1.  Consider Delivery Fees

At this stage, you should be able to sketch out a preliminary budget for your partnership. Some solutions have user fees while others have setup fees, yet others offer a bulk discount for a long-term contract. While these bulk discounts might seem to keep costs down on paper, they often create customer and owner headaches elsewhere. It's not uncommon for companies to switch courier service every 22 months, research your options.

  1.  Don't Forget About Insurance

In the event of an accident or other mishaps, you and your company are protected against the legal and financial repercussions. Is your partner? Although, as the supplier, you might feel that you're relatively safe, you should carefully review your potential partners' insurance policies before entering into a partnership. Commercial liability, while not necessary, would certainly be the veil that you and your customers appreciate.

  1.  Do Ask About Employees

Most people think courier services hire employees to deliver packages — not so. Instead, the majority of courier companies hire independent drivers to fulfill orders. This cost-saving is a smart move for small business owners as long as partners have credible driver training. Double-check with those who have made your list about their training. Those with good service level agreement standards provide the best service. It's also worthwhile to check on their driver vetting before agreeing to join forces.

  1.  Don't Ignore Your Customer Base

There's been little to no transformation in the courier space since FedEx started offering two-day express delivery. So it's no surprise to find out you still have to call to place an order or have no tracking, with the exception of Dispatch. Repeat business is the lifeblood of any company, especially new ones like your own. In order to keep customers coming back for more make sure that you lay the groundwork for long-term, positive relationships. Using technology-based innovations demonstrate your business's savvy approach to meeting their needs.

If same-day local deliveries are a part of your business strategy, we can help. Talk with one of our representatives today!

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