If your business relies on deliveries and collections, you will already be aware of the importance of making an alliance with a good transport company, and with so many to choose from, it is difficult to narrow the search for a suitable contractor to collect and deliver goods. In the age of the Internet, many small businesses deliver to all areas of the world, and for this you will need to hook up with a provider who has extensive connections with all the major transport hubs. If you are searching for a logistics partner who can deliver an excellent service, here are a few tips on what to look for.
- Affordability – It isn’t much use having an efficient transport provider if the cost is excessive, so make sure you source someone who is reasonable, and avoid and unusually low quotes, as they never match up to expectations. The middle ground is where you should be looking, price wise, and ideally, they would have a choice of delivery packages, ranging from standard to express collection and delivery. This means you only pay the extra when you need a rapid service, and even the standard response time would mean same day deliveries for local destinations.
- Punctuality – Obviously, you want the goods collected as soon as possible, and the transport company would be good to their advertised standards. There are, for example, freight companies in Perth that cover a large part of Western Australia, and they are perfectly located with several branches in the region. They would have built their reputation on prompt service, and with considerable resources at their disposal, client satisfaction would be a top priority.
- Reliability – This cannot be over emphasised, as excuses are not an option when you have customers waiting for products, and if your transport company is well-established, they would have adequate resources to deal with vehicle breakdowns or other scenarios that might delay a delivery.
- Comprehensive Service – If your goods are bulky and heavy, you ideally want a transport company that handles every aspect of the delivery, which includes the use of trolleys and manpower to safely load the goods, and with tail lift trucks that can handle a 2 tonne lift, you won’t have to risk your employees’ safety. They will also handle the unloading at the other hand, which will impress your customers.
- Friendly Service – Building long term relationships with regular contact makes the whole process so much more enjoyable, and with customer focused staff who are dedicated to excellence, the experience will be rewarding in more ways than one. Whether it be drivers, loaders, or the admin staff, forming long term working relationships will only improve the overall efficiency of the business, and with everyone pulling the same direction, excellence will be the norm.
If you manage to partner up with a company that offers all of the above, then your business can only develop steadily in the right direction, and with their dedication and expertise, your collections and deliveries are no longer a headache.