Courier Services - Buyers Guide

Courier Services Introduction

Courier services are a more specialized delivery service that businesses and individuals turn to when they need a package or a document to reach its destination quickly. While regular mail services can also deliver packages rapidly, they cannot guarantee same day delivery or overnight delivery as the case may be. The term “courier service” can refer to every form of delivery or transport service ranging from a small, local operation to an international network servicing millions daily using a fleet of trucks, planes, trains and ships.

Courier services have been around for a very long time. Ancient cultures had runners or horsemen to carry messages from one place to another without the hassle of going through the more commonly used slow channels. Another reason that couriers became such an important fixture in the delivery sector is that they were able to provide greater security to a parcel or letter. Technically, courier services are not supposed to be able to lose a letter given their intricate tracking systems. Plus, you can rest assured that the intended recipient will get the letter as they will have to sign for it at the other end.

There are different courier services to which you can turn if so needed. In cities couriers can take the forms of cars, bikes, motorcycles and even taxis – although the cab system tends to be most common only in the UK. Bike couriers are the most practical in cities as they are able to weave in and around traffic and are not constrained to the same kind of traffic issues with which car couriers must deal. Naturally, for longer distances, car or motorcycle couriers are a more practical and convenient choice.

Sending a package or a letter a long distance but with the maximum amount of security will also necessitate the hiring of a courier service – except that you will have to turn to the big services that include overnight flights, shipping and other delivery systems.

Courier services are currently a multi-billion dollar industry that help the wheels of business to turn smoothly. Without couriers in our cities we would have to rely on regular post for the shipment of our documents and packages – something that would be both inconvenient and a waste of time. Most courier services charge reasonable rates for deliveries. Generally rates are based on the distance something needs to be delivered – and, in the case of inter-city, international or overseas deliveries the cost is usually based on weight and distance.

Finding a good, reliable courier service is something every company will have to do at a certain point in their growth. Once they begin dealing with larger numbers of clients and have to deliver products or packages on a regular basis, having a solid courier service in their corner is essential.

Please continue reading further. In this guide we will explain how to choose a good courier service, we provide you with a checklist of things to look for when shopping around for a delivery service and provide you with a glossary of commonly used terms. We have also included a couple of articles that you may find interesting.

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I immediately got a call from a moving company who was very professional. We've had good communication, the survey was punctual and they returned a quotation the following day as promised. So far, so good!

Kate, Buyer
Adelaide, Australia