The world today has converged to an online platform where majority businesses rely on shipping and Courier Services. In the UK, a staggering 99.8% of business population is considered as small and medium enterprises and more than 70% of these consider shipping services in the UK and the EU integral to their business success. The choice of courier and shipping service can impact cost, time frame for delivery and end-customer satisfaction. These factors equally effect personal shippers as well. The guide below will give you an insight on how to choose the Best Courier and Shipping Services in the Uk.
What are your Shipping Needs?
When selecting logistics solutions in the UK, the starting point would be determining what are you shipping. Factors to consider are size of the parcel or shipment, volumetric weight, value or if the shipment/parcel requires specialist packaging. At the moment very few companies offer packaging and freight together as a complete logistics solution; Beyond Logistics being one of leading companies amongst them. Different Courier companies have various restrictions in terms of parcel size, weight or value across their networks. Insurance caps also vary for different companies; meaning in case of loss/damage, you can claim only up to a certain amount back. For Large, valuable items insurance and compensation can be a decisive factor.
Are you sending Restricted Good or Special Items?
As a small business or private shipper, you may not be able to send across certain restricted goods like human remains or ashes, batteries, fire arms etc. Some items like ivory, rosewood and tulipwood may be refused by companies even for road freight in UK. It is advisable to research whether your selected courier offers specialized handling services in case you are looking to ship restricted goods locally or abroad. Even when you are shipping non restricted goods, you must know if they are classed as Antiques or Vintage. You would be surprised to know that different documentation is required when the same goods are sent by private shipper or commercial seller, or as part of probate inheritance or personal effects. In case of exporting or importing, always select a courier company that can provide proper freight documentation for imports/exports like CITES, ATA CARNET, Probate Declarations etc.
What is your delivery and pick-up location preference?
Many shippers and receivers have different preferences due to many reasons. If you want collection from a particular location rather than dropping off at designated hubs. You should always check your chosen courier offers collection services for your specific postcodes. Similarly, receivers may not be available to receive delivery and may prefer delivered to their nearest hub or alternative places like neighbor’s house. You can always check with the courier companies about their collection and delivery points options.
What are your Delivery Time Frames?
Speed of Delivery is one of primary factors to consider when choosing a shipping service in Uk. Regardless of whether you are sending something locally or internationally, delivery times impact customer perceptions and business goodwill. There are variety of parcel delivery services in UK. Standard Delivery offer reasonable time frame depending on destination. Again, depending on destination some companies may offer you express deliver, overnight delivery, next day parcels or in some rare cases same day courier services in UK. These are generally charged higher than standard delivery services and are used for time sensitive shipments. For parcels that are not time sensitive or large shipments. It is always advisable to go for economical delivery options rather than time efficient ones.
What is your shipping frequency/Volume?
While there may be many shipping services in UK, not all of them will suit your shipping needs. A prime factor to consider would be how many times you need to ship? Some Companies offer you package deals if you are a regular shipper like every fifth UK Mainland delivery free or subsidized rates. If you guarantee certain number of shipments. If you are an e-commerce business with many shipments in any average period, select courier services that can offer integrations with your online platforms. Beyond Logistics has offered its partners plug-ins and automatic label printing. The system automatically syncs to give you order updates and tracking to provide you with seamless logistics solution in UK.
Final Thoughts:
There are hundreds of couriers and shipping service providers in the UK. Choosing one is a daunting task. However, shipping services should not be judged by obvious factors like pricing alone. Freight is an unpredictable undertaking with many things that can seemingly go wrong. Always read reviews and ratings on google, Trust pilot or Feefo and specifically look for comments on customer service, responsiveness and after sale services. While a complaint raised is not an indication of bad service on its own. It is how the complaint is resolve that matters the most. Read reviews for how different companies perform in terms of delivery schedules, package handling and customs documentations. If you are a business, it is probably worth doing some trail shipments before establishing any long-term partnerships.
Most parcel delivery services in Uk offer tracking but unfortunately some will not offer an accurate one. Depending on how important tracking is for your shipment or business, always look for ease of booking and tracking accuracy in your trail shipments. Ultimately, choosing the right shipping service in the UK require pre-shipping research and post shipping trail evaluations. You will have to consider all the factors given in this blog individually and in relation to each other as well to make a sensible decision.
Pro-Tip: Beyond Logistics is not just any regular shipping service in Uk. It is a portfolio of all available services. This mean when you explore shipping services with us, you get options with number of courier and shipping services in UK and across the globe. Our Customer Service team is able to help you chose best shipping service based on your shipping needs, volume, weight, delivery/collection preferences, and budget. We can take care of shipping documentations and even offer you professional packaging services. For more information, Contact us here.