Table of Contents
2. Consider a Carrier Service’s Safety Record
Before you choose a carrier service to hire, you need to find out everything you can about them. One of the main things you need to request from a carrier service is their safety record. Knowing how many fines and accidents a carrier service has had in the past few years is important.
If a particular carrier service has a horrible safety record, you should probably avoid using them. The last thing you want is for your products to arrive late at a customer’s home due to an accident. This is why you need to insist on hiring a carrier service with a great safety record.
3. Get a Detailed List of Services
When researching the carrier services in your market, you will notice that the array of services each offers varies. Making a list of the services you need from a carrier service beforehand is a good idea. For instance, if you have a limited amount of warehouse space for your products, then you might want to hire a carrier service that also rents warehouse space. In most cases, getting a bundle of services from carrier will be much cheaper than using multiple services to meet these needs.
4. The Reliability Factor
Another important thing to consider before hiring a carrier service is their reliability. Most carrier services will have no problem providing you with the level of service (LOS) rates. The better these rates are, the easier it will be to get your deliveries to customers on time. Choosing the cheapest carrier service is a bad decision that might come back to haunt you.
While you will save money by hiring a cheaper service, you won’t be able to get the reliability you’re looking for. Shipment delays and delivery problems will eventually lead to losing customers. Instead of losing money, in the long run, to save a few dollars right now, you need to hire a reliable carrier service.
5. Does the Carrier Service Use Independent Truckers?
As your business grows, you will need to expand your shipping capabilities. When looking for a carrier service, you need to consider how far their reach extends. Most of the best carrier services will use a network of independent truck drivers to make deliveries in every corner of this country. If you want a carrier service that can grow with your business, then you need to make sure they use a network of independent truck drivers.
6. Choose a Carrier That Offers Dedicated Support
Regardless of how well a carrier does its job, shipping delays and many other problems are bound to happen. When these problems occur, you need to know you can receive the support needed to address them. The last thing you want is to remain in the dark about what is causing delays or other shipping problems, which is why choosing a carrier service that offers dedicated support is important.
With this support, you can get the answers you need with ease. Failing to consider the level of support offered by a carrier service can be disastrous. Working with an unresponsive carrier service can be frustrating for both you and your customers. Rather than dealing with the risk of losing customers due to bad shipping practices, you need to insist on hiring a top-notch carrier service to help you out.
7. Shipment Tracking Capabilities Are Important
Enticing modern consumers to order products from your company can be difficult. Once you win a consumer over and turn them into an actual customer, you need to provide them with the top-notch service they deserve. One of the main features that modern consumers insist on is the ability to track the orders they make.
This is why you need to realize the importance of hiring a carrier service that offers shipment tracking capabilities. With these capabilities, your customers can track orders from the time they leave the warehouse until they arrive at their doors.
Taking a look at the shipment tracking interface offered by a carrier service is also crucial. By doing this, you can assess just how user-friendly this interface is. An overly-complicated shipment tracking interface can frustrate your customers. This is why you need to insist on using a service that offers an easy-to-use and accurate shipment tracking program.
By using these tips, you should have no problem finding a carrier service that meets your company’s needs. Rushing through the carrier service selection process is a recipe for disaster. Taking your time and weighing all of your options is crucial if you want to make the right hire.
