Top tips for your printing to arrive safely and on time
Practical steps customers and printers can take to reduce delayed, damaged or unsuccessful print deliveries.
When it comes to reliable service, overnight carriers—whoever they are—have a habit of over-promising and under-delivering.
With the well-publicised shortage of delivery drivers, the frustrations of late or damaged deliveries are not likely to disappear soon. There are, however, practical steps that can minimise problems before a package even begins its journey.
1. Supply the Correct and Complete Address
It sounds obvious, but delivery addresses frequently lack essential detail.
One postal address may contain several businesses, and the intended recipient may not be obvious from outside.
Useful details include:
- First floor
- Behind the shop
- Access through the side entry
- A department or contact name
- Unit, building or reception instructions
Small details can make a major difference to a driver delivering a full van of parcels under time pressure.
2. Check That the Recipient Will Be Available
Many damaged deliveries are parcels that could not be delivered on the first attempt.
They are returned to the depot, reloaded and handled several more times. The more often a parcel is handled, the greater the risk of damage.
Ensuring the recipient is expecting the delivery and is available to receive it improves the chance of the parcel arriving safely.
3. Leave Alternative Instructions
Carriers want to avoid making repeated delivery attempts.
Signatures are no longer always the main proof of delivery; drivers frequently take photographs instead.
Where there is a safe place for a parcel to be left, make sure the carrier has clear instructions.
4. Check the Tracking Details
Unless Flexpress is delivering using its own transport, we send a tracking link.
This provides an opportunity to confirm that the delivery has been arranged as requested. At this stage, it may still be possible to make changes.
5. Upgrade Critical Deliveries
Timed services, including morning or pre-10:00 AM delivery, are monitored more closely by carrier hubs than standard next-day services.
When timing is critical, upgrading can be worthwhile and does not necessarily add a large amount to the delivery cost.
6. Palletise Where Possible
Palletising keeps multiple parcels together as one delivery.
When properly shrink-wrapped and strapped, a pallet reduces the risk of parcels becoming separated or damaged.
How Flexpress Protects Deliveries
Flexpress takes the following precautions:
- Uses extra-strong double-walled corrugated boxes
- Fills voids with recyclable protective material
- Shrink-wraps contents where practical
- Reinforces vulnerable edges and corners with heavy-duty tape
- Clearly labels every box
- Packs boxes to approximately 15 kg maximum, rather than an almost immovable 30 kg
When it comes to deliveries, attention to detail counts. Flexpress reports a reprint rate around 80% lower than its main competitors.
For delivery queries, call 0116 267 6269.