The Answer to your Courier-Related Prayers!

Are you thinking about joining one of the fastest growing industries worldwide and starting a courier company? Thanks to globalisation, courier companies have expanded and grown considerably. Consumers can now trust courier giants, such as DHL and FedEx to deliver parcels worldwide and on time. But what about smaller companies? What challenges are currently present in the courier industry and what are the solution?

Administration

One of the biggest problems faced by courier companies is the amount of administration that goes along with this service. Proof of delivery, orders, receipt, specifications of packages as well as regulations all contribute to a mile-long paper trail left by this type of service. Therefore, it is crucial to implement a system with automation capabilities from the get go.

Status of Delivery-Communication

Communication is extremely important in today’s environment. Owing to all of the technologies at your disposal, there is no excuse for not ensuring adequate communication with your customers. On line systems  allow customers to track their parcels and  report problems experienced during the delivery or order placing process. The problem that arises, however, is ensuring that the status of a parcel remains updated. Therefore, courier drivers need to have access to easy-to-use systems which enable them to update their locations and status of deliveries. That is why automation is key to managing this process successfully.

Cost Control

The courier industry is crazy over the holiday season and with special occasions, such as valentines day, things tend to get a bit crazy as well. While more staff can be hired to accommodate increasing deliveries, problems arise when trying to balance the cost of additional staff with profits and ensuring that  all staff adhere to  system processes for optimal efficiency.

Competition

The courier industry is competitive with global giants, such as DHL and Fedex, dominating a big share of the market. However, smaller companies that offer more specialised services to customers are also in demand. A way to beat the competition, is to be unique. Ensure that you are offering something different to customers. In addition, ensure that your operations are efficient; take challenges and turn them into advantages.

Infrastructure

In South Africa, a lack of properly maintained infrastructure can wreck havoc on courier delivery trucks. In addition, traffic also greatly influences a courier company’s rate of on-time deliveries. As this is an ongoing challenge, courier companies need to work around it.

The Answer to Your Courier-Related Prayers

So what would the answer to all of these challenges be? Courier Software.

While this might seem obvious, you need to look at what courier software entails to see how it can solve most of the challenges present in the industry. RFID technology has played a big role in ensuring that all parcels can be tracked and traced, thereby, delivering real time information to parcel owners.

Further, courier software comprises mobile software which enables up to date and real-time information regarding the status of delivery vehicles, such as location, time taken per delivery etc. In addition, courier software will enable route optimisation, thereby, allowing you to avoid traffic and damaged roads and increase your on-time delivery rate.

Lastly, courier software can be configured to suit your requirements and ensure competitiveness.