Judging the quality of any service, we tend to forget about its human factor. Customers are not the only ones facing problems – what we pay for and what we get in the end, often depends on people involved in performing the service. And courier services are no different.

Problems couriers face

Have you ever experienced any problems with sending or receiving a parcel? This might have happened because there are lots to be done in order to transport your shipment from one place to another. And sometimes, things can go wrong. Have a look at the most common incidents and problems couriers face below.

• Accidents and broken vehicles

Courier drivers follow a carefully planned route each day. Unfortunately, any problems on the road can cause delays in their schedule. If the courier didn’t come as expected, it may be because there was an accident, the vehicle broke down or the traffic was much heavier than usual. Remember that not everything can be foreseen.

• Getting lost

Although it may not come as a surprise, some places are just difficult to locate. Therefore, before you start wondering why the courier couldn’t collect or deliver your package on time, check if your building can be found easily. Finding the right address is often challenging, and is probably one of the most common problems couriers face. Make sure you provide the right and complete address every time and remember that some residential areas may be difficult to locate or access. Here’s why.

• Dealing with fragile packages

Unfortunately, a standard courier service is not entirely suitable for fragile or valuable items. During transit, packages reach several depots where they are sorted both manually and automatically. Most likely, the majority of them is labelled as “fragile” – but treating every parcel with extra care could probably make delivery times even longer. That is why all your items should be packed properly, also because any damages can cause some issues with delivery.

• Identifying parcels

Labels are key to identifying and transporting packages to the right destinations. Sometimes, however, they get switched upon collection or get damaged in transit. This is when your parcel can be considered as lost, as it becomes impossible to identify it without any label. Make sure your parcels are labelled properly, and always choose a sturdy packaging in order to avoid damages.

Before making any complaints, try to think of all the problems couriers face on a daily basis. Is your parcel bound to give them a headache? If you did your best but still experienced some difficulties, have a look at our Shipping Guide and find out how to overcome those problems. As always, we’re here to help.

Want to know more?

Check our articles that explore different topics within the logistics industry.