5 Problems facing couriers in Australia
- Written by NewsServices.com
The courier market in Australia has been growing steadily for years and is projected to continue growing - but that doesn’t mean that couriers in Australia don’t face their share of problems. Some of these problems are age-old like traffic jams and some of these problems have emerged recently, for example customers expecting real-time updates on their parcels. This article lays out some of the most common problems that couriers face in Australia and how couriers can handle them.
1. Vehicle troubles
Every courier depends on their vehicle and so when things go wrong with it, the whole business can come to a screeching halt.
Breakdowns: most breakdowns can be prevented by choosing reliable vehicles and keeping up with regular maintenance. Vehicles with very high odometer readings are cheaper to buy but in general can’t be expected to be as reliable as newer cars. Couriers should check their cars regularly to catch problems before they get bad enough to cause a breakdown. You don’t need to be a mechanic to check the oil, water and battery levels as well as tyre tread depth and brake pad thickness.
Accidents: these can be far worse than a simple breakdown because they can amount to very expensive damage to property and injury or loss of life for the courier or the public. They can often be prevented by careful driving. Dash cams and driver monitoring systems encourage drivers to be more conscious and careful about their driving. The evidence from these devices can also help prevent undue blame being put on a courier in the event of a crash. As with breakdowns, couriers insurance can in many cases cover the loss incurred and can also cover the cost of hiring a replacement vehicle to keep the wheels rolling for the business.
2. Theft
The goods that couriers deliver are valuable, and thieves know that too. Loss of parcels sent by couriers due to theft is a major problem in Australia and around the world and it harms the reputation of the courier industry.
Couriers can help prevent theft by increasing the security of their vehicle and storage facility. This can be done by improving the quality of the locks used, and always locking up when out of sight. Security cameras can also be a deterrent to thieves.
Reduction of theft is in many ways best done by the recipient being present to personally receive the goods. Couriers can help with this by giving accurate estimated delivery times and updates as things change.
Theft and damage of parcels can be covered by couriers insurance. You need to contact a reputed insurance broker in Australia for a comprehensive couriers insurance policy.
3. Higher customer expectations
In the old days customers often had looser expectations about how long a delivery would take and when it would arrive. Times have changed. Customers today often expect their parcels to come quickly and on time. Customers today also want to be able to check where their parcel is during transit. They also usually want to receive text message alerts if there are changes and another alert when delivery has taken place. This presents a problem for couriers because it is a lot more work to meet these expectations and couriers are often running on a tight schedule already.
The problems described above can be solved by using software systems designed for couriers. Courier software can automatically track the location of parcels and send messages to customers about updates and delivery. This gives the customers what they want without increasing the burden on couriers by much.
4. The need for speed
It is a problem for couriers to keep up their delivery speeds particularly in times of peak demand, particularly in the lead up to Christmas and other peak online-shopping periods. On the other hand, the delivery speed suffers when there are adverse road conditions, for example traffic jams or bad weather. Slow delivery speeds can hurt a courier’s reputation and reduce their competitiveness in the industry.
Fortunately there are ways for couriers to keep their delivery speed up. Most of the improvements in speed that can be gained come from the use of software tools. Cutting edge software for couriers can make the route planning for the delivery of many packages to locations all over the city quick and easy. The software can instantly plan the most efficient route and guide you through the trip by map and voice directions. Some software can even use a phone camera to upload the information on the package and adjust the route automatically to take it into account.
5. Facing the competition
The courier market in Australia is competitive. There are a number of huge franchises and many smaller courier businesses all vying for delivery work. This creates a problem for couriers trying to carve out a space for themselves. How can couriers get clients in this market without having to lower their prices so low that they can’t make a profit? Doing well in the fundamentals of courier work is important of course but also consider the following.
One solution is to fill a niche that isn’t very well serviced already. The niche could be anything. It could be transporting pets to and from the vet or it could be delivering pharmaceutical or medical supplies.
Another solution is to decrease your expenses by increasing your efficiency- thus allowing you to compete on price while remaining profitable.
A third strategy is to improve your branding and utilise effective marketing strategies.
This can help you reach, gain and maintain a growing customer base.
