You were very excited about a long-awaited birthday gift to be sent by your sister who lives overseas. And, you were counting days for your parcel to arrive. The delivery package was to arrive at your place today, and every minute seemed like an hour to you. But, the excitement balloon burst when you got to know that you have become a victim of package theft. Heartbreaking it is; it is not much you can do about it for now than to cry. However, there are effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package
This is just one instance, and thousands of such incidents take place every day. While there are many courier service companies working today, secure package delivery is a major concern today. The striking figures reveal that nearly 23 million people have become a victim of package theft in the US only. Now, imagine the number of mishaps that take place worldwide daily.
Yes, the innovations in the package delivery industry have made the same day delivery possible. But still, some loopholes make secure delivery difficult. For this reason, some people feel hesitant to trust instant courier services for their time-sensitive documents.
Despite the concerns of the safety of the delivery package, the market for instant parcel and package delivery services is growing in the UAE. It seems that people want to get things done in real-time, and for this, they are willing to pay for instant secure delivery.
Due to the growing demand for same-day delivery, companies are now looking for effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package.
The Rising Demand of Package Delivery Services
We have briefly touched upon the reasons for the growth of package delivery services in the previous section. However, many factors are contributing to the growth of local courier services in the UAE and around the world.
First, the local courier services entertain both the individuals and the business outfits. So, whether your parcel is for a friend, or you want a secure document delivery to a business group, you’re covered. Also, some local companies operate beyond Dubai as well. Hence, you can get a parcel delivered across the UAE and the adjacent regions. Isn’t that amazing?
Instant
The most noteworthy aspect of modern delivery services is instant same-day delivery. Time is valuable, and every second count in this fast-moving world. For this reason, local courier services are gaining popularity. Further, they are quick and get your urgent parcels to deliver within minutes or hours.
Reduces cost
Another striking feature that attracts the customer towards package delivery services is the low cost. Hence, it would not be wrong to say that the global delivery market is changing because of these services. While the same-day delivery is a stress-reliever for the customers, it is also helping companies to reach buyers. So, the process is benefitting both parties likewise.
Saves from trouble
The hassle-free secure delivery is what the customers demand, and courier services are working towards this target. First, the package reaches you on time. Further, the company takes responsibility for the safety of the delivery package. And, it saves your time, money, and efforts.
The last-mile delivery
The modern world is characterized by technology, and people prefer efficiency to hard work for most of the day-to-day tasks. Shopping and package delivery are no exception. Hence, nowadays, the consumers place an order with eCommerce companies and enjoy the package delivery at doorsteps.
The passage of goods from the transportation hub to your home and office is the final step. But, do you know that before the parcel reaches you, it goes through many stages?
Let’s assume that you ordered a delicate decoration piece online and now you expect a secure fragile delivery of the item you chose. It’s a common expectation when you opt for a delivery service for a product you bought. Further, the customer wants to have a quality service that can save time and energy.
While the final leg of the package delivery process is the most important, at the same time, it is the most distressing too. Probably, it is because a last-mile delivery is an individual drop to the end-user.
Hence, the services provide at this stage are crucial to both the eCommerce company and the partner courier service company. And, a delivery theft, misplacement of the product, or wrong parcel delivery can do some severe damage to the reputation of both the companies alike.
Parcel theft; a new age crime
With more and more people adopting the buy-everything-online lifestyle, millions of packages are delivered to end-users every year worldwide. While the instant delivery services spell convenience for customers, it has a darker side; the growing number of parcel thefts.
The world is a place to over 7.5 billion people, and approximately 1.6 billion people use the internet to shop online. Hence, nearly 21% of the world’s population makes purchases online. While millions of packages are in circulation each day, it’s no secret that parcel theft is a new age crime.
Theft statistics
While most people make transactions for small items, many make purchases of expensive products as well. So, the thieves keep their eyes on the single packages that they feel contain a high-value item. As a result, a lot of money from the customer and the courier service (for refund) is at stake.
On average, porch pirates get hold of $140 at each parcel stolen. Moreover, most of the consumers place an order for more than one package simultaneously, and that increases the theft risk.
Who is at fault?
The companies failing to adopt effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package may encounter parcel theft. However, it is not only the courier company who is responsible sometimes the customer is also at fault.
Hence, the parcel left at your doorstep becomes an easy target for a “porch pirate.” Probably the pirates have been following the delivery truck or delivery agent. And as the agent dropped off the package at your place, they scooped up the package in no time.
Damaged Goods
There is no denying the benefits of instant courier services. However, receiving a damaged good is quite possible despite the innovations in the package and parcel industry. And let’s be fair, no product or service is risk-free.
Has it ever happened that you ordered a beautiful chandelier online? And as soon as you open the delivery package, you found that few of the pieces were missing or cracked? Indeed, this breaks the heart and frustrates the person.
Who to blame?
There’s a fair chance that the company made a mistake and sent a defective piece. However, the extreme weather conditions, the uneven roads, or a careless driver might also be responsible for the damaged good.
While the unforeseen weather events are inevitable, some companies have smart plans to respond to such potential supply chain disruption. Hence, the company you trust your goods with must have delivery insurance to keep you covered in case of some unforeseen eventualities.
Lost Goods
Another challenge that comes in the process of safe delivery of the package at your doorstep is a misplacement of parcels and packages. Today, the customers expect to get their orders in real-time, with a minute-to-minute update of the delivery status.
While many companies handle the package delivery smartly, the likelihood of parcel misplacement remains a concern for some.
Who is Responsible?
That’s the tricky part. Sometime a parcel might get lost or misplaced during the warehousing or in transit. And, this certainly is a result of negligence at the company’s end; such delivery issues are inevitable when the system is not well-organized.
Also, the parcels may get delivered to the wrong destination because of a mistake during the package labelling. FYI, labels are used to identify and transport parcels to the end-user. However, when the labels get switched, the delivery becomes arduous.
The broken-down vans, bikes, or bicycle may cause the dispatcher to get stuck somewhere. Also, the delivery agent might meet an accident that makes it impossible to complete the delivery process on time.
The nature of the delivery business is such that the displacement of goods has become an occasional problem. While most customers hold the companies responsible for the mishap, there are times when the shoppers are to blame. The shopper sometimes provides a wrong address by mistake that leads the dispatcher in no man’s land. Hence, it results in returned items.
The Big Question: How to Ensure Safe Package Delivery?
There is no problem without a solution; you have to dig out a little, and you will find a way to solve the problem. The package delivery industry follows the same rule-of-thumb and keeps looking for ideal solutions to the issues.
While the companies are putting their efforts, the customers also have a part to play to ensure secure package delivery. Hence, there are some effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package.
Porch theft is avoidable
Since the porch pirates have found smart ways to steal delivery packages, the customers and companies also require to “up” their counter-strategy. For this reason, preventive measures have to be taken, including the instalment of security cameras, and tracking the order.
Also, choosing the right delivery partner is essential whether you want a secure fragile delivery or a safe document delivery. It’s one of the best effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package.
Live traceability
While real-time delivery appeals most of the customers, a lost or damaged package is what infuriates the people. However, some delivery services provide the facility of live tracking, ViaMe being one of them. As a result, the chances of product misplacement or theft become negligible.
The smart tracking system keeps the customer aware of the minute-to-minute delivery status, thereby ensuring the safety of the delivery package. The tracking technology starts tracking the order from the initial stage to the last-mile delivery to the end-user.
Hence, the tracking feature notifies the customer about the arrival time of the product. The customer gets to see when the parcel moves closer and closer to the final destination. Further, the client becomes mentally prepared for the delay as he considers the cause –if there any at all.
Customer support
Delivery slip-ups also occur sometimes. There are instances when a carrier arrived at the delivery spot and found no one around. Probably this happens either due to lack of communication, or late arrival than the scheduled time.
While the live tracking technology helps to track the order, a customer support system is also crucial for secure package delivery. In case of delayed-package arrival, a lost package, or a damaged piece, the customer should have a platform to report.
Further, a 24/7 live support system ensures the customer that the company will address the problem.
Alternate delivery options
Check with your delivery service provider if they have alternative options for package delivery available. Hence, this will help to avoid a potential parcel theft if you won’t be available at the delivery stop at the given time.
Many companies have several other packages and types of delivery options tailored to the customers’ needs. Hence, you may choose from scheduled, subscription-based, or on-demand delivery packages for your parcel.
Research
Also, to avoid inconvenience at the last-mile delivery, it’s better to be informed about the company’s abilities. So, research whether the company can handle your large parcel or does it only deal with documents and small items?
The primary research –reading the “About Us” pages, or going through the reviews –is enough to help you make the decision. Hence, it is one of the effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package and avoid trouble.
Professional riders
We have discussed how the undertrained riders can become the cause of package misplacement. Also, a rider unaware of the routes or careless in driving may cause inconvenience to the customer. An effective way to counter such situations is to look for a company with trained riders and a professional fleet.
Take the example of ViaMe
Since the company caters to delivery packages of all scales, ViaMe has a professional fleet, including bikes, cars, vans, and trucks. Further, the company has recruited seasoned couriers and dispatchers who have extensive knowledge of the local area. Thus, the experienced riders craft such ways to make the instant package delivery possible.
Above all, in case the carrier gets involved in an accident, ViaMe keeps dispatchers on standby to carry on the operation at a minute’s notice.
Contact an insured company
Last but not least, it is important to take the services of a package delivery company that has the shield of the corporate insurance policy. While this may not be an effective way to ensure the safe delivery of your package, it keeps you covered in case of a mishap.
Hence, a professional courier company maintains an insurance policy that covers the loss or damage to the goods during any stage. Check with the company if the amount includes the cost of your packet.
While these are some of the effective ways to ensure the safe delivery of your package, consider some critical points as well.
Make sure that the company you have contacted has a swift refund policy. Do they compensate for the loss? Do they take responsibility for the whole process from shipping to last-mile delivery?
Hence, the little time invested in finding the answer to these questions can help you from major trouble in the future.