You’ve heard the term courier, and you have an idea in your head of what it means. You may imagine a bike messenger or services like UPS. You’re on the right track, but there’s a lot more to know about courier services. After answering all your questions, you may decide to start using couriers.
What Is a Courier?
There’s a simple answer to what is a courier. A basic definition is a professional person hired to deliver packages, letters, or even messages. They work for private courier companies that provide many benefits over traditional shipping.
What Distinguishes Couriers?
Different courier services may have slightly different processes. In general, you can expect a few incredible perks.
Extended Hours
Most shipping services have set hours to drop off, pick up, and move packages. Couriers are all about speed, so they are available 24 hours a day. They also work every day of the year including holidays.
Door to Door Service
Couriers make things easier for the sender and receiver. They will pick up or deliver to an exact location. There will be no need to walk to your mailbox, a front desk, or a shipping dock. They’ll be right where you need them.
Speedy Delivery
If you need a package to get somewhere quickly, courier services will have your back. They work for you which means you will be a priority. Around-the-clock hours and the best transportation mean your package gets there sooner. Have you ever tracked a package and seen it head in the opposite direction before coming your way? Courier services decrease that phenomenon.
Secure Travel
Hiring a courier means you know who will be handling your packages. It won’t change hands between every Tom, Dick, and Harry that works in a shipping facility. You can feel comfortable knowing your package will always be in trained, reliable hands.
Personalized Tracking
A specialty courier provides enhanced tracking. You can personalize what notifications you receive about your package’s progress. You may even get the opportunity to track the GPS in real-time.
Where Can You Ship?
From across the town to across the globe, couriers will deliver wherever you need.
Local
If you need to get a package from one side of the city to the other, call a courier. They can pick up and deliver in as little as a few hours. Business employees don’t have to worry about time-sensitive papers. Local delivery is especially common for legal documents.
Nationwide
Packages can be shipped across your state or the entire continent. Everything from envelopes to pallets can be efficiently and safely transported coast to coast.
Global
You can let your courier service handle international shipping. Sending parcels across borders can get complicated. A courier will handle all paperwork, taxes, and regulations for you.
How Are Packages Transported?
Depending on your budget, the distance, and the type of package, different modes of transportation are used. Consult your courier to select the best option for you.
Bicycles
Bicycles are a common mode of transportation for moving about busy cities. Bike couriers can often get your package to its destination sooner since they can bypass traffic jams. They also have the added benefit of being able to park anywhere.
Motor Vehicles
Couriers provide expedited shipping in cars, trucks, and vans to get your package to its destination faster than standard delivery.
Airplanes
There are a few options when it comes to air travel. You can hire a specific air charter service. A courier would accompany the package throughout the trip. The second option is hiring a courier to personally carry the parcel aboard a commercial flight and deliver it upon landing. The final and most costly option is to hire a private plane.
What Can You Send With a Courier?
The sky is almost the limit when it comes to items couriers can handle. In fact, that is one of their many benefits. Not every courier will handle every size and type of package, but you can search for a company that can help you. You might be surprised at some of the more unusual items couriers transport.
Messages
Some couriers simply deliver messages. A business can entrust them with confidential information.
Medical Supplies
Many items in the medical field need to be transported quickly and carefully. That makes the medical field a prime candidate for special courier services. From vaccinations to temperature-controlled medications and equipment to organs, couriers are trained to handle it all.
Live Animals
Various animals can be transported by courier. Smaller, more self-contained animals like fish, lizards, birds, bees, and scorpions can be packaged with food, water, and bedding for short trips. For larger animals, your options are more limited. However, there are companies that specialize in transporting animals like cats and dogs.
Critical Parts
Sometimes things break that need to be repaired within a short window of time. It is vital that parts, large or small, are brought quickly to the worksite. Examples are damaged infrastructure, grounded planes, and malfunctioning cell towers.
Dangerous Items
The majority of couriers companies will not risk transporting items that are deemed dangerous. Some companies will take on poisonous, infectious, or hazardous goods. There are many more regulations though. Make sure you speak to the courier about packaging, labeling, and restricted travel.
No matter what you need transported or where it’s going, talk to a courier company about your needs. They can quickly and safely get an immense variety of parcels shipped all around the world.
Laila Azzahra is a professional writer and blogger that loves to write about technology, business, entertainment, science, and health.