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Dot Express > The local courier
Small business owner packaging products
10Mar

The best way for small businesses to ship to local customers

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Three things to keep in mind.

As a small business owner or manager, you can find it difficult to think of the best way to deliver to your customers locally and don´t lose profit and time.

Here are 3 insights from a local courier that has been working with small to middle size companies, helping them succeed at deliveries. 

We hope you find it useful!

1- Create volume

You may not be moving as many products as some of the big retailers of the moment, but you still have orders coming from different parts of town. Sometimes, in order to fulfill these orders, and in hopes that one well-treated customer will help you win more clients, you may end up losing time and money. How? Well if you make deliveries that are too spread away from your location, and the average order is less than, let´s say $60, then you may be losing time and money on every delivery. 

Over time we have found out that the best way a small company can help mitigate these leaks of income, and instead of losing money in deliveries, actually make deliveries a crucial part of their service, is by creating volume in their orders.

What do we mean by these?  If you are sending 10 orders a week separated in every day of the week, then you are actually sending 2 orders per pickup. No doubt that taking out a driver for only 2 deliveries will make your cost per delivery increase. But if you instead gather all your weekly deliveries and send them the same day of the week, you will end up paying less. 

You will still be providing a much faster service than you would if you use some of the larger carriers. And you will pay a lot less for it.

2- Certainty beats speed.

It is not completely true, that when someone puts an order online they expect to have a delivery van within the next 30 minutes knocking on their door. In fact, while customers do value fast delivery, certainty is more important to them.

If a person places an order,  and they are able to know with certainty that their package will arrive within the settled schedule that is a lot more appealing for them, than being said they will receive their package in 2 hours and never actually get it.

So, if you are a small company that needs to deal with deliveries, don´t think that you need to impress your customers by delivering their products right away. This will probably cost you a lot of money, and it may not always be achievable.

3- Dive deep into zip codes and areas.

It is important that you know the areas you are sending the most deliveries to, and which are you sending the less. If you are consistently sending too little volume to a particular area, it is possible that this may be making the whole operation more expensive. 

Since most managers tend to look at deliveries from a client satisfaction perspective, this is sometimes forgotten. While it is very important that your delivery operation works as a way of keeping clients happy, you still have to look after the efficiency of your operation. 

For example, you may find that by gathering the deliveries to one particular area, in only one batch, you are able to save money. Keep in mind that when a route is priced it is priced based on volume, and this means the number of stops and the density between them. So to keep a healthy, money-making, delivery operation it is not only about how many orders you are sending, but you also need to consider the distance between one another. If the stops are too spread away then the prices per stop will increase, even though, you may be shipping many packages.

You can ask your delivery provider for an analysis of the operation with your orders mapped, and ways of improvement.

08Nov

In Miami, should you choose a local courier or a big name carrier?

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Whenever you need to have something delivered from one location to another, whether it is a single case or a recurrent delivery to clients, you are choosing a delivery service to take care of your deliveries.

Some companies prefer to take care of deliveries themselves. For most companies, this is not the best idea. Firstly, because your company has to be big enough to hire drivers and dispatchers, buy routing and tracking software, buy vans and catch up with years of experience. 

This is why most of the time, partnering with a delivery service vendor is the best option. But even here you still have to make a major decision. Whether you will be working with one of the usual big-name carriers such as FedEx or UPS, or with a small local courier. The correct decision depends entirely on your business needs.

What is the main advantage of working with a big-name carrier?

If you decide that a big name carrier is the best option for your business delivery needs, you probably will not have much room for negotiating prices or adding services, and you will not receive a personalized service. But the main advantage of working with a big-name carrier is that you will be absolutely sure that whatever need you may have, they will, without a doubt, be able to respond. 

If you have a sudden increase in volume, they will have enough drivers to respond. If you need to deliver temperature-controlled items, no problem. For the corresponding fee, they will even handle packaging for you.

 

What is the main advantage you will get from a small local courier?

When you work with a small local courier, you may not get the certainty that you have with a big name carrier that all your business needs will be fulfilled, nothing that good communication cannot solve. But the main advantage you will get is personalized service. And that is definitely a major advantage if you are delivering to your clients. Being able to solve problems quickly and easily may be crucial for your business success. Additionally, you may find that while big-name carrier prices are fixed, with a local courier you may be able to negotiate better prices for highly localized deliveries. Of course this depends a lot on the availability of the small courier, but again, there is nothing that good communication cannot solve.

 

In conclusion, both options may have their benefits and their downsides, but if most of your business is done locally then looking into the local courier options won´t do you any harm.

 

We at Dotexpress take pride in serving Miami Dade since 1991.

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12Oct

What is a local courier facility and why is best to avoid them

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What is a local courier facility and why is best to avoid them

When making deliveries through a local courier and while tracking the status of your order, you may get a message somehow similar to this: “Arrived at a local courier facility”. If you did, you were probably wondering what that means. In the next few lines, we will explain what a courier facility is, and why you should definitely try to avoid them.

What is a courier facility?

A courier facility is a specific location where the courier that will deliver your goods brings packages in order to be sorted and then distributed. If you received a message saying that your delivery has arrived at a courier facility, that actually means that your package has arrived at the facility of the courier that will make the final leg of the transportation process, or that after the courier picked up your packages they will take them there, and then after they are sorted, they will take them to their final destination.

 

Why is this not convenient for you?

Let’s face it; neither you nor your clients, if you deliver for a business, could care less about the logistics of how packages get from point A to point B. All you care about is that your packages get home safe and fast. And that is completely understandable. That is why you don’t want a courier that needs to take packages to facilities or distribution centers in order to be sorted. You want your packages to be picked up and delivered straight to their destination. This will make the waiting time shorter, and also the probability that your packages are somehow lost, or suffer any kind of damage is almost 0.

 

Conclusion

When looking for a courier, try to find out a little bit about their delivery process. When their operation seems too big they are probably sending packages to distribution centers, which make the whole delivery service slower and more unreliable.

three pillars greek style
31Aug

The 3 most important pillars of a successful partnership with a delivery service.

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What are the most important pillars of a healthy and profitable courier partnership

When it comes to choosing a courier to take care of the last-mile delivery of your products, the possibilities are vast and diverse. But whether you know it or not, there are some crucial pillars that will create a healthy partnership that is sustainable in time.

By now you should probably know the importance of the fulfillment stage for your business.

Your products may be perfect, your customer service incredible, everything may be in the right place, to create an excellent customer experience. But if your products are not getting to your clients in a timely manner, treated with care, and overall creating a positive experience for your clients, your company will probably suffer.

1-  A direct application programming interface integration (API)

Some shippers are able to provide an integration script through an API. This will create a scenario, where every time an order is placed on your system this will go directly into the courier system, making the whole process almost seamless. Since you don’t actually need to export a document including the information with the stops, and send it to your courier, the time saved is significant. 

2- Great communication.

Whatever happens, you need to be able to communicate fast and consistently with your partner. A delivery operation is a live thing and is in constant change. Having the ability to write an email, and get a response within 5-10 minutes or making a phone call and talking to someone who knows you andr business is definitely crucial. 

In general, small family-owned companies are the best for providing such direct and personalized communication. Since they are only dealing with a few clients, they are able to give you the level of attention you need.

3- Trust

Everything needs to be presented upfront, prices, conditions, etc. So that there are no misunderstandings later on. Building a trust foundation with your courier partner is crucial for developing an efficient operation that will allow your business to grow. Most businesses that start to work with a courier are generally looking to expand their business. So working with a delivery partner you can trust and grow with is most important when thinking long-term.

Conclusion

These are in our point of view the three most important pillars to building a healthy partnership with a delivery service. There are other important aspects to take in consideration, such as technology used by the courier, the working days and hours, the background check done to drivers, and more. 

a delivery woman looking to a package inside her van
12Aug

Do you know where your package is?

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Live tracking is essential

When businesses entrust a package to a delivery service there is always a sense of uncertainty. Unless you have been working for a long time with a trusted delivery service provider, you are probably wondering if your packages are going to be treated well and you may even don’t help to think that they can vanish from the space of earth, without you watching them.

Well, from our experience, this hardly ever happens, at least to us, we can´t speak for other couriers. But nevertheless, that is why live tracking is an essential feature.

An easy way to find out what is going on with a particular package is to go into your vendor’s system, just enter a tracking number and get to see a full picture of the status of the delivery and also a map when the driver is close to fulfilling the order.

Of course you can always write an email and wait for it to be responded to, or even pick up the phone and reach someone. But if you have the possibility to take immediate action, without the need of somebody else’s help, wouldn’t you prefer it that way? We sure would.

We at Devexpress always try to put ourselves in our clients shoes. This is why we are always trying our best to create new features to best adapt to your needs. Our expertise allows us to do so in ways you may not even have considered.

How can we do this?

We can do it because we have worked with many other companies that provide similar services, in the same areas. We have learned from other companies’ operations, and we may know something that you don´t or learn something from you. Hopefully it will be both.

 

A pharmacist giving out a medicines to a client
19Jul

6 good reasons why pharmacies outsource their delivery operation.

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Why most pharmacies choose to outsource deliveries

When a pharmacy starts making deliveries they have different options on how to do so. But it mainly goes down to two options. They can choose to take care of the operation in their own hands and means, or they can outsource the whole delivery stage to a vendor.

Here is why outsourcing is what some of the most successful pharmacies and healthcare facilities choose.

 

1- Medicines don’t require extensive packaging since the prescription is going directly from the pharmacy to the patient’s home. This is the case if they work with a courier that can pick up their products and deliver them the same day. Some sort of package is needed, but you are not required to make extensive packaging for them.

 

2- Medicines can be delivered the next day they’re ordered or in some cases even the same day, as long as the order is placed by a cut-off time specified by the pharmacy. 

 

3- Access lower prices by achieving volume. Generally, when an order is received by the pharmacy, they wait and accumulate as many orders as possible for a similar area in a short period of time. This way they can access lower prices due to their volume. If their volume goes up the prices go down. Of course, the increment would have to be significant and sustained in time.

 

4- Be prepared for growth. When you work with a courier that can meet your demands and grow with you, you are preparing your company for growth. If you work with two or three independent drivers, that may solve your present problems, but will not allow you to grow your business.

 

5- Let your clients know with a window of time the moment when the delivery will happen. This usually helps your clients be prepared and overall creates a better customer experience. For this to be possible, you would need to work with a courier that can provide tracking technology and send automated notifications to your clients through all the stages of the delivery.

 

6-Routing, order registering, dispatching, backups, etc. All these sorts of things take time. So in most cases, it’s just not profitable to invest time, money, and resources in implementing them, while outsourcing them is just better and more suitable for small, medium, and even large companies.

Conclusion

When you think about the future of your pharmacy, can you picture your meds being delivered to your clients all across town?

Then you should really start thinking of developing a relationship with a courier that can help you achieve your goals and overall improve your customer service.

A delivery man walking through the street with a box
12Jul

The importance of same-day delivery

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The importance of same-day delivery

Most of the usual big-name carriers can’t guarantee that your packages are going to be delivered the same day that they are picked up. In fact, most of the time they don´t get to deliver the same day, and they end up taking 2 to 5 days.

This may not seem like a problem for your business, but it is for your customers because when they place an order online, they expect to receive the products they have bought as quickly as possible, and are less likely to tolerate long waiting periods and uncertainty.

Same-day delivery vs conventional delivery.

Companies such as FedEx or UPS may become overwhelmed, resulting in delays, which damages your company’s image. On the other hand, same-day delivery companies can ensure that when a delivery operation is scheduled, packages are picked up and delivered that same day, creating a good impression with your clients, and reducing the stress caused by the uncertainty of not knowing exactly when packages will arrive.

When a driver from Dotexpress picks up a client´s Route they usually don’t have anything else in their vehicles other than the packages of that client. This is something that helps drivers complete their routes with far fewer problems than if they had to be concentrating on two or three different routes from different clients.

If you want your business to claim its slice of the pie and beat all the competition, you’ll need a creative solution. That’s when a third-party same-day delivery service can provide a competitive edge over those using more traditional shipping methods.

How can Dotexpress help your company and your customers?

1- Personalized service: this is definitely not a minor feature, while the big-name carriers and most of the delivery services, in general, cannot adjust to your needs entirely, we can. We can adapt to your business needs as much as you need, because we have far less bureaucracy, and we have made sure that our service is flexible enough to fulfill most of the needs of businesses.

2- True Same-Day Delivery: We pick up and deliver the same day, with no exception and no buts, 100% guaranteed. 

3- We can provide better prices, for a local 10-mile radius from pick-up location deliveries in Miami/Dade and Broward.

4- We provide a premium delivery service; drivers ensure that customers receive their packages in a timely manner, but they are also always in a good mood, looking neat, and prepared to handle any problems they may encounter.

If your company currently sends more than 10 stops per day, and you are using FedEx or a similar courier, let me assure you that there are better ways to do things. Dotexpress is probably one of your best options, but hurry, because we are a small family-owned company, and we are only able to work with a limited number of clients.

09Jun

A hidden opportunity only available for businesses in South Florida

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A hidden opportunity only available for businesses in South Florida

a delivery man in the doorstep of a house

Let us introduce an alternative to how you´ve been handling your company deliveries so far. Typically pharmacy managers send their daily orders through FedEx, USPS, UPS, they use their own hired drivers, or they use independent drivers. These all may seem like suitable options, and they all may be useful in some way or another, but there is an alternative that is being used by your peers, a hidden opportunity only available to businesses in South Florida.

 

This will not come as a surprise to an educated and informed person like yourself, but in the current time and driven by the pandemic and lockdowns, consumer behavior is slowly and firmly changing. Consumers now expect their products to be delivered fast to their doorsteps or offices, and some may even demand free delivery or choose the competition while others are willing to pay extra fees to receive their products faster. Of course, you may be thinking now that the pandemic and lockdowns seem to be coming to an end the situation may change, but let me tell you that this is only partly true. Yes, 2022 will see a decrease in e-commerce and with that in-home delivery, but this will in no case cut the previously mentioned trend. Consumers will increasingly demand your products to be delivered to their homes regularly. The only question is: are you going to be the company that´s prepared to offer this kind of service, and take advantage of this type of consumer? Are you going to be able to scale it, and create a new source of income for your company? This my friend is up to you…

When we talk about a hidden opportunity only available for businesses in South Florida, we mean Dotexpress. Yes, it is us. Sounds a little bit cocky right? Well, that may be true, but that is not our intention, we just think Dotexpress is awesome and we want to show it to everyone who might benefit from our service.

 

You may be wondering, what makes Dotexpress such a good opportunity for my business?

 

Well the truth is that, through trial and error, we have actually developed a service that is 100% entirely focused on helping companies deliver to their clients in a 10-15 mile radius. This means local, bulk, and recurrent orders. We have come up with a price strategy that can help you scale your operation by decreasing price while increasing volume. We have developed and perfected software so that we can give you the features that we know businesses usually may require, such as: window of delivery time, delivery confirmations, proof of delivery, live order tracking, and automated order placing. And on top of all this, our service is highly personalized because we only operate locally and we work with a limited number of clients (for now ;)) we are able to adapt to the needs of your business with high customization. 

 

In a word, whether you acknowledge it or not, people are going to increasingly demand fast home delivery to companies more and more, and the businesses that are not capable of fulfilling their clients’ demands are going to lose them to the competition. Dotexpress is a (so far hidden) alternative to handle your deliveries that helps you scale your operation through decreasing pricing, and offers professional service both on the streets and in the backend (software, dispatcher, etc).

See ya on the streets,

Dotexpress Corp.

a delivery man giving out a box to a happy woman
17May

How can Last Mile Delivery help Package Management

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Benefits of Last-Mile Delivery for Supply Chain Managers

In today’s eCommerce run world customers expect their packages to be delivered to their home or business on time. When customers receive a delayed, damaged, or the wrong package, the result usually is that logistics incur extra costs, and customers are left with a negative impression about the brand.

In order to ensure packages are delivered, last-mile delivery is the right solution for supply chain managers to implement. By leveraging courier software tools, supply chain managers can take packages to consumers quickly, reliably, and efficiently.

Let’s take a look at how last-mile delivery benefits the supply chain for package management.

Precision Route Tracking

When couriers deliver your package using last-mile delivery, they follow a precise route to your address. This route is optimized for vehicle size, location, time, and traffic. As a result, drivers, commanded by a dispatcher can quickly reroute and change roads to steer clear of any traffic issues that arise, so your package is delivered when expected.

Delivery Optimization

Knowing when a package is delivered is important. Last mile delivery improves package traceability through tracking information. This allows supply chain managers to see where the package is and at what stage of delivery. Once the package arrives at its final destination, the courier driver will implement data into the system stating that the package was signed for, dropped off at its intended location, and at what time. Supply chain managers can then use this information to reduce disputes and optimize the delivery process.

Increased Customer/Courier Communication

Last-mile delivery enhances the customer engagement experience. When customers place an order through an eCommerce business, they’re instantly given a tracking code from the courier working with the online shop. Customers can then track in real-time the movement of their package and contact the courier through an email or a telephone call. This creates increased communication and engagement between both the customer and the courier to reduce any delivery issues.

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a ship with containers and a man delivering a package to a home
17May

What is the difference between freight forwarders and couriers?

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What is the difference between freight forwarders and couriers?

Couriers and freight forwarders are different options for different shipping needs. For large shipments, business owners usually wonder if they should use a freight forwarder or a courier for their packages.

 

We’ll go through the differences between these two options and hopefully help you decide which transportation method is right for your needs.

 

Definition of Freight Forwarders

A freight forwarder is a person or company that organizes shipments for individuals or corporations to get goods from the manufacturer or producer to a market, customer, or final point of distribution. Forwarders contract with a carrier or often multiple carriers to move the goods.

 

A forwarder does not move the goods but acts as an expert in the logistics network. The carriers can use a variety of shipping modes, including ships, airplanes, trucks, and railroads, and often use multiple modes for a single shipment. For example, the freight forwarder may arrange to have cargo moved from a plant to an airport by truck, flown to the destination city, and then moved from the airport to a customer’s building by another truck.

 

Definition of courier services

Courier services, on the other hand, are companies that personally handle your goods from pickup to delivery. Businesses are more likely to use a courier for specialized deliveries.

 

What’s right for you?

 

If your packages need to travel long distances, a freight forwarder is the best transportation method for you. Also, if your shipment requires, import/export requirements and another tax tracking, freight forwarding companies can handle these areas seamlessly for you.

 

On the other hand, if your business is looking for a more personalized transportation service, couriers are the right option for you. Couriers are excellent at delivering shipments directly to customers and handling special loads. You’ll always be able to track and identify where your package is at any given time, giving you and your customers more control over your packages.

 

Dotexpress would fall under the second condition: we are a family-owned courier that only operates locally assuring businesses with the best rates for a superior service operating locally.

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