Expedited Delivery
Sometimes, deliveries just cannot wait. Sometimes, standard shipping and delivery times won’t cut it.
This page will take a closer look at the benefits and types of expedited delivery services, as well as what to look for in an ideal transportation partner. So just what are some of the main benefits behind choosing an expedited transportation service over standard shipments?
Here’s a look at what partnering with a good company can do for you:
- Guaranteed delivery: Like we said in the opening, if you need product moved quickly and time is of the essence, you can’t be left hanging on the edge of your seat wondering if the items will arrive at their destination on time. That’s one of the big benefits of working with a credible, qualified expedited transportation company: They will guarantee the product will be delivered within the necessary timeframe. There are various ways that they ensure this will happen, including fewer stops along the way, using faster routes and more.
- Fewer touch points: Fewer stops along the way translates to fewer touch points. That is, there’s a lesser likelihood that the items you’re transporting will be lost or damaged along the way. A package or item that is shipped via standard means may be touched by dozens — perhaps even hundreds — of people throughout the supply chain. However, a package that is expedited interacts with far fewer. A reduction in touch points often correlates to a direct increase in reliability and delivery success.
- Reliable pickup: When you work with an expedited transportation company, you’ll never have to wait long for your items to be picked up. A good company will work with you to be at the origin in hours, perhaps even minutes, to begin transportation of your items.
- Comprehensive package tracking: Good expedited transportation service providers are backed by a comprehensive logistics system that helps streamline the product delivery process from origin to destination. Part of this logistics system also allows customers to track the status of the shipments every step of the way. This can help deliver peace of mind that items will arrive where they need to be on time and without incident.
Whether it's by land or by air, there are a variety of expedited carrier services that share the common goal of accelerating shipment of time sensitive goods.
Here's a look at some of these services and how they work:
- Same day trucking: As the name implies, a same day trucking company works to move items or goods from origin to destination within one day. Same day trucking services are fast, efficient and reliable.
- Air freight: Air transportation is generally the fastest way to transport items, especially when they need to cover long distances in a short period of time.
- Hot shot freight: Essentially the "minutemen" of the trucking world, hot shot trucking consists of transporting smaller sized items to their destination in short order. Typically, a hot shot delivery service specializes in making local deliveries within a few hours of the origin.
- Overnight trucking: Don't need items to reach their destination on the same day? Overnight trucking might be the best option, as these items travel through the night to reach their destination.
- Next day freight: Similar to overnight trucking, next day freight is an ideal expedited service for deliveries that need to reach their destination within one day.
- Expedited LTL: Less than truckload, or LTL, trucking typically consists of the delivery of smaller sized goods.
A good expedited company guarantees delivery when you need it and will work without compromise to ensure that it meets that deadline. However, aside from delivering products in the guaranteed time span, a good expedited transportation company will also ensure that products or items arrive in the same condition that they were transported in.
That’s one of the biggest things you should be weighing when selecting an express freight company: That it won’t compromise safety for speed. In a perfect world, the two factors are mutually exclusive.
Here’s a look at some of the other things that you should consider:
- The network: On some deliveries, drivers may need to trade off behind the wheel to ensure product can reach its destination on time and without incident. That said, how expansive is the trucking network of the company that you’re considering? On a similar accord, what if something were to happen while en route? For instance, how quickly could another driver or help arrive if a truck were to malfunction while en route? A good company always has a backup plan for if the unthinkable were to happen.
- Customer service: How easy is it to get a hold of the transportation company should you need to? Will you get the runaround from whoever is on call or will you work with a single point of contact? Will you have to leave a message or will someone pick up the phone? These are all important considerations because when you’re working with a time sensitive delivery, you shouldn’t be grasping at straws to get any information you want or need. We’re proud to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year — and we assign all of our customers with a single point of contact for ease in communication throughout the entire shipping process.
- Logistics: We mentioned it above, but it’s worth mentioning again: A good logistics platform can make or break an expedited delivery. It’s why it’s at the heart of our service, to ensure that product gets from Point A to Point B when it needs to. A comprehensive logistics system is critical to accomplishing this.
- Reliable pickup: The first step in any type of expedited delivery is at pickup. How quickly will the company you're considering be at the origin point? Are drivers standing by?
- Where they work: The reach of a network will help dictate how far a company’s service spans, but it’s an important consideration based on how far you need products to ship. We’re proud to offer our expedited services all throughout North America.
With an expansive carrier network, comprehensive logistics platform operating behind the scenes and a variety of ways to move product much faster than standard shipping times, we’re proud to be the company you can count on for your time sensitive deliveries.
Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of expedited delivery options and what solution will work best for your needs. No matter how short or how far you need products or items to ship, we have a solution for you. Contact us today for more information.
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