We’re all using postal services more and more these days. Partly because eCommerce has taken over the high street, but also because the pandemic has kept us home for a large chunk of this year! Lots of us have been posting presents to family, starting online businesses, or doing other work through the mail. With many postal couriers available we like to assume our parcels are always safe.
However, things do go missing in the mail, and it’s very frustrating when it happens. There are a few things you can do to help ease the worries of shipping something valuable, sentimental, or important, and ensure your package arrives on time and in one piece. We have compiled the best of these ideas and tips for you below.
Online Tracking
As technology has improved rapidly over the last few years, so has the ability to track parcels online. Gone are the days where you would have to wait for a phone call from your recipient to let you know whether your parcel has arrived. These days, you can track your parcel every step of the way. The professionals over at https://15track.com say that “Parcel tracking online is far and above the most helpful and stress-relieving way to keep an eye on your parcel’s every move while ensuring safe and timely delivery” and we do tend to agree. With today’s systems, you can be notified at every single step of the journey. Most couriers will alert you when your parcel has been collected, reached the warehouse, been loaded onto a certain van, and even give an estimated arrival time. With all these updates and knowledge on your parcel’s whereabouts, you will feel much less stressed than if you were simply posting your package and waiting to hear from the receiver. We definitely recommend using a courier with great tracking systems and using an online site to keep track of the movements of your parcel.
Perfect Packaging
Sometimes the mailman has a mishap. Sometimes your parcel falls off the conveyor belt. Sometimes the recipient is not in and a parcel is left in the damp or cold. These things happen, but to alleviate stress within these situations there is something you can do to help: pack your parcel properly. Securing your parcel properly is absolutely vital to its safe passage across the country or around the world. If you are sending a letter or paperwork that is very important to you then we suggest a waterproof envelope sealed with tape. A small parcel should be posted in a protective envelope, such as one lined with bubble wrap, and also sealed well.
When sending something bigger we recommend posting in double-walled cardboard boxes, with plenty of packing peanuts or paper to keep your item from moving around too much. The more effort you put into the proper packing of your items, the happier you will feel letting it go into the hands of a courier. Damage to items is quite rare overall, but ensure your own peace of mind by packaging your parcel correctly.
Proper Labels
It’s very tempting to just scribble the address on the package and send it on its way, but we’re here to recommend the exact opposite. Almost all couriers now allow you to register and pay for postage online, giving you the opportunity to input all the essential details and then print off labels. We highly recommend using the courier approved labels and fixing them properly to your package. This way you know the courier can’t misread or misinterpret your handwriting.
They also should be able to keep track of your parcel better as the labels have also got the tracking barcodes and information on. We also definitely suggest putting a return to sender label on your parcel. This way, if anything does go wrong or labels are lost or removed, there is always a copy of your address affixed to the parcel, meaning it can be safely returned to you if necessary.
Address Checks
This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many pieces of mail are lost each year due to incorrect addressing. You have most likely received mail addressed to another nearby home, or had your mail dropped next door. More often than not, these things sort themselves out as a good neighbor drops round your mail, but why deal with the worry? If you know you have 100% got the address correct on a piece of mail you can reduce your stress level and know that the courier is taking your parcel to the right place. This applies to your return mail labels too, make sure your correct, current address and zip code are on the mail label.
Compensation Cover
It is always worth considering compensation cover, just in case the worst happens. As we have said, most lost parcels do eventually turn up, but what if they don’t? Sending something valuable and not having peace of mind that it is insured is just asking for extra worry! Many couriers provide a basic level of insurance up to a certain value, but if your items are very valuable or extra sentimental, we recommend upgrading to a higher level of compensation cover. Most couriers can take any value item you wish, but of course, the insurance level raises with the value of your items. Be honest and pay the value insurance your item deserves rather than paying for lower value insurance and just hoping for the best. It may seem steep to be paying a lot for insurance on postage, but it will make you feel a lot better knowing that even in the worst-case scenario you can get not only a refund but a full value replacement of your items.
These are our top tips for ensuring the safe delivery of parcels as well as relaxing yourself and reducing worries during the process. Remember to package your items correctly and affix proper postal labels to them, track the parcel online, and get the right level of compensation cover. These little bits of extra work pre-postage can and will make all the difference to your postal experience.
The post Worry-Free Tips to Ensure Your Package Is Shipped Right was first published on Coworkaholic.