Saturday 30 August 2008

The Basildon School Run Increases Traffic

Sarah has been blogging about the school run today, and in doing her research she found that the school run puts 20% more traffic on the roads from 8.30am to 9.15 am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

The Institute of Advanced Motoring has some tips for tackling the school run.

• Avoid taking the car if you can. Walking, cycling and public transport are all better options, not only for children, but also the environment. Children cycling to school should be proficient and wear a helmet, with bright, all-weather clothing.
• If you have to drive, offer to car share with other parents and take it in turns rather than add to
congestion around schools. When you have an informal arrangement, set an example by
attending a defensive driving course such as that offered by the IAM.
• Allow plenty of time for the journey. Crashes cause delay and are normally caused by drivers
going too fast and driving too close to the car in front. Leave five minutes earlier to reduce
stress.
• Drive well within the speed limit. Maintain a sensible safety gap - remember the “two second
rule”. At 35mph you are twice as likely to kill someone as you are at 30mph. Yet within the
car, this feels hardly any different. The school approach presents many hazards - including
children not concentrating fully as they cross the road.
• Park considerately and safely. Never double park, block driveways or simply rely on the
footbrake to keep the vehicle still as children climb out of the car. Consider parking 100 yards
or so away from the school gate and completing your journey on foot. This gives you an
opportunity to teach children about using the road and reduces congestion at the school gate
itself.
• Never stop on the yellow “zig zags” by the school gate, even briefly. Always ensure you let
the children out on the pavement side (or if there is no pavement, the side away from the
traffic).
• Do not drive on the pavement in an attempt to allow oncoming vehicles to pass. Wait until the
way ahead is clear rather than risk injuring a pedestrian.The East London Ex-Pat’s Guide to Essex, Aug 2008

Whats this got to do with courier services? Sometimes it's more cost effective and safer to have our driver sitting in the traffic, than one of your own.
Give us a call on 0844 884 3331 if you think we can help, we can deliver everything except your kids, to school.

Kevin

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Wednesday 27 August 2008

Need a new parcel carrier in Basildon? Amtrak no longer working for you?

We have an excellent ‘account’ free parcel delivery service.

What does account free mean? It means you pay as you use our services, so you don’t have a minimum spend and there is no maximum spend.We are an Essex based express courier and parcel company within easy reach of West Thurrock and Dartford, and we can collect and deliver your parcels and packages all over the UK.Sarah & Kevin Arrow, West Thurrock & Dartford Courier and parcel services, Aug 2008

What does that mean to you, the customer? It means you don’t have any unexpected shocks when the invoice hits the mat, no fuel surcharges, or overweight charges (you know those nasty charges that mean you pay an extra £5 or £10 because you have gone overweight by .5kgs). Account free of all the hassle associated with other parcel and courier companies.Give us a call on 0844 884 3331 (local, no matter where you are) or 07816 528421 (mobile and out of office, yes we really are 24-7).

Sarah
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Deliveries gone wrong - delivery destination

I writing about deliveries that went wrong on Sunday:

Delivering a boat, a luxury one included, can be done safely by land. Only last week I delivered two boats for very happy customers, although I have no idea of the value, in these cases the customers insured the boats themselves for delivery.When deliveries go wrong…delivering by powerboat

and that got me thinking about the other ways that deliveries can go wrong.

Quite often the problem can be in the venue the item is being delivered too. Doorways can be too narrow for sofas and beds redulting in the removal of a window to get the item in the house.

Sometimes its climbing 7 flights of stairs with a very large sofa - a cup of tea is always welcome at the top!

Pianos can be a pain too, I read about the piano they had to be removed from an upstairs flat by crane! I wondered how they got it in to the flat in the first place.

Informing your courier of potential venue problems is a good thing, it means they can plan with you how they can help, if they can help at all.

If you do find you have to remove a window to get items of furniture in, a window fitter is a good option and doesn't add that much to the overall cost, a local one may even help out of hours so you don't have to take the day off of work.

For no obligation advice on preventing your delivery going wrong, just give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421

Sarah

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Deliveries gone wrong

I writing about deliveries that went wrong on Sunday:



Delivering a boat, a luxury one included, can be done safely by land. Only last week I delivered two boats for very happy customers, although I have no idea of the value, in these cases the customers insured the boats themselves for delivery.When deliveries go wrong…delivering by powerboat



and that got me thinking about the other ways that deliveries can go wrong.


Quite often the problem can be in the venue the item is being delivered too. Doorways can be too narrow for sofas and beds redulting in the removal of a window to get the item in the house.


Sometimes its climbing 7 flights of stairs with a very large sofa - a cup of tea is always welcome at the top!


Pianos can be a pain too, I read about the piano they had to be removed from an upstairs flat by crane! I wondered how they got it in to the flat in the first place.


Informing your courier of potential venue problems is a good thing, it means they can plan with you how they can help, if they can help at all.


If you do find you have to remove a window to get items of furniture in, a window fitter is a good option and doesn't add that much to the overall cost, a local one may even help out of hours so you don't have to take the day off of work.


For no obligation advice on preventing your delivery going wrong, just give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421


Sarah


 




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Sunday 24 August 2008

Do you work in the City?

And have a requirement for a home office?

In the ever evolving workplace, it's quite common to have a workstation facility based at your home address. If this is the situation you find yourself in having ordered your office furniture, but have no time to collect or assemble said items, then we can help.



At Arrow Light Haulage we have furniture installers that can collect, deliver and assemble your flatpacked items with the minimum amount of disruption to you and your families routine.

As a professional courier and company, we are capable of meeting all your delivery requirements with short notice. We can deliver out of office hours if that suits you better.



So, whatever your home office courier and delivery requirements are, just give us a call on 08444 884 3331 or 07816 528421 wqe are happy to help and advise without obligation.

Regards

Kevin
Basildon parcel and courier delivery


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Friday 22 August 2008

SAfer ways to transfer data, instead of using a courier service

Thinking about this blog post, I made earlier today:

PA consulting is the private sector company that has lost this round of confidential information. The transfer of further data to PA Consulting on the project has been suspended pending the investigation. This on the surface appears quite harsh, after DHL lost 25 million child benefit addresses, and as far as we are aware still delivering government documents.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Aug 2008Is there any tools or gadgets that could actually help the government?


I found an interesting looking secure data pen on a blog by Don Cooke, who specialises in remote team working. This led me to think, why is the data being transported via a memory stick anyway? Why isn't it being encrypted and uploaded to the research companies? Don't tell me it's more secure this way...

Even if your courier is insured, what exactly is being insured? the replacement data stick? or the data on it? and how do you put a price on that data?

Is it time for the Data Protection act to be reviewed? a SME would get huge fines for non compliance, I think there should be some sort of fine to the government, perhaps suspend MPs expense accounts until they can get it right?

For confidential delivery services, with 100% success rate (so far) then look no further than your local Basildon and Wickford confidential courier company, Arrow Light Haulage.

Regards

Sarah



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Wednesday 20 August 2008

London courier services and dropping in the city

I was thinking about this blog, that I posted a few days ago

London can be a very time consuming exercise for a courier company! At certain times of the day it can take you 2 hours to go 10 miles! This means most courier companies like to collect or drop their goods as early as possible.Sarah & Kevin Arrow, West Thurrock & Dartford Courier and parcel services, Aug 2008Driving in London can be very distracting for me, thankfully Kev and the other drivers deliver into London, as I would be holding up the traffic, hanging out of the window looking at the sights.

When you drive in places that have interesting sights do they distract you?

Sarah

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Tuesday 19 August 2008

Business ethics and the need to know

I found this interesting blog today:

There has been a lot of hype and noise surrounding Steve Jobs' appearance at the WWDC conference and not just because of the new iPhone launch either. His gaunt appearance started a furore amongst the tech analysts and journalists as to how his health was, it was material they claimed.Sally Church, Oncology Market Trends, Jul 2008The whole article is a good read, and having met Sally on several occasions, I know where she is coming from.

Couriers need a lot of information and if the truth be told, if a companies transport was going well, would we be in there collecting and delivering?

If we knew the health of one of our main customers, would it affect the service we gave them? Would we still be available?

I know we would be.

In business, others don't think that way and does knowing all the minute details make a difference? To them it does.

So, what exactly does being ethical in business mean?

Sarah
Ethical, greener efficient deliveries

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Delivering crockery safely!

Packing crockery for safer courier delivery can be done fairly easily, the problem lies in the weight. Like most parcel companies we are bound by HSE rules that say we can only lift 25kgs at a time.
So, you may need to pack your plates etc into two packages, depending on the size of your dinner service.

dinner service

When you have a lot of items, bubble wrap can prove expensive, so think about using corrugated paper instead. Place shredded / scrunched up paper around the edges and around cups to stop them chipping.

Packing crockery

Then weigh the box, if it comes in under 25kgs, then tape it up securely and give us a call on or 0844 884 3331 or call Kevin on 07816 528421 and we will come and collect it. We deliver to mainland Uk destinations starting from £9.99+VAT and we collect in Basildon, Pitsea and Benfleet as well as other Essex areas.

Be sure to check you parcel company's terms of business, often glass and second hand goods are not insured.

Happy packing!

Sarah
Chelmsford Courier and parcel delivery

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Dagenham, Ilford or Romford Courier?

Arrow Light Haulage is a professional and Romford, Ilford and Dagenham delivery company. We collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK. We are part the UKs biggest transport network, so even though we are based in Essex we have the resources to collect from anywhere within 60 minutes or 30 minutes (premium service).

Our drivers are polite and well trained, they know your reputation is in their hands.

We do the job right the first time, so the need for re-deliveries at your expense comes with using a cowboy not a professional courier. You get what you pay for, next time you get a cheap quote for a courier you need to ask why its so cheap...

  • Do they pay their drivers at the least minimum wage?

  • Are they insured?

  • Do they have the correct equipment to complete your delivery?

  • Are their drivers helpful, clean and polite?


Quite often you won't find out until something has gone wrong and then its too late!

Email for a quote by clicking here

What our customers say about us...

Courier testimonials

We also collect and deliver for private customers. Items such as rare guitars bought from Ebay, the new owner didn't want to entrust it to a parcel company, he didn't want to take the chance it would be broken in the warehouse or in-transit.

We have even offered the government the use of our services, they certainly wouldn't lose valuable data when they used our services.

Our parcel and delivery services for packages up to 15kgs is just £9.99 plus Vat for our blog readers, thats 5kg more than Interlink or DHL give you! (throughout the UK, certain parts of Scotland are exempted but can be covered by our Express Delivery Services). Don't forget, there is no Fuel surcharge, excess weight surcharge, or too awkward surcharge!

If its just Essex to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £7.99 plus Vat up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer.

So for all your parcel and express courier deliveries from Romford, Ilford or Dagenham, don't hesitate to give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or call Kevin direct on 07816 528421.

Regards

Sarah

Parcel and express courier deliveries from Romford, Ilford and Dagenham




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Aveley, Purfleet and South Ockenden Parcel Delivery

Arrow Light Haulage is a professional Purfleet, Aveley and South Ockenden Courier and delivery company. We collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK. We are part the UKs biggest transport network, so even though we are based in Essex we have the resources to collect from anywhere within 60 minutes or 30 minutes (premium service).

Our drivers are polite and well trained, they know your reputation is in their hands.

We do the job right the first time, so the need for re-deliveries at your expense comes with using a cowboy not a professional courier. You get what you pay for, next time you get a cheap quote for a courier you need to ask why its so cheap...
  • Do they pay their drivers at the least minimum wage?
  • Are they insured?
  • Do they have the correct equipment to complete your delivery?
  • Are their drivers helpful, clean and polite?
Quite often you won't find out until something has gone wrong and then its too late!

Email for a quote by clicking here

What our customers say about us...

Courier testimonials

We also collect and deliver for private customers. Items such as rare guitars bought from Ebay, the new owner didn't want to entrust it to a parcel company, he didn't want to take the chance it would be broken in the warehouse or in-transit.

We have even offered the government the use of our services, they certainly wouldn't lose valuable data when they used our services.

Our parcel and delivery services for packages up to 15kgs is just £9.99 plus Vat for our blog readers, thats 5kg more than Interlink or DHL give you! (throughout the UK, certain parts of Scotland are exempted but can be covered by our Express Delivery Services). Don't forget, there is no Fuel surcharge, excess weight surcharge, or too awkward surcharge!

If its just Essex to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £7.99 plus Vat up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer.

So for all your parcel and express courier deliveries from South Ockenden, Aveley and Purfleet, don't hesitate to give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or call Kevin direct on 07816 528421.

Regards

Sarah

Parcel and express courier deliveries from South Ockenden, Aveley and Purfleet


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Monday 18 August 2008

Pitsea, Canvey Island & Benfleet parcel and courier services

Do you need a courier in Pitsea, Canvey Island & Benfleet? To collect and deliver items that are urgent or confidential? Do you need specialist courier services? Pharmaceutical? moving lots of car parts around the UK? Shipping bulk parcels and packages?

"More details of these services can be found on our website -Specialist Courier Services
Sarah & Kevin Arrow, Basildon Courier and Parcel Distribution, Aug 2008"Delivering the goods is just part of our excellent courier services, we also have friendly, professional drivers who understand the meaning of time critical, and know they are upholding your companies good reputation.

For professional deliveries in Pitsea, Canvey Island or Benfleet make us your first phone call - 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421

Regards

Sarah

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Stanford Le Hope, Tilbury and Grays parcel and courier services

Based in Stanford Le Hope, Tilbury or Grays and need a courier to collect and/or deliver your parcels and packages?

Then have you thought about using the services of Arrow Light Haulage?
You love the fact that this year we have had 100% successful deliveries, the same as last year and the year before, and the year before… We deliver in 1-2 days, mainly overnight to all of UK mainland destinations.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Aug 200
There are many courier services that are tailored to your needs...
*Pharmaceutical Courier

*Legal Courier

*Medical and Dental courier

*Manufacturing courier

More details of these services can be found on their website -Specialist Courier Services

Regards

Sarah

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Chandeliers by courier or post?

Firstly, I wouldn't send a chandelier by post unless I really, really had to, with a high value, fragile item I would always opt for a dedicated courier vehicle. Often glass isn't insured, and chandeliers are made of glass / crystal.

A courier has higher insurances and have nothing else on the vehicle except for your item, making it less likely to get damaged.

Packing a chandelier for delivery by Arrow Light Haulage

Sometimes, you need to send it via the post or Basildon, Essex parcel company such as Arrow Light Haulage. So to get it there in one piece, find a box big enough for the chandelier and the packaging. You will need to remember if the item is over 25kgs it will need to be lifted by 2 people - HSE rules.

Wrap all the loose parts with bubble wrap and tape securely. Place gently onto a polystyrene base and then fill with polystyrene chips or popcorn. Place another polystyrene bad gently on the top of the Chandelier, taking care not to damage the item. before you secure the box, check that the item isn't ratting around in the box, if it is add more chips and perhaps pad out with scrunched up balls of newspaper.

When the Chandelier is secure, tape the box closed and write on the box in marker pen, the address. Why not a label? because a label may get torn, or damaged and your item may get 'lost' in the system.

If you don't want to pack it yourself, we can do this as part of our premium services. Just give us a call on 07816 528421 and we will discuss how we can help you.

Kevin
Courier and parcel delivery services in Basildon Essex


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Basildon Couriers, parcels and package delivery

We are happy to collect parcel and packages from Basildon to deliver throughout the UK.

We deliver in 1-2 days, mainly overnight to a lot of UK destinations.

As our customer you like the fact we have no fuel surcharges, no overweight charges and no out of the blue charges.

You love the fact that you don't need an account and can pay as you go, again eliminating a lot of the hidden extras you can be charged with an acccount.

You love the fact that this year we have had 100% successful deliveries, the same as last year and the year before, and the year before...

Our prices start at just £9.99 for up to 15kgs, and you love the fact that we will happily package items on your behalf for a little extra.

Just give us a call, we are happy to advise if your parcels need packing and wrapping. If your item needs strapping we are happy to quote for same day and next day delivery.

Regards

Kevin

Basildon Couriers, Parcel and package delivery




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Saturday 16 August 2008

Basildon freight forwarders / shipping agents...

Do you need a Freight Collection and Delivery Service?
Whether for your business or personal needs, Arrow Light Haulage offers one-of-a-kind freight courier services to help ease the pick-up and delivery process for large items.

We are available per job or per day, and are fully flexible to your needs. We will work with you and your shipping / fulfillment company to arrange collection of your freight items throughout the UK. Our freight delivery services are an affordable and time-saving alternative to coordinating pick-ups and deliveries on your own or through your shipping agent or freight forwarder.

Just give us a call, and we can talk about how we can help you deliver to your customers 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421.

Regards
Kevin

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Basildon based ebay seller? we can do your deliveries!

Image representing EBay as depicted in CrunchBaseImage via CrunchBase, source unknown Add our details to your listing!

Why?


Because it helps sell bulky and awkward items easier, oh and we give you a referral bonus or discount as well.

If you have an antique, awkward, fragile or bulky item to sell on ebay, then just add the following piece of code to your listing, by cutting and pasting.

<a href="mailto:sarah@arrowlighthaulage.co.uk?subject=Chelmsford Courier from Ebay listings!">Email for a free no obligation delivery quote by clicking here</a>

It will add a line of text just like this:

Email for a free no obligation delivery quote by clicking here

People are more likely to buy an item if delivery isn't going to be a problem, and it isn't a problem when you use Arrow Light Haulage, we'll help you sell more of your large, bulky or awkward items on ebay!

Regards

Sarah
Chelmsford, Basildon and West Thurrock couriers



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IT deliveries from Basildon, a modern fairytale?

The inside/front of a Dell PowerEdge web serverImage via Wikipedia Once upon a time, Byte and Bit Server manufacturers needed to have one of their servers delivered to a customer. They had decided wisely that a courier should deliver the server units, as with the credit crunch and economic downturn, they would save money by no longer having their own delivery vans and drivers. They were saving a small fortune until they employed Breakit & Bashit couriers, the cheapest company in town.


They rubbed their hands with glee, they were certainly going to save money here! They called B&B in, and they had the wrong size vehicle booked, the booking clerk didn't take the correct details, not to worry, they will send a new correctly sized vehicle. They did 4 hours later, but that was ok, they would still just get it to their important new customer on time.

The server had to be laid down, and the van didn't have carpet on the floor, so it had to be pushed onto the van carefully or the outer casing of the unit would get damaged through the packaging. B&B also had some furniture on the van and shoddily wrapped pallet of ball bearings.
The driver didn't seem to bothered about this, so Byte and Bit and didn't worry after all, they were in the hands of the professionals.

Ball bearings

The driver took the paperwork and set off on his journey. On the M25 he did a lot of violent braking and fast accelerating, and the pallet of ball bearings burst through the poor packaging and spilled all over the interior of the van.

After the customer had waited 2 hours past their business closing time, the delivery was finally made, and the server delivered just to the kerbside. The client of Byte and Bit wasn't very happy, and didn't have a good impression of Byte and Bit.

They installed their server, but it didn't work, several ball bearings had got into the casing. Engineers had to be sent at Byte and Bits expense, and then a replacement unit was delivered.

This is a fairy tale right? Sadly no, only the names have been changed to protect the not so innocent!

By using Arrow Light Haulage to deliver their server units Byte and But wouldn't have been late, they wouldn't have created the wrong impression and they wouldn't have had to redeliver a perfect item to their customer to replace the damaged server.

You get what you pay for when it comes to delivering your goods, and if you want to create the right impression then you need to use the right courier from the start.

Just give a call to discuss your delivery needs on 07816 528421, we will even wrap and pack for you as part of our premium services.

Make sure your deliveries end with 'happily ever after' by using the Basildon based courier company that delivers safely, nationwide :-)

Kevin Arrow

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Putting items into long term storage in Basildon?

A pillowtop mattress (U.S.Image via Wikipedia With space at a premium, and the loft overflowing, more and more people are putting items into long term storage.

If you have established what type of access you need at your storage place, you will need to pack the things that you are most likely to need, last. This means they are at the front of the unit when you need them

Put a dust sheet on the floor before you unload your items onto it.

Put your most filled and heaviest boxes in first.

Store sofas and mattresses on their ends.

Stack safely back to front, and don't put fragile items on the bottom and heavy boxes on top off them!

Make sure sharp blades of garden tools are covered, and make sure garden equipment is cleaned before storing.

We are happy to collect and deliver into both commercial and domestic storage units.

Just call us on 07816 528421 or 0844 884 3331 for a quote.

Kevin
Basildon courier, parcel and delivery services



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Student moves from Basildon?


Are you a student looking to move closer to Uni, in the term time?

Well, you have some options and the most popular seems to be hire a van, and do it yourself.



Alternatively you can hire a courier company, like Arrow Light Haulage to do it for you. A courier is usually paid on the distance moved and not the amount of stuff that needs moving.
The have different insurance from a removal company, so it can be a cheaper option to use a courier for your light removal, than to use a removal company.
Using a courier may not suit your circumstances, so it's best to check first and see what you get for your quote.

Arrow light Haulage are happy to collect at several destinations, so it may suit you to split the cost between two or three people, that way everyone saves money!

So, if you are looking to go back to halls of residence or rooms closer to Uni, have a look at the alternative student movers too. You may well pick up a bargain.

Regards

Sarah

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Sending fence panels or trellis by courier?

A further installment to our series of blogs on how to package awkward things and send them via our Basildon and Pitsea based parcel collection and delivery services.

wooden trellis for delivery

Trellis is awkward because of its size and weight per panel, it just comes in under the maximum that we can collect and deliver and be Health and Safety compliant.

The trellis, if it has fancy woodwork , should be bubble wrapped on this part and then shrink wrapped.

It can then be wrapped in recycled brown paper ready to be collected. Don’t forget to write the address on it and tape this securely to the package.

If you are not sure about it, we can package the trellis or fence panels for you as part of our premium services.

If you are not sure on how to package anything, then feel free to give us a call on 07816 528421, or 0844 884 3331 we are always happy to advise you on how to package your items.

Sarah

Arrow Light Haulage - Celebrating 100% successful deliveries this year, last year, the year before, the year before....

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Friday 15 August 2008

Packing for safe delivery by your Basildon parcel courier

boxes
So you have just sold some great items on Ebay or manufactured something fragile and precious, you now need to get it to your customer as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The item has to be packed securely, as not all parcel companies are as careful as Essex based courier company, Arrow Light Haulage.
packing

Think carefully, a parcel could get thrown around as its loaded, it can bump about on conveyor belts and it can even get heavy items placed on top of it.

With that in mind, bubble wrap fragile parts, and consider putting shredded papered or paper scrunched up in balls around your item. Secure any lids with tape. Secure any loose parts with tape. Brown tape, parcel tape, or even tape branded with fragile. Just make sure it's secure.
packing tape
Lift the box and gently shake it, if it sounds loose then you need to add more paper around the item. When you are happy that its safe and secure, seal up all the edges with tape.

When addressing your package, write directly onto the box in large clear letters, if you place a label there is the possibility it may get ripped off and your package gets 'lost' in the system.

Don't forget to put your return address on the back.

Then weigh your item, remember a courier is bound by HSE regulations that say they must not lift over 25kgs, so even if you can lift it, you still need to check its weight!

Then give us a call on 07816 528421 we deliver throughout the UK from Essex, Kent and East London for just £10 plus VAT for items up to 15kgs.

Regards
Sarah

Email for a Basildon Parcel or Express delivery quote by clicking here
Basildon courier and parcel delivery services | Basildon Courier and parcels blog | Chelmsford Courier and parcels delivery | Driving for a living blog | West Thurrock and Dartford Courier and parcels collection I
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Using a Basildon courier to deliver a bicycle

This is another in our series of blogs on how to pack awkward items for safe delivery by couriers. In this instance via Basildon parcel couriers. Suitable if you are looking to send many as you are a retailer, or just the odd one or two as you are an ebayer.

Essex couriers delivering a bicycle

If the bike is already assembled, remove pedals and handle bars. Wrap the paintwork with bubble wrap. Wrap the pedals and handle bars with bubble wrap and attach them with tape to the frame.

If you have a box to hand, great place the bike in the box and secure it, its ready for transportation.

If you don't have a box, then wrap in recycled brown paper, and tape securely with duct tape. Ideally you would keep the item safe, using the packaging material, and if you don't package the item correctly and damage happens, you will have no recourse with your parcel carrier.

You can mark the paper with Fragile, so the parcel carriers are aware its fragile.

Any questions? then don't hesitate to give us a call on 07816 528421 or send us an email
or send us an email, we are happy to help where we can

If you are a bicycle manufacturer who would like to talk to us about our delivery services, please give us a call to discuss what we can do for you too.

Regards

Kevin
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Delivering it yourself? then save some money...

TemperatureImage by St Stev via Flickr If you deliver your own goods and decide not to outsource your Basildon, Wickford, Pitsea courier work to us at Arrow Light Haulage, then read on for greener driving to help you save some money.

Driving greener has the much welcomed benefit of saving you money. If you have to drive, following our tips and tricks will allow you to maximise the usage of your vehicle and your fuel.

:-)On your marks....

* Avoid overfilling the tank when refuelling. Spilled fuel evaporates and releases harmful emissions into the atmosphere and just plain wastes money.
* Make sure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. Under inflation by 7psi will waste half a gallon of fuel in every tank. Inflating to the vehicle manufacturer's guidelines -which are based on cold tyres, so use the petrol station nearest your start point to avoid your tyres warming up and being inflated to the incorrect psi.
* Service your car at least every year. Get the engine tuned, the wheels aligned and catalytic converter checked, and the air con regassed if you insist on using it.
* Reduce weight, and fuel consumption, by removing unnecessary items from your vehicle that do not need to be there for a particular journey. This can include buggies, golf clubs, tools, footwear and all those things you keep 'just in case'
* Check your windows, screenwash and lights – ensuring that your windows are clean and your lights are working will make your journey safer. nothing more environmentally unfriendly than an accident.

:-)Get set....

* Take off roof racks and trailers if they’re not use.
* 61% percent of journeys are under two miles and arguably a waste of fuel and money. short journeys – walk or cycle them instead.
* Engines will be colder on short journeys, and this can double fuel consumption. Do you really need to complete that short journey?
* Planning - as many jobs as possible in one trip saves you money. Aim to get as much as you can out of the journey. Three jobs in one trip is better for the environment than three individual trips!
* Sitting in queues costs money and wastes fuel. Avoid congestion by checking the local news or trafficmaster for delays before you set off. If you hear of delays and jams, route around them.
* Only travel in the rush hour if you absolutely have to, this is more for your sanity as well as fuel conservation.
* Do you know where you are going????. Motorists waste 350,000 tonnes of fuel per year getting lost! You can plan your route on the AA website, it's free too. Alternatively, buy a Sat Nav system, worth their weight in gold and safer than a map.
* Idle your engine during its initial start for no more than 30 seconds. An idling engine produces 80 percent more pollution than when the vehicle is moving. Modern car engines warm up faster when they are in motion.

:-) Go....

* Drive smoothly – pulling away fast can use 60 percent more fuel.
* Slow down. Drive at the speed limit. Driving at 70mph can use up to 30 percent more petrol than driving at 50mph.
* Think ahead to avoid sharp braking - it just throws away energy and money.
* Avoid using the air conditioning, open the air vents instead! Air con uses 15 percent more fuel than the air vents. All on board electronics are also using extra fuel, the rear screen heater for example adds 5 percent to the fuel consumption. Switch them off if you don't need them.
* Change gear between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm – this can save up to 30 percent of fuel. Listen to your engine.
* It's better to switch your engine off when in stationary traffic. You use more fuel with the engine idling for 60 seconds than if you switched off and restarted 60 seconds later.
* Did you know..... traffic lights are programmed to change according to the speed limit. If you are stopped at one red light but then drive on at the correct speed you will usually find that by the time you reach the next few sets of lights, they will be turning green for you. Try it and see.
* Careful motorway driving will improve safety and traffic flow. The concertina effect caused by one motorist breaking sharply often results in traffic slowing to a near stop due to the delayed reaction of drivers behind. If we drive pro-actively, and try to observe the car three or four ahead. Then we can give ourselves some distance from the car in front. We can anticipate and judge the necessary speed. When you see a car up ahead start to brake, simply remove your foot off the accelerator. By the time you get close to the car in front the chances are that they will have accelerated and moved further on.

Sarah
The greener Essex Courier company

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Packing tips for sending items by parcel networks

Corrugated fiberboardImage via Wikipedia Need to send items using our Basildon / Wickford /Pitsea based parcel network? or a parcel carrier? or by post?
Sick of them arriving in pieces and with footprints all over them?

When you book your courier or parcel delivery services, you need to bear a few things in mind, to ensure safe delivery of you items. If you pack the item correctly you will have very few breakages.

* Choose the size of the packaging according to its content. Overloaded boxes may burst; under-filled boxes are likely to collapse.

* Whenever possible use high quality materials for your shipments. Things to consider with your wrapping supplies are strength, cushioning, and of course durability.

* If you can choose boxes made with corrugated cardboard, and good quality outer lining. Use heavy-duty double-layered board for your most valuable items.

* Make good use of cushioning materials, these can stop your items from moving. I can personally recommend popcorn. Seriously, cheap efficient, and packs it tight and leaves your item unable to move.

* Put fragile goods in the centre of a package; ensuring they don't touch the sides. If your item is well cushioned on all sides it has more chance of arriving in one piece.

* Liquids must be stored in leak-free containers, packed with a lightweight, strong, internal material- Styrofoam is a good choice, and sealed with a plastic bag. Remember that bad packaging may cause damage to surrounding items.

If an item is both fragile and valuable, then consider using a dedicated or express courier.

We are happy to advise where possible, just give us a call on 07816 528421 or Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin

Email for a Parcel or Express delivery quote by clicking here
Basildon courier and parcel delivery services | Basildon Courier and parcels blog | Chelmsford Courier and parcels delivery | Driving for a living blog | West Thurrock and Dartford Courier and parcels collection I
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Thursday 14 August 2008

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Basildon parcel distribution by courier

It's fast approaching the time of year where companies think about gifts to send their customers and suppliers.

Hamper delivery and distribution

At Arrow Light Haulage, we are happy to undertake the delivery of such hampers. Our smart, uniformed drivers take care to ensure they arrive safely and unbroken. There is nothing more likely to give the wrong impression than a bottle of wine or Port, smashed and soaking into all the other goodies. It really sends the wrong message about a gesture of appreciation.

If hampers are out of your companies range this year, we are happy to deliver fine wines and other wines and spirits through our parcel network.

Again these are delivered by smart, uniformed drivers and a signature obtained on delivery, so you can be sure the right person has got their gift.

This service is also ideal for Basildon Ebayers and Basildon shoppers who have to send Christmas presents throughout the UK, and it's only £9.99 plus VAT for up to 20kgs (volumetric weight).

So, if it's important enough to send, it's important enough to do it right the first time, so use Arrow Light Haulage for all your delivery and distribution needs.

Email for a parcel / distribution quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin
Basildon courier and parcel distribution
Courier business start up
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Couriers delivering kerbside to kerbside?

Often when you book a courier you are told it's a 'Kerbside to Kerbside' service. What does that actually mean?

It's a term most commonly heard when delivering furniture or large items that require a two person team.

As a customer it means your goods are not delivered to your doorstep, but onto the kerbside. The driver is under no obligation to help you move it through the garden gates or even through your doorway. This can leave you feeling pretty miffed off at the delivery company and the company where you bought your sofa, Aga or fridge freezer.

Kerbside to kerbside delivery?

At Arrow Light Haulage, the Basildon based courier company, our drivers will help you decide where you want your products delivered to. We also deliver at a time convenient to you, even if thats after 6pm or at weekends, we don't mind - we know what it's like, taking a day off of work. Waiting, waiting and when you ring up you are told it's either AM delivery or PM delivery, and you are left wondering whether you have time to pop up the shop for a pint of milk...

We phone all customers the day of delivery and give them an estimated time of arrival. The driver will them call or text your mobile an hour before the delivery is due, so that you can get home (if you work nearby) or pop out for that pint of milk.

Our drivers are not insured to enter your house when making a delivery, but if you are happy for them to assist you, then they will help. They would not dream of leaving your new sofa on the kerbside, unless you wanted them to.

When you buy a large item, whether it has 'free' delivery or is charged, be sure to ask where it will be delivered to, and whether the driver will assist you. If the answer is no, then give us a call or drop us an email, and we will be happy to collect and deliver on your behalf.

Email for a parcel / distribution quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin
Basildon courier and parcel distribution
Courier business start up


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