Time critical delivery from Basildon

Courier delivery services can save time for either individuals or businesses.

There are times throughout the year that we need either a local or long-distance deliveries for gifts or other time sensitive packages. These types of delivery services can ensure that your package arrives on time, as agreed.

You’ll find that these services will provide you with the comfort of knowing that your package is safe, and of course in good hands.

Image via Wikipedia

Even if there is plenty of time, talk to your courier service about getting the items delivered sooner. Last minute planning puts a premium on these kinds of courier services.

Depending on the company you choose, it could be a large operation, right down to a one-man and his van. Furthermore, you can have regularly scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs to specific locations (known as multi-drop), or to drop off points that are predetermined by the delivery service. These predetermined drop-off points will more likely be less expensive than the latter.

The biggest time savings when using a courier or van delivery come in the the form of saving you hours arranging quotes and chasing prices.

Quite simply an excellent service will save you hours on the phone, hours that you should be using to generate sales in your business and elsewhere. Often a courier company will get a quote into a company and a company will ring round trying to save two or three pounds on a delivery! On one hundred packages, that’s a big difference but on one item?

An hour later they call back and book the service – in that hour they have called lots of people for quotes. The cost of the phone calls and the cost of the person making them is far more expensive than the saving made!

Sarah Arrow

Same day couriers that deliver from all over the UK and back again.

Pricing for a flat rate courier job

We are often asked to quote for delivering items for a flat rate regardless of size around a certain area. For example just Essex, Kent and London, just the South of England, just England or anywhere in the UK are often areas we quote for.

Image via Wikipedia

As we deliver in dedicated vehicles (we don’t tranship between vehicles) we know our courier service reduces breakages and our service is excellent. All our drivers are paid at least minimum wage and we have up to date software and satellite navigation systems to ensure that your packages are delivered safely and securely, and in one piece!

Often companies receiving quotes are only interested in a low price, they fail to take into account the cost of redelivery or failed deliveries, fuel surcharges or overweight surcharges, so when getting a quote these need to be asked about. Read the small print of the service level agreement before you send in your consignments.

Items over 35kgs will need two people to deliver the item, it’s health and safety guidelines and our drivers follow them. So asking companies to cut the size of the team down to deliver your goods could put them in a position where they decline your work.

Getting a quote for large quantities to be delivered in one area shouldn’t be like pulling teeth and as a customer you can get the best price for higher volume. Often courier companies will have a minimum volume amount, a sliding scale of prices based on volume is a sensible solution if times are quiet for your delivery needs.This means you will not be charged for deliveries that have not been made keeping your expenditure down and your courier company happy.

One thing that is important when delivering in bulk is that the information on your delivery notes is as accurate as possible. Often sales teams will fill out the purchase order without a real thought to the delivery address or contact details being fully filled out on the delivery notes. If you want trouble free deliveries made ensure that the full delivery address is included with postcode and a contact name and phone number for your customer is easily accessible.

Arrow Light Haulage has extensive experience in this field and is only too happy to advise your company regarding reducing your delivery costs whilst still staying as environmentally friendly as possible.

Sarah Arrow
Same day couriers at a flat rate

Collecting in Basildon, delivering in London? Parking in London

Today we are sharing a guest blog from @pimlico_flats, it’s something relevant to all us van and delivery drivers – parking in London.

Image by Dominic’s pics via Flickr

It’s serialised into three parts, here’s the first.

Parking in London

Parking anywhere in London is an art that requires skills that Londoners acquire from an early age. Parking is something that you either get right, or you lose your vehicle, so here are the 3 steps to delivering in London without falling foul of the authorities.

Know the rules. A No Brainer I know – but never the less if you know what you are doing you stand a better chance of succeeding.

1. Double Yellow Lines – no waiting at any time
2. Single Yellow Lines – look for a plate which defines what times are acceptable
3. Loading – local regulations apply. As an example where there are no additional restrictions (kerb markings) Westminster allows unlimited 20 mins loading in residents parking bays, and on yellow lines before 11:00 or after 18:30.
4. Yellow marks on the kerb – loading restrictions supercede the above.
   1. i. Two marks it means no loading (or waiting) at any time.
   2. ii. One mark it means no loading for a lesser period as indicated on the signs, or timeplates,
5. Double red lines – Stopping is not permitted at any time
6. Single red lines – Stopping is not permitted except at the times indicated by the signs
7. Red route clearway – Stopping is only permitted in lay-bys (red lines are only marked at junctions)
8. http://www.parkingforvans.com/loading_in_london/loadingandunloading gives you the local Loading Regulations

Nick Parkin M.A., C.Eng., M.I.Mech.E., Dip.Man.Tech.

Proprietor

Pimlico Flats

Office: 0207 630 5408

Thanks Nick, please look out for parts two and three later this week.

If you would like to post a guest blog here, please get in touch with Sarah – Sarah@arrowlighthaulage.co.uk and mention guest blog in the subject line.

Time saving equals money saving when using a courier

Courier delivery services can save time for either individuals or businesses.There are times throughout the year that we need either a local or long-distance deliveries for gifts or other time sensitive packages. These types of delivery services can ensure that your package arrives on time, as agreed. You’ll find that these services will provide you with the comfort of knowing that your package is safe, and in good hands.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Even if there is plenty of time, talk to your courier service about getting the items delivered sooner. Last minute planning puts a premium on these kinds of courier services.Depending on the company you choose, it could be a large operation, right down to a one-man and his van. Furthermore, you can have regularly scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs to specific locations (known as multi-drop), or to drop off points that are predetermined by the delivery service. These predetermined drop-off points will more likely be less expensive than the latter.Such courier services can provide companies the financial assurance they need with reduced costs when compared to well-known big name courier services. In fact, if you require their services on a regular basis, it is easy to strike a deal with them. That would save you or your company money.

The biggest time savings when using a courier or van delivery come in the the form of saving you hours arranging quotes and chasing prices.

Quite simply an excellent service will save you hours on the phone, hours that you should be using to generate sales in your business and elsewhere. Often a courier company will get a quote into a company and a company will ring round trying to save two or three pounds on a delivery. An hour later they call back and book the service – in that hour they have called lots of people for quotes. The cost of the phone calls and the cost of the person making them is far more expensive than the saving made.

Sarah
Courier deliveries throughout the UK

How to park in London and NOT get a ticket

Our guest blog from Nick Parkin owner of the Pimlico flats blog and community. Something we would all need to know, how to park in London and NOT get a ticket.

Image by sean dreilinger via Flickr

How to Deliver in London without collecting a ticket.

1. Make it obvious you are loading/unloading – leave an empty cardboard box in a loading place. Having said all that – I did see a joiner cutting plywood from the back of his van, he cut a piece – took it in to nail it up and came out to find he was clamped! If you are present and loading a warden will probably speak to you instead of ticketing.
2. For an easy life find a loading bay, or ask your delivery destination if they have a bay you can stay in temporarily.
3. If you have no alternative but to stop illegally – be unobtrusive. If you double bank you will stand out for as far as there is a line of sight and draw wardens in from far and wide.
4. If you have no alternative but to stop illegally – be inoffensive. If you block traffic, neighbours, or are dangerous, you may face more than just a ticket.
5. Check Doorways, the private parking wardens hide near commercial delivery points.
6. Keep an eye out, in busy areas you may need to see your van every 60 secs. In quiet residential areas of central London the longest you can expect to survive illegally parked without a ticket is around 15 mins.
7. Ask bystanders to watch your van for you, but be sure that you are within shouting distance.
8. You stand a better survival chance close to the end of parking restrictions, and are most likely to be ticketed at 09:00 – 10:00.

Nick Parkin M.A., C.Eng., M.I.Mech.E., Dip.Man.Tech.

Proprietor

Pimlico Flats

Office: 0207 630 5408

Thanks Nick, some great tips

If you would like to post a guest blog here, please get in touch with Sarah@arrowlighthaulage.co.u

Delivering - what to so if you get a ticket whilst unloading

A guest blog by Nick Parkin from the Pimlico Flats blog and community (you know where to go if you need to rent a property in London, Nick knows all the ins and outs!)

Image by Ange Soleil ( a.k.a Tweng ) via Flickr

What to do if you get a ticket whilst loading / unloading in London

• If a parking attendant or traffic warden finds a vehicle parked on a yellow line without seeing any loading or unloading taking place a parking ticket will be issued. It is for the driver of that vehicle to demonstrate that he or she was loading or unloading, the shorter the observation period of the parking attendant or traffic warden the easier it will be for the motorist to claim that an exemption applies

• It is reasonable to expect that deliveries of smaller items should take less time than those of larger items and hence there would be a greater burden on the driver to justify a lengthy absence from the vehicle. Drivers making a delivery in the course of a trade or business will, in the majority of cases, be able to produce some form of documentation in the event of a ticket being issued.

• Get witnesses – I once received a ticket from a Westminster Council Warden, and quoted a Police Traffic Warden as my witness against the ticket, WCC kindly reversed the fine.

Nick Parkin M.A., C.Eng., M.I.Mech.E., Dip.Man.Tech.

Proprietor

Pimlico Flats

Office: 0207 630 5408

Thanks Nick, much appreciated.

If you would like to post a guest blog, please get in touch with Sarah – sarah@arrowlighthaulage.co.uk

In Basildon? Need your cupcakes delivered? Here's how...

Over the last few weeks we have been in talks with various companies that produce cupcakes, and how to deliver

Image via Wikipedia

them. Up until recently, the safest and most secure way of delivery has been via same day courier, as it’s the only way to guarantee the cupcakes won’t be turned upside down during their journey to the customer. Sometimes the baker plain mistrusts the courier to complete safe delivery, and wastes valuable baking time delivering!

Unfortunately all that makes delivery very expensive for the people who hand bake and ice the cup cakes. For example, we would charge £15 per delivery / drops of cupcakes, minimum of 5 orders. This can make it too expensive for customers to buy.

Obviously there are still the marketing companies and companies who understand the powerful message that delivery by express courier send, but they have yet to embrace sending out baskets of designer cupcakes to their clients and potential clients….

The problem is, by sending the cupcakes the cheapest method possible means sending them by Royal Mail, and that means they may get bashed, and rotated a number of times before they arrive on the customers doorstep.

The solution is to prevent that, and the way to do that is through the creative use of packaging.

Cupcakes by Courier

The original ‘cup a cake’ container was devised in the US for holding the cupcakes, their icing and keeping them fresh. Last week, I spoke to Kim at the Cup a Cake company and she said the containers can be shipped to the UK for around $100 to $150

So if you are looking to ship cupcakes around the UK, here is the solution for your airtight cup a cake containers. The cupcake company may have to take a deposit from the customer, and the customer promise to wash and return the empty containers so they can be re-used.

A small investment in the right packaging, and you can deliver cheaply and safely to your long distance customers.

Kim Fuga from Cup A Cake can be contacted via kfadmin@cupacake.com

Delivered safe, even upside down

and as you can see from the image, they stay in place upside down.

Kim’s website is here http://www.cupacake.com/default.asp

We hope that helps with the safe despatch of your cupcakes, we suggest you try it out with one or two local postings to be sure the method works to your satisfaction.

Here at Arrow Light Haulage, we have enjoyed getting creative and thinking outside the box (and right back in it) to solve your courier delivery problems with cupcakes.

Alternatively, you know where we are if you would like an express delivery quote.

Sarah

safer cupcake deliveries

PS, if you found this blog useful, please leave a comment – it helps us to know what are the right things our readers would like to see from us.

Businesses: dealing with the Royal Mail Strike

With the Royal Mail set to strike, small businesses across the country will be affected. Here at Arrow Light Haulage we have been thinking up some solutions as to how to continue business as best as possible and where a courier is essential.

Firstly and perhaps most importantly, Parcel Force is not going to strike. That means the cheapest option for sending out parcels and packages under 5kgs is still available.

So if you are a business that sends out one or two parcels a day, and send your invoices by email and pay your customers by Bacs, you will be in a strong position to carry on business as usual.

Until the 14th of October, if you click the link above to book your parcel delivery through Parcel Force and type ‘new’ at the checkout, you will receive a 15% discount.

Secondly, as mentioned above. Use bacs to pay suppliers instead of posting cheques, it’s greener and far more efficient. If you are sending invoices, send them by email too. If like us you have to send additional documentation, scan and email that too. Again it’s greener, faster and far more efficient than the Royal Mail.

For companies that use direct mail for their marketing campaigns, have a look at other methods such as an email mailshots – think of the benefits to your carbon footprint as well as the traffic to your website and the ways to reach customers that may not respond to direct mail. If you need support for this we recommend business consultant Jeff Nutbeem, he can be found via his website – Small Business Consultant

You could be really old fashioned and pick up the phone and call the customers direct and send them a tailored email afterwards. More time consuming perhaps, but may have better results. If the Phone isn’t your thing then talk to an expert, we recommend Shaun Gisbourne at Phone for Business

More importantly, when to use your courier.

Use them when you usually do - for same day deliveries, for urgent items, for fragile items. You may think you need to use one for your every day mail service but the truth is, you can do a lot of it now via email, fax and instant messenger. These are often secure and safe, and if it really is that confidential you will already be using a courier to deliver it.

Sarah

Same day couriers in Essex

PS if you need to send birthday cards either send them with a present, arrange friend to do it if they live nearby, send a video via email – think a bit creatively! The chances are this won’t be the last strike and we can find ways not to let it affect our businesses or personal lives.

Please note, we have used an affiliate service to obtain the codes and links for the Parcel Force discount.