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Should You Use White Glove Delivery for Your Business?

adhesive White Glove Delivery
Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Should You Use White Glove Delivery for Your Business?

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Are you tired of dealing with the headaches and stress of the delivery process? Well, you’re not alone! Whether in the retail, e-commerce, or hospitality industry, ensuring that your products are delivered safely and efficiently to your customers is crucial for success. 

However, the standard delivery options offered by most logistics companies may not always meet your specific needs, especially if you want to provide your customers with a seamless and high-end experience. Fortunately, you have the option to add white glove delivery as a shipping option!

In this blog post, we’ll dive deep into white glove delivery and help you determine if it’s the right option for your business. If you’re ready, let’s explore the advantages, processes, and industries that make use of white glove delivery!

What Does White Glove Delivery Mean?

White glove delivery is a specialized delivery service providing businesses and their customers with a tailored and sophisticated delivery process. It puts the customer’s best interests first, placing high importance on their products. Regardless of the product’s complexity, white glove couriers are tasked to pay extra attention to the delivery process, ensuring that the items are handed over to the customer in immaculate condition. 

White glove delivery goes beyond the standard drop-off at the front porch and involves additional services. These may include unpacking, product assembly and installation, debris removal, and even in-home placement. The goal is to provide an exceptional customer experience by ensuring product protection during the entire delivery journey.

Benefits of Using White Glove Delivery

The special attention that white glove delivery services bring may mean extra costs that the customers have to pay for. Still, most are willing to pay for these premium services because they present several benefits that standard delivery methods may not provide.

Here are some of its advantages:

Lower Costs

Although many entrepreneurs believe that white glove delivery is more expensive than standard carriers, it can actually lower costs and increase cost savings. Since it delivers high-quality services to the receiver, it can speed up customer resolution, increasing trust between customers and companies.

In addition, many white glove delivery services work with manufacturers, suppliers, and warehouses. It means they can negotiate better rates for their clients and some bulk discounts or special rates that regular carriers and logistics services cannot offer.

Quality Assurance

Customers are willing to pay more for the high-value services offered through white glove delivery because they want to receive their products in pristine condition. Extra packaging and protection are guaranteed, especially for delicate, sensitive, and fragile items. These items usually need more than just a simple bubble wrap, and specialty packaging might be required.

Some extra protection for packaging applications:

  • Temperature controlled packaging
  • Custom-shaped boxes and wooden crates
  • Packaging with innovative safety measures

White glove delivery services are also insured and provide additional coverage. It gives customers peace of mind knowing that their products are in the hands of professionals willing to go the extra mile. It makes customers happy seeing those super huge car magnets on white glove delivery vans, knowing their packages were handled by the right people.

Reliable and Timely Delivery

White glove delivery services are known for their reliability and timely deliveries. Instead of waiting a few weeks before their packages arrive, white glove delivery can complete it within a few days. There are no delayed shipments since packages are tracked and monitored throughout the delivery process.

It allows entrepreneurs to provide their customers with real-time updates and ensure that the products arrive at their destination safely and on time. It’s ideal for time-sensitive items, such as food, perishable goods, or machines for medical facilities that must arrive in operational condition.

What Industries Rely on White Glove Delivery?

Numerous industries need white glove delivery services due to their product’s value, sensitivity, or complexity. Most white glove delivery vehicles with car magnets are fully equipped to handle these items, whether bulky home appliances or a delicate piece of art.

Here are some industries that benefit from using white glove delivery services:

  • Healthcare: Medical devices and equipment need careful handling and installation, especially since these are used to save lives. Damage during transit isn’t an option because comprehensive shipping protocols are followed at all times.
  • Automotive and Aviation: Most automotive and aviation products are fragile and oversized, so special care is applied when shipping these items. Fortunately, white glove delivery services employ experts in these industries to secure them properly before it hits the road.
  • High-End Retail: Designer clothes, jewelry, and other high-value items commonly utilize white glove delivery services. Extra care and protection are given to ensure these products arrive at their destinations without a hitch.
  • Home Appliances and Furniture: Large furniture and appliances are difficult due to their bulky shapes and sizes. In addition, installation and assembly are often required, making white glove delivery services the best option for customers needing assistance.

The White Glove Delivery Process

The process for every white glove delivery service varies due to many factors, such as the type of products, the customer’s location, and specific requirements. However, they usually follow a standard process that can be summarized into the following:

  • Inspection: Pre- and post-site inspections ensure all products arrive in good shape.
  • Custom Packaging: White glove delivery services offer custom packaging solutions to ensure they can withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, and potential damage.
  • Delicate Handling: Professionals handle and transfer the products carefully and with respect.
  • Attentive Services: White glove delivery couriers provide updates and feedback to customers. At the same time, they answer inquiries concerning the shipment.
  • Assembly and Installation: Products that need assembly and installation are done at the customer’s location. It ensures that the product is operational and ready to use once delivered.

Adding White Glove Deliver as a Shipping Method

White glove delivery services offer numerous benefits for both customers and businesses. It provides superior customer service by ensuring the protection and security of the product during the whole delivery journey. Furthermore, the process is streamlined, and customers are kept in the loop and informed throughout the shipment. By adding white glove delivery as a shipping method, businesses can set themselves apart from competitors.

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Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Package Theft is on the Rise: Here’s how Shipping Companies can Prepare for the Holiday Season

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Over the course of the pandemic, the rate of porch piracy peaked as online shopping surged. With people steadily trickling back to the office, porch piracy incidents will only grow in number, with packages being left at empty homes unguarded. Porch pirates stole 260 million packages estimated at $19.5 billion in 2022, impacting a huge swath of consumers — nearly eight out of 10 Americans had packages stolen from them that year.

The holiday season is fast approaching, driving up the rate of online shopping and with it, the rate of porch piracy. Additionally, when people go out of town to visit family, their packages will be left unattended. To combat this trend and gain peace of mind heading into the busiest e-commerce season, shippers need comprehensive coverage that includes protection specifically for porch piracy as well as other safeguards like shipping insurance with tracking.

Porch piracy prevention

Given the prevalence of porch piracy, there are several measures shippers can take to thwart theft before it occurs. Providing delivery timeframes and accurate delivery tracking may seem like simple solutions, but they can have a big impact. According to a consumer sentiment survey conducted by logistics leader Descartes ShipRush, 74% of consumers ranked delivery tracking as extremely important when it comes to home deliveries.

Shippers can even leverage delivery tracking to further engage their consumers with branded communications and notifications. A successful tracking program will enhance the customer experience, building confidence and brand loyalty.

Shipping protection for the inevitable

Knowing that prevention measures can get ahead of many piracy attempts, but not all of them, shippers should look into shipping protection to recoup the inevitable losses that will occur. Shipping protection should be regarded as a kind of safety net that helps shippers recover from packages that are stolen upon delivery.

Shipping protection not only safeguards the financial interests of the shipper, but also cultivates the trust of the customers who rely on their purchases arriving intact. Innovative products like Descartes ShipRush Total Shipping Protection enable shippers to easily add tailored protection to their shipments that includes package theft, ensuring they’re covered even after they’re left at the door.

Unlike carrier liability, which often entails coverage gaps and long wait times for claims, the right shipping protection will ensure comprehensive coverage with a frictionless claims process. Claims submissions shouldn’t take weeks to resolve, with shippers waiting on mailed documents and endless phone calls just to get reimbursed for their lost goods. Shippers should find a solution that delivers instant claims payments with straightforward filing, and around-the-clock support whenever and wherever they need it.

The advantages of buying shipping protection from logistics providers

When considering shipping protection, businesses have the option to choose between obtaining coverage from a shipping provider or seeking third-party sources. There are several companies that specifically sell package theft or other types of insurance, but opting for coverage from your shipping provider comes with a set of distinct benefits. 

Firstly, shipping providers can provide a more seamless experience that integrates with existing services including package tracking — no need to worry about managing multiple platforms or integrations. They can also provide more a more customer-centric claims experience that streamlines the submission process, for instance, by automatically filling out forms with existing data. 

In general, shipping providers possess an in-depth understanding of their delivery network and potential pitfalls, enabling them to tailor protection that meets the needs of their customers. They have long-standing relationships with carriers that enables them to offer an end-to-end customer journey, without the need for additional legwork.

As porch piracy continues to pose a hazard to the e-commerce landscape, shippers must remain steadfast in their commitment to package security and customer trust. The inevitability of package theft necessitates a robust shipping protection program to avert disastrous losses. Through a smart combination of prevention and protection, shippers can navigate the waters of porch piracy and ensure a smoother, more secure delivery experience for all.

 

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Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

UPS Beefs Up Seasonal Employees for Holiday Preparations

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With the holidays quickly approaching, UPS begins preparations for the inevitable increase in demand by recruiting an estimated 100,000 full and parttime seasonal workers. The positions available include package handlers, drivers and driver-helpers offering competitive incentives to qualified seasonal workers. Among benefits highlighted include the company’s Earn and Learn program which offers students up to $1,300 towards college expenses, healthcare, and retirement benefits.

“We expect another record Peak season this year, with daily package deliveries nearly doubling compared to our average of 20 million per day,” said Jim Barber, chief operating officer.  “In order to make that happen, once again we’re recruiting about 100,000 people for some of the country’s best seasonal jobs.”

UPS reports that about 35 percent of their seasonal packaging handler employees were eventually recognized and named permanent staff members. Other seasonal employees, such as Mercy Alvarado, benefit from the UPS-employee relationship years following the initial hire.

“I started my UPS career as a seasonal driver helper in part because the company’s tuition reimbursement program offered an opportunity to continue my education,” Alvarado said. “Since then I’ve not only completed my associate’s and bachelor’s degrees, I’ve been promoted twice and am now a full-time supervisor. UPS is the place where I plan to retire someday, and I’ll always be thankful for this amazing job and opportunity.”

Other seasonal employees hired by UPS support operations at temporary facilities designated specifically for demanding shipping waves reported during the holidays and other peak seasons.

3pls, Archives, Global Logistics, Global Site Selection, Global Trade Daily, News, Site Selection

UPS to Invest $2B in Europe, Asia and the Americas

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Atlanta, GA – UPS has committed to investing $2 billion over the next five years in an expansion to its global infrastructure in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

The global package delivery giant announced its new investment strategy at a recent investors’ meeting where it disclosed intentions to inject 4.5 to 5 percent of its annual revenue from 2015 to 2019 in building its network in the named regions in a major effort to “improve the profitability of its e-commerce deliveries.”

According to a statement released by the company, UPS intends to grow total revenue by 5-7 percent per year, and operating profit by 8-11 percent per year. It wants to increase its US domestic revenue by 5-6 percent every year through 2019, and operating profit by 8-10 percent annually.

“UPS is a strong company that has proven its ability to adapt,” said UPS CEO David Abney.

Customer needs, he said, “continue to change, and we’re changing with them by offering new and innovative solutions.”

The delivery firm expects online shopping to account for 51 percent of its U.S. domestic volume by 2019, up from 46 percent this year.

UPS says its On-Road Integrated Optimization and Navigation (ORION) system should reduce an average of seven to eight miles traveled from daily driver routes.

The company is attempting to make lightweight e-commerce packages more lucrative, boosting delivery density by using the new ORION route software and by pricing items by dimension as well as weight.

Technology-optimizing routes and improved planning would translate into lower costs per package, UPS said, adding that ORION is already in use by 22,000 UPS drivers and its full deployment should be complete by 2016.