Now more than ever, deliveries are becoming more and more vital. The rising cases of the Global Pandemic of Covid-19 have brought an increase in demand for deliveries, both from local to international package transfers. There is also an increase in e-commerce that became the main alternative to physical shopping for safety. However, due to the limitations brought by the pandemic, there are additional protocols and precautionary measures to look after. There are also unexpected challenges that may come along that can delay or damage your packages. Handing out your deliverables to a third party does not guarantee a safe turnover to the recipient. Ensuring that you seal your boxes well is the key to ensuring your items are intact and in good condition as soon as it arrives at its final destination. Corlett Express is not just your ordinary courier. It ensures that freight damage is avoided and assures that your packages are sealed tight, delivered on time, and sent to the right person.
There is a lot of business’ that are affected by the unprecedented health issues we are facing now. There have been several lockdowns where everything is put into a halt to prevent the spread of the virus. However, as the battle continues, so does the economy. Because of the limitations and risks of going out, many resorts to transacting everything online and business’ migrating into the digital world. Video meetings became a replacement of face to face conversation. E-commerce has become the “new normal,” while homes become the “new office.”
If you enter the world of e-commerce, a platform for online selling, you will likely send hundreds, if not thousands, of deliveries every year. It is also not new to you if item reimbursement is due to damage, even though you made sure that the product you packed is in pristine condition. If you are an online shopper, it could be very frustrating to receive damaged items, wrinkled, or torn packages after days or weeks of waiting. Much worst, if there are package delays or never came at all. The same sentiments go for those who want to send a personal parcel. These changes have also put pressure on the freight shipping with the sudden increase of incoming and outgoing packages. With thousands of boxes, it is hard to check each deliverable if it needs changing. Different factors can affect item damage. Identifying the possible cause can help you take extra measures to ensure that your package safely arrives at your desired destination in good condition.
What causes your packages to be damaged?
Several factors affect freight damage. Some are due to negligence either from the sender or the courier itself, while others are due to uncontrolled circumstances like weather disturbance and force majeure. It can happen anytime during the logistics. It is not limited to the couriers alone and can occur even when it is in the seller’s possession.
One of the causes is physical damage. It is the type of freight damage due to dropping and breaking of parcels. Often, when over piling of packages go out of control and fall, physical damage can happen.
The second type is wet damage that usually happens during sea transport, weather disturbance, or enclosed spaces. It is the type of freight damage caused by water like moisture, rain, or condensation.
The third type is contamination damage. It is the type of freight damage due to contamination like chemical spills or container odor from the previous shipment. It is generally known as the inherent vice or odor transfer.
The fourth type is the reefer related damage. It is the type of freight damage due to mishandling of packages.
The fifth type is infestation damage. It is the type of freight damage due to infestation from animals, insects, or pests.
Other factors are improper weight distribution and false labeling, either unintentionally or intentionally undeclared. Imagine a supposed “fragile” item like delivery of computer, not labeled as fragile. Fragile labels are tag marks for couriers to handle the packages from carrying to stacking the boxes. If the labeling of the gadget is wrong and worst, it is declared as something else, let say, books. Given this assumption, the courier personnel might stack it on top of other heavy parcel items, in some cases, move it recklessly. What do you think could happen to the computer? Putting heavyweight on the package itself can already cause complete damage to the parcel. In this case, the sender can be at fault due to the false declaration.
Here are seven (7) Ways to Avoid Freight Damage
Although, package insurance assures reimbursement of your packages in cash, based on your declared parcel value, is it worth it the stress? Depending on the situation, insurance is best for emergency purposes like the uncontrolled circumstance. However, it would be best if you didn’t rely on it and the hassle that comes with it. You have to accept that things are bound to happen, whether you like it or not. You can complain all you want, but it can never fix the damage, especially if you know that you also played a part in it with your ways of packing. You’ll only waste your time, effort, and this can be psychologically stressful. So here’s what you can do:
- Choose the right container for your package
A regular carton box is not enough. The use of hard containers is advisable for packaging. Choosing the type of container shouldn’t be limited to the design and size. It’s always best to choose quality over style. When selecting one, the first thing to consider is if it’s durable. Can it carry the weight of your item? Some hard containers are not hard enough, checking the quality grade and thickness can tell you if it’s the right one. You don’t want to use disposable plastic containers if your item is car brake pads. Instead, you want to use heavy-duty boxes.
- Pack your items with foam coverings or use bubble wraps, especially for fragile items.
Have you ever wonder when you receive a gift, buy fruits or electronic devices that contain bubble wraps, foam wraps, Styrofoam pads in every package? That a small electronic device comes with big boxes? It is because it assures the protection and safety of the gadget. Putting extra wraps protect your fragile items from the substantial impact that can damage the item. It also prevents scratches from friction and fills in the space of the container to maintain stillness. This way, your package is safe during transit.
- Use quality adhesives
Now that you have chosen that right container and have your fillers ready, it’s time to seal it up. You want to ensure that you use quality and thick packing tapes to ensure that every corner is tightly enclosed to avoid contamination and accidental breakage.
- Choose a reputable courier
Couriers are the bloodline of your package’s safe arrival. They are responsible for the logistical transit of your parcel. So choosing a reputable courier ensures the secure handling of your deliverables and free from freight damage.
- Declare and label your items correctly
Declaring your items can cause more dollars because of its value, but a few additional dollars is better than losing and damaging your items entirely from mishandling. Labeling it correctly, lets the courier staff be more vigilant in the things that they are handling.
- Make sure that the courier checks your parcels and ensure that the details are encoded correctly
Sometimes, due to time constraints and in the flock of deliverables, the quick resort of many staff is to rely on what the customers would only say. However, it is also the responsibility of the customers to make sure that the courier staff sees the items you are sending, this is to show as proof of witness that you hand over your items in good condition to avoid future problems.
- Track your parcels
Now that you’ve got everything covered, it’s time to take delivery tracking to see your packages’ progress, where it is currently, or if it has been delivered.
Freight damage is a serious disaster for the courier company, the sender, and the receiver. You can suffer financial loss, and worst can affect your relationship with your customers, which can escalate to the real headache of damage control. At Corlett Express, we make sure you don’t experience such disasters, and you can be sure that we deliver with credibility serving the entire state of Utah and southern Nevada.
