Shipping Damage Prevention: How to Protect Goods in Transit

Damage caused in transit causes businesses millions of dollars every year. The problem often revolves around who is to blame. It is very difficult for a business to prove they sent a package out with a fully functioning device.

If the parcel then gets to the customer without apparent damage but the device isn’t working properly then the delivery firm will blame the sender. Of course, the parcel could have been frozen, carried upside down, or been subject to any number of other issues, none of which will be obvious by the box.

That’s why business are looking for ways to protect their goods in transit and increasing turning to fleet management systems.

Monitoring Parcels

Small sensors can be attached to any parcel which will indicate a number of negative factors. These include if it has been dropped, too much weight has been put on top of it, it has been subject to extreme temperatures, or even if it has been tilted at a greater angle than it should be.

These sensors will demonstrate this information. The idea is that the receiver can then reject the parcel; confirming that the courier service is at fault and allowing the sender to reclaim the cost of the product and the postage from the delivery service and its insurers.

Of course, the critical part of this is that the customer knows about the sensors and declines it if there is an issue. If they accept it anyway the sender will still struggle to prove they weren’t at fault.

This is why the system is not being commonly used when sending parcels to the end consumer. But, it is an exceptionally efficient and safe way to end items between suppliers or from a manufacturer to a retailer.

Other Steps

Of course, having sensors doesn’t remove the obligation for the sender to package the item properly. Ideally, any item should be sent in a box that allows it to fit snugly with a layer of protection around it. Other items in the box should be separated from any sensitive device, such as a cell phone. The individual boxes can then be placed inside the larger packing container, again ensuring they are a snug fit.

The Right Courier Company

It is important to look at all the courier companies that you could use and then choose the one that has the best reputation for good service. This may cost a little more than the other options but the end result will be worth it and will probably be cheaper than covering the cost of unseen damages.

Your consumers will appreciate the extra attention to detail and pay the extra courier cost because your reputation will show that you are worth it.

In the process, the courier companies will be forced to improve their service in order to win business. In short, you can directly influence and reduce incidents of shipping damage by taking a few simple steps today.