Blog

  • Relationships built on trust

    We’d all prefer to do business with those we know already – because we know, like and trust them. But occasionally we’re required to place our business with a person or company whom we know little about, and that’s always a risk.

    No more so than in the delivery business – no job is complete, or invoiceable until it is delivered. And reputations can be won or lost based on whether or not deliveries can be depended upon. So arguably, your relationship with your delivery provider is one of the most important in your business.

    What criteria do you use to screen a new supplier?

  • Valuable item deliveries - you need a safe pair of hands!

    It might seem extravagant to hire a van to deliver an item that could go cheaply via the post, but if it's valuable, or time sensitive it simply isn't worth the risk.

    That's when you need the security and assurance of sending your consignment with a dedicated vehicle for a sameday, timed delivery.

    For complete peace of mind, we use fully maintained and tracked vehicles driven by CRB checked trained drivers so you can rely on us when you need to.

    Financial documents, passports, contracts, court papers, and certificates are all entrusted to us for same day delivery on a dedicated vehicle. We carry delicate items, prototypes, valuable goods and perishables too. And because we’re in touch with our drivers, we can give you up to...

  • Time sensitive and important deliveries

    It might seem extravagant to hire a van to deliver a document or envelope but sometimes needs must. Actually we’re called upon to run very small items like these to their destinations more often than you might think.

    And to lighten the load (pardon the pun!), we offer fully tracked vehicles driven by CRB checked trained drivers so we can offer you peace of mind and reliability.

    Financial documents, passports, contracts, court papers, and certificates are all entrusted to us for same day delivery on a dedicated vehicle. And because we’re in touch with our drivers, we can give you up to date details on where we are, ETA’s and keep you informed should any road conditions delay our progress,

    We work with accountants, law firms and the probation...

  • There’s a lot more to logistics than a man with a van!

    You’ve seen the advert - Man with van! – what more could you want?

    Well, if your consignments mean something to you, if your deadlines need to be respected, and if you’re keen to ensure your drivers aren’t breaking the law when on your business, it’s worth using the services of a well respected, reputable provider.

    Take a look at some of the considerations – all of which we have covered here at Courier Direct:

    Our vehicles are

    • Safe and suitable for the roads
    • Regularly serviced up to date models
    • Fuel efficient for more cost effective journeys
    • Clean, professional and liveried
    • Have tracking to monitor progress and delivery times

    Our...

  • Safe, secure sameday deliveries

    Not all courier drivers are the same! Some believe that if you own a van you are by default a courier! However, when it’s your precious parcels, consignments and urgent documents in transit, you’ll want to know that they are in safe hands.

    Drivers at Courier Direct are vetted, trained and tracked, so that we know all goods in transit, from the moment of collection to the moment of delivery are safe, secure and protected from damage. Drivers are CRB checked and every one of them must have a clean driver’s licence.

    We have an impeccable track record for delivering goods on time and in perfect condition. Our checking process at collection includes packaging, weight regulations,...

  • The versatility of a sameday courier

    No two days are the same here at Courier Direct. We’re often required to move the weird and wonderful for an eclectic mix of clients. And we don’t just move goods within the UK, we take trips over to Europe too, regularly, and across the sea to Ireland and the Isle of Man.

    Come rain, shine, hail or high water, our dedicated vans of all shapes and sizes are on a mission to deliver whatever our customers request, to any destination of their choice.

    Here’s a selection of the more weird and wonderful consignments we’ve been asked to deliver:

    Ed’s Stone – do you remember at the height of the general election campaign...

  • When a Sameday courier service makes sense

    To some people, choosing to use a sameday courier may seem like a luxury – after all you’re paying for a dedicated vehicle. It’s a bit like comparing using a taxi to taking the bus.

    But there are lots of reasons why a sameday courier service makes sense and these include:

    Large parcel – Costs for sending parcels are often directly related to their size and weight. You may find that an oversized parcel is indeed cheaper to send on a sameday courier. And if your goods are on pallets, it’s possible that a sameday service is cheaper than an overnight one. It’s worth asking.

    Precious...

  • Where would we be without technology?

    It’s not that long ago when we were using handwritten dockets and checklists to schedule our workload. I remember back in the 1990s writing out delivery instructions for the daily influx of parcels that passed through our depot.

    The phone would be ringing off the hook with customers wishing to place orders or requesting PODs, and life in the office was generally mayhem! Organised mayhem of course!

    As mobile phones were very expensive still, we used in cab radios, difficult to hear due to interference, and less convenient for the drivers to use.

    Things have moved on a lot since then and a lot of the arduous manual tasks are a thing of the past. Thank goodness! I wonder now how we coped and managed to get every parcel...

  • Specialist courier services – credentials matter

    Abnormal loads, time critical deliveries, and fragile goods – they’re just some of the requests we receive on a daily basis.

    And they require specialist attention, specific dedicated vehicles, additional communication, careful planning and so on, to ensure our customers receive the best possible service.

    We’d like to say it’s all in a day’s work, and in many respects, it is; however it takes an experienced team to make it all happen as seamlessly as it appears.

    Which is why we’re proud to be entrusted with fragile items, from giant sculptures to bespoke furniture, wine...

  • Winter vehicle checks - make sure you're ready

    Regular vehicle safety checks our part of daily life here at Courier Direct, but we’re often appalled by the lack of preparation for winter conditions we witness when out on the roads.

    So, here are some tips to keep you safe, secure and arriving on time, wherever your journey takes you:

    Check the following:

    • Your anti-freeze levels
    • Tyre depth and pressure – at least 3mm of tread is recommended
    • Battery life – a local garage can check this for you
    • Windscreen wiper blades for signs of splits or damage
    • Windscreen wash – top up if necessary
    • Are all your light bulbs working, and clean so they can be seen?
    • Fuel levels – never...

  • Dancing shoes delivered

    Had a call to the office to collect and deliver 2 pairs of dancing shoes for Strictly Come Dancing's Brendon Cole and Sunetra Sarker.

    They'd had their shoes sent via an overnight courier and sadly they were lost in transit.

    So, we were happy to oblige with a swift collection to fast track their vital equipment to their dance studio.

    When you're considering whether to choose an overnight service or a same day dedicated courier, it's worth considering the consequences of what happens should your overnight parcel fail to arrive.

    High value, fragile, oversize or time critical parcels just aren't worth trusting to the overnight networks. And they form the bulk of the items we carry here at Courier Direct.

    For...

  • Fragile items delivered safe and sound

    We’re often asked to move fragile items – from freshly baked celebration cakes to elegant sculptures, hand made furniture and glass.

    So, how best to keep them in tip top condition throughout their journey?

    With the best will in the world, and our most careful drivers, you can’t underestimate the risk involved in moving fragile items. It’s best to be over cautious to be absolutely sure your goods will arrive intact.

    So here are our tips for the ultimate protection of packages on our dedicated same day courier service:

    • Invest in proper protective packing material...

  • What's in a name?

    Your company name – it says a lot about you – or at least it ought to.

    And we were just talking in the office this week about some of the names of our clients, and how they came about.

    And then we started to talk about more famous names – like Virgin, Revolver and Chemical Records – they have an edge to them that we quite like.

    Then there are other companies choosing names that can’t be pronounced, or are often misheard over the phone – how much time is spent by staff just spelling their company name each time they talk to someone?

    Of course we all want to be different, to stand out from the crowd and have a name that no one else thought of. But...