Anyone use "booking in" with couriers?

[groovyjon]

I've always seen the "booking in" option when we're sending out our parcels, but I've never been asked to use it so haven't given it any thought.

Yesterday, a courier delivering a pallet to us rang to see if it needed booking in. And now that's got me thinking... It would be very handy for couriers to ring us before they deliver to arrange a time, so we know what's coming when. Is that how this "booking in" service works, or have I got my wires crossed.

Is anyone out there regularly using this for their deliveries? Are you just asking your suppliers to specify the "booking in" option when they send it? Does it work?

[MH1]

Hard enough to get most too delivery in the first place :D

I'm lucky, I know all the main companies drivers very well and have all their mobile numbers, and they have mine. I even get std times most days for deliveries, so City Link will deliver at 7.30am, DHL at 11am etc unless I ask differently.

Never heard about the booking in part, I imagine it's for very large companies who need to plan their incoming traffic carefully.

[fred1222]

Hard enough to get most too delivery in the first place :D



Never heard about the booking in art, I imagine it's for very large companies who need to plan their incoming traffic carefully.

Yes that's basically it. If it's a large company they can usually dictate the terms to the carrier company. If you're a small one you'll have to pay a surcharge if the service is on offer.

[faststaff]

Almost unheard of for overnights, although some companies do offer it. I'm not sure how effective it is though.

As for Same Day deliveries, it's a lot more common than you may think. We always check requirements on any job. This can be as simple as "closed for lunch 1pm - 2pm", but can often be more complicated. We have done work where a consignment must be booked in 24 hours in advance, and the slot you are given is 30 minutes, after say a 200 mile journey. We always try to work these in, but are honest about how realistic it may be.

The key is that even with the most seemingly rigid systems, there always needs to be a contingency plan.

Richard

[samedaynorthwest]

Agree with Fastaff, we tend to ring our customers as we get nearer to long jobs, otherwise we give a window and im yet to have a failed delivery or pickup, in fact our pickups are normally not ready when we ring,

Regards

[faststaff]

Agree with Fastaff, we tend to ring our customers as we get nearer to long jobs, otherwise we give a window and im yet to have a failed delivery or pickup, in fact our pickups are normally not ready when we ring,

Regards

Sean

Do you do trade work? We used to have an office in Bury, on Warth Road, so still get a fair bit of work in that area.

Drop me a line if you do.

Richard

[faststaff]

Sorry, should have been PM. I'm always doing that!

Rich:redface:

[samedaynorthwest]

oops..lol,

pm sent, Rich

Sean

[gingerdad]

we need all our larger deliveries to be booked in to make sure someone is here to recieve them, though did have some one turn up yesterday when we wern't in the warehouse with 20 pallets, and he'll have to come back next week, it's clearly in all the information we send to our customers regarding health and saftey of a delivery as in how it should be packed etc...

We are only a small business but don't often get stuff turning up not booked in. if its only a few boxes they can leave them with our neighbour...

GD

[groovyjon]

GD, so how does it tend to work? When you place a large order, you specify it should be booked in, and then the delivery company rings you to say they have your pallets and ask when they can deliver? Do you give them a time slot or just a particular day? Do all carriers offer this booking in service?