How to improve your company's shipping principles

Sustainability has been gaining momentum in many industries as more and more customers are becoming increasingly aware of the waste that some things considered the norm produce. The parcel shipping industry which often involves single-use packaging is no exception.

Due to consumer requests for more sustainable options, new trends have emerged in the shipping business with the aim of transforming the industry into a more eco-friendly one.

In this article, we will discuss the main sustainability trends that seem to be emerging in the parcel industry in terms of packaging.

Recycled materials are seen more often

Despite many efforts by governments and various organizations to encourage recycling, wasteful materials such as plastic for the large part are still going to landfills after their use is up.

In fact, some researchers believe that around 90 percent of the new plastic produced isn't being recycled. Since the parcel industry is heavily reliant on plastic packaging, looking for different alternatives is definitely an idea that’s being entertained more and more.

One research found that from 2008 to 2017, the usage of recycled plastic as more sustainable options for product packaging has risen from 3 to around 18 percent, which is a significant improvement from recent years.

This so-called PET plastic is believed to be the alternative of the future, that is until and if an even more sustainable material comes into play.

Weight matters more than ever

Another sustainability trend for the upcoming year seems to be that businesses are focusing on shredding as much weight as possible from their shipments, which means that no more materials than necessary are being used.

This is happening because businesses are now realizing that more weight equals more expensive shipments in general. Less weight means easier and faster transportation, less carbon emitted during the transportation process.

However, this is not necessarily the long-term solut

We’ve all experienced occasions when an item ordered online arrived a few days later than intended. Even though businesses try to minimize the chances of an error at all steps, sometimes they do occur, which can make people frustrated.

After all, they’ve paid for either a standard delivery, or maybe even spent a bit more just to utilize the express option. As a parcel delivery business ourselves, we perfectly understand the fact that people want everything to arrive at the intended time and with complete safety.

This is also due to the fact that more and more people shop online even for the smallest things, which means that a reliable delivery company is more than needed.

In this article, we will give tips to our fellow colleagues of the shipping industry - a few good ways to make your deliveries more effective.

Aim for a simplified procedure

We see a lot of companies try to use complicated apps or systems in order to control the flow of their internal processes, however, these kinds of practices only make simple tasks more difficult than they should be.

Instead of that, we recommend forming sort of a document in which you would write down which parts of your delivery process currently work and which of these need improvement. 

This will help you get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t and the challenges that need to be tackled.

Better communication with your warehouse

An effectively working warehouse is arguably the backbone of a successful delivery business. If “clicking on all cylinders” the warehouse can process requests in mere minutes if not faster. This is exactly why it is key to have great communication.

Not only will you be able to manage your stock, but it can also guarantee that an influx of orders catches you or the warehouse off guard. So, the next time there’s a need to talk with your head of the warehouse, call him or her instead of sending an email which won’t be read immediately.

Moreover, encourage physical communication among your employees as well since it completely minimizes the chances of misunderstanding happening.

Utilize technology at the right places

In order to maximize the effectiveness of your business, it’s mandatory to monitor and quickly identify every item moving through the warehouse. This is where technology can come in handy since it saves such a massive amount of time.

There’s no need to go for anything complex since simple handheld devices can work just fine. Now you'll know exactly where everything is located and how much stock there is left in the warehouse.

Plus, you’ll also minimize the chances of human error since more parts of the work will depend on automation, all while saving money and time, a win-win situation if you ask us.

Sure, human labour still remains invaluable to the industry as a whole, but utilizing technology in a smart and efficient way certainly helps businesses in more ways than one.

All in all

In this article we’ve briefly talked about how a courier business can better itself by changing a few things that were the standard norm. 

Improving communication, embracing more technology and simplifying your procedures is the best way to ensure that your delivery company can satisfy the needs of customers without any problems.