If you want your delivery service to become successful, then you need to do everything you can to stand out from the competition. One of the most cost-effective ways you can do just that is to reassure your clients that you take your work very seriously and that you treat each package like you would a legal document. This is a factor that many couriers fail to develop because they are too focused on delivering packages in the minimal amount of time and with the minimal amount of effort.
This is where a code of practice can help you understand how to operate your delivery service while simultaneously reassuring existing (and potential) clients. You can use these four factors as the cornerstones for developing the said code:
Solving Problems Before They Even Come Up
A lot of things can go wrong while delivering goods. You could end up late due to an accident that happened while you were on the road. The goods you receive could be different from the ones the recipient ordered. Someone other than the recipient could be arguing with you to hand over the package. These are but a smattering of problems that you will eventually encounter if you run your delivery service long enough, which is why they deserve a significant amount of consideration in your code of practice.
Professionalism: Being Tactful While Remaining Firm and Decisive
Dealing with irate customers is difficult enough as is, but how about dealing with ones that won’t accept a defective package or individuals insisting that you hand over the package even if they aren’t the documented recipients? Dedicate a portion of your code of practice to defining how you will deal with difficult clients and things will not be as difficult as they first appear. This is especially useful when you start hiring other couriers as your delivery service expands.
Liability: Know When and When Not to Take Responsibility
How will you compensate clients when you are late or when you damage the goods you are supposed to deliver? How will you prove that the sender was at fault for the faulty delivery instead of you? The issue of liability is a very sensitive one, but it is something that you need to deal with early on if you want your delivery service to be credible. Seeking legal counsel is highly recommended in this case, especially if you know someone knowledgeable about consumer rights. This will help you better understand your role as a courier without getting tangled up in legal issues later on.
Confidentiality: Protecting the Integrity of Your Clients
A well-crafted code of practice must have sections dedicated to keeping the nature of your deliveries strictly confidential. You are not necessarily required to scurry about in secret, but you are expected to be as discreet as possible. You will thus need to implement practices that will allow you to do just that, such as destroying paper receipts and delivery logs after a certain amount of time has passed.
Finally, make sure to post your code of practice where customers can easily see it. This code of practice will not only help develop good business practices, but can also prove to be quite an effective marketing tool for building trust in your delivery service.