Since the start of the pandemic, parcel deliveries have been soaring. 2020 alone saw the completion of a whopping 15.05 billion deliveries worldwide. The trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon this year. Experts expect parcel shipping to rise by 28% in 2021. For school, office, and property managers, this means you must up your package management game, lest you get overwhelmed by the influx of package deliveries that you must acknowledge their receipt, sort, and distribute to their rightful owners.
Traditionally, popular carriers like UPS and FedEx have been asking for the receiving party’s signature. This is a way of reducing their liability by providing additional delivery proof. But as we’ve come to realize, signatures are no longer enough to remove the accountability from the carrier and guarantee that the package reaches the rightful recipient, especially in the corporate mailroom.
So keep scrolling to find out why you need more than just signatures in your mailroom and what other options you can explore to improve mailroom management.
Why You Need More than Signatures in Your Mailroom
There’s no denying it; signatures can save the day when delivery issues arise, as it’s easy to pinpoint who signed for the package. But here’s a scenario where you’re dealing with the influx of parcels week in week out. And there’s a need to improve accountability as much as possible. There are two primary reasons why signatures may not be enough:
Loss of Control Over the Package Upon Delivery
OK, we know what you’re thinking; on top of the signature, carriers usually send the recipients confirmation emails indicating the time and day of the package delivery, among other details. Isn’t that enough proof? The short answer is, NO, it isn’t! That’s because as soon as the parcel enters the mailroom, the carrier loses control or sight over who, how, and where the package gets picked up.
Last-Mile Delivery Complications
Ask any buyer or recipient, and they’ll tell you that they prefer their packages to be delivered at their doorstep or office in a timely and safe manner. But is that always the case? You wish! Despite playing an insignificant role in the delivery process, the final mile delivery accounts for more than half of all shipping and handling costs. So carriers are often on the lookout for more cost-efficient last-mile delivery solutions, and that’s where package handling issues arise.
Reputable companies like UPS and FedEx are struggling to keep up with the demand and minimize expenses. So they end up outsourcing the final delivery stages to local, less qualified couriers. These third parties rarely have first-world data capturing technologies for capturing signatures or sending delivery alerts to their users.
The bottom line is, signatures and delivery email confirmations are not enough to improve accountability or reduce liability. As a result, there’s a need for better package logging solutions that enhance accuracy and accountability by capturing all relevant info in seconds, accelerate pickup times, and maintain undisputable records, in case package delivery issues arise.
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How to Improve Package Management in Your Mailroom
Does your mailroom staff struggle with the efficient sorting, logging, tracking, and storing of packages? If YES, it’s a sign you need to look for a better package management solution. One that’s time-efficient, energy-saving, and optimally accurate. It’s the only way to save your team from liability resulting from package loss, damage, or delay and enhance user experience.
So, what does it take to realize that feat? Here are a few best practices that you can implement with the help of a top-quality mailroom package management solution:
Snap Photos of Packages Upon Arrival
It may seem like a bother. But snapping photos of the parcel’s condition upon arrival in your mailroom can save your team from lots of trouble later on. For instance, they can’t be held accountable if the recipient discovers an error in their package. Instead, the pictorial evidence will prove that the issue originated from elsewhere during the delivery process. Better still, if the damage occurred in your mailroom after the photo was taken, you can investigate and fix the cause, preventing similar incidents in the future.
Supplement the Carriers Delivery Notifications with Your Own
Some carriers are thoughtful enough to send delivery alerts to package recipients. However, they’re not always 100% reliable. So you want to add to this by acquiring a package management solution that sends automatic text or email notifications based on such actions as logging in and out. You also want to customize the notifications to include details like pickup locations to enhance the user experience.
Document the Package’s Movement Through Your Facility
Upon arrival into your mailroom, the parcel may make additional movements through the facility before reaching the final recipient. Be sure to record every journey the package takes so that nothing misses your eyes. This gives you the confidence that the owner receives their package in perfect condition and according to schedule.
Confirm That You’re Handing the Right Package to the Rightful Recipient
The worst liability you can bear as a mailroom operator is handing a package to the wrong recipient. There’s no guarantee that you’ll track down the package and correct your mess. Besides, you’ll waste a lot of time in the process while other recipients wait in line. Thankfully, you can avoid this by:
- Providing a package release form for recipients to sign
- Requesting to see the delivery confirmation
- Verifying that someone else is authorized to pick up the package on the rightful owner’s behalf
Notifii Track: Your No.1 Rated Package Management Solution!
Are you in the market for top-class package management software that saves you time, keeps recipients updated, accelerates pickups, enhances accountability, and is effortless to use? If so, Notifii Track is the tool you’re looking for.
The cloud-based, app-based solution cuts down your package logging time to seconds, increases your accuracy by capturing as many details as possible, facilitates same-day pickups, and keeps recipients alert through automatic notifications. You’ll also love Track’s searchable history and reports features. These features enable you to search for packages by simple details like names or tracking numbers. And the best part? It only takes a few minutes to set up the tool and train your staff on its usage.
So what are you waiting for? Start with your 14-day FREE trial today and see Notifii Track live in action!
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