Businesses today are operating in the most competitive environment in history. They have to compete both domestically and internationally due to the Internet and an increasingly globalised society. And there are more start-ups entering the market every day. You have to get an edge any way you can. The way you handle deliveries through your postage provider will influence whether you can get an advantage over your competitors.

Here are some of the things you should look for in the company which takes control of your post.

Speed and Efficiency

The defining factor of any company is how quickly they can deliver their product or service. Amazon is a fine example of a company which can deliver their items quickly and on-time the majority of the time. They have managed to compete, and succeed, globally because of how much attention they’ve paid to this aspect of their company.

These days consumers expect their post within a matter of days, and in many cases within 24 hours. If you can deliver your items in a similar manner as a company like Amazon you’re well on your way to success.

Cost to the Consumer

A company will look at their balance sheets and make a decision based on the difference it will make to their cash flow. This is completely the wrong way to look at it. Your customers couldn’t care less how much it costs for you to deal with one organisation or another.

All they care about is how much they pay for postage. Always look for the best deal, including when it comes to bulk deliveries. This shouldn’t come at the expense of quality, but a lot of bigger companies will utilise multiple providers so customers can make an active decision as to the quality of service they receive.

Some businesses have taken to subsidising low postage costs by covering a few pence on each delivery themselves.

Dealing with Problems

Every so often you’ll encounter a problem. A customer claims they’ve lost their package, they say the item was broken on arrival, or the delivery guy came a few hours later than scheduled. If your company is going to develop a reputation for awesome customer service, you need to address such issues.

The only way to come to terms with inevitable setbacks is to have a postage provider who will work with you. If they simply aren’t interested in complaints it’s you who has to take the rap from the customer. And you won’t get away with trying to blame the company. They will hold you responsible since you used them in the first place.

Delivery Times

The more flexible a postage provider is the more delivery times you can offer your customers. If an organisation claims they can get items out to their recipients in less than 24 hours you can now offer a 24-hour delivery service.

By expanding the number of delivery times on offer, you’re showing your business is more willing to accommodate the needs of your buyers.  You demonstrate you take good service seriously.

This article is submitted by Martha Woods, who works as a senior editor for a renowned business magazine. She enjoys writing business related blogs in her spare time. She feels that postcode finder is one of the important yet an underrated piece of technology that everyone should consider having in their offices.