5 Tech-Enabled Features You Should Expect From Your Chicago Courier Service
Chicago’s strong economy, fabulous amenities, and wealth of cultural attractions make it one of the most popular cities to live or visit in America. However, this popularity means the streets also suffer from one frustrating factor – traffic!
Getting from A to B is challenging for most people in Chicago, including express courier services.
In a 2022 survey by mobility analytics firm, Inrix, Chicago proved to have a worse traffic problem than other major cities in the United States, including New York, Boston, and Los Angeles. It showed that Chicagoans lost an average of 155 hours stuck in congestion along the main commuter routes, up 7% on pre-pandemic levels.
The time spent wasted in traffic is money for many local businesspeople, not only in terms of fuel for their vehicles but also billable hours if you’re trying to deliver packages to customers yourself.
This is why so many retailers and companies now outsource their logistics to a local delivery service like Metrobi in Chicago, as our drivers have the right local knowledge and use the latest route optimization software to navigate the streets successfully and beat the traffic.
Make sure the Chicago courier service you’re considering uses the following technology to ensure your customers receive their goods on time.
Real-Time Tracking
Gone are the days when you had to send your product on its way with a courier service and hope it arrived at its destination on time. The best local courier services now use advanced live tracking technology that lets you see exactly where your package is from when it leaves your hands right through to delivery.
Real-time tracking is one of the main expectations when using a professional Chicago delivery service, as it not only gives you confidence that your item won’t get mislaid but is also a great benefit if you’re customer ever needs an update or wants to know the estimated time of arrival of their item.
Metrobi, for example, attaches a barcode to each package that is scanned on receipt of the item. The courier then scans it again using a handheld device that transmits the data onto an App that you and your customer can track online from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
This advanced real-time tracking software allows you to see where the package is at any time, making it clear that the item is on its way and warning you of any delays.
All reliable courier services in Chicago should now use GPS (Global Positioning Systems).
Route Optimisation Software
If you are one of Chicago’s many retailers or companies that sell products online, your customers will expect a swift and reliable express courier service.
Since the pandemic, consumer expectations have changed, and now most of the major retailers offer same-day delivery of items to the doorstep.
Offering an express delivery service in Chicago has become essential to remain competitive.
Many people put their plans on hold to accommodate the delivery of their goods, so they expect their items to arrive on time or will get frustrated and may not order from you again.
However, achieving timely delivery is not easy without using the latest route optimization software.
Given the traffic problem in Chicago, technology is now necessary to advise drivers of possible delays and reroute their journeys to avoid congestion and ensure items reach your customers on time.
Route optimization technology is constantly advancing, and the best software can even help couriers avoid road closures, accidents, and other freak traffic hold-ups. The use of this advanced re-routing technology is vital for professional Chicago courier services, so do check that the delivery service uses the software.
Warehouse/Delivery Management Software
Ensuring the courier service in Chicago takes and stores your items correctly is also vital to ensure items are kept from being lost or mislaid.
All courier services should be able to demonstrate that they have a secure way of managing your packages, especially if you are sending multiple items.
Aside from barcode scanners to track your packages, make sure the courier service uses warehouse management software to ensure the items are stored correctly and dispatched according to your wishes.
Devices to Capture Proof of Delivery and Electronic Signatures
Knowing your package has arrived safely is vital for your peace of mind and records. For this reason, make sure you work with a Chicago courier service that uses the technology to capture photographs of your product when it reaches its destination and allows the courier to capture an electronic signature as proof of receipt.
The best Chicago express delivery services give their couriers hand-held devices or tablets that allow them to take, store, and transmit a time and date-stamped photograph of the package at the delivery site and take customer signatures for your records.
These clever devices mean you can store proof of delivery and the images in your customer file, and you have evidence that their delivery has arrived on time and in good order should ever there be a mix-up, complaint, or an issue with your courier service.
Easy To Use Online Booking System
Organizing deliveries takes time, so your Chicago courier service should offer a straightforward way to quickly get your items from your shop or warehouse to the recipient.
Modern express courier services now allow you to organize your deliveries via an App or online platform.
With Metrobi, you purchase a subscription according to your expected volume of deliveries and log in to our innovative online system that allows you to order the swift pick up and delivery of your items. Via our platform, you can organize single or batch pick-ups, and your dedicated account manager will then dispatch the closest and most highly rated Metrobi courier to your location.
Our system allows you to keep track of the delivery in real-time, and you are notified as soon as your package arrives at its destination, and the proof of delivery has been logged.
This system saves you considerable time and gives you and your customer peace of mind that the item is safe and will be delivered as planned.
If you would like to know more about Metrobi and the express Chicago courier service we offer, please request a callback.
