Which courier is offering the best deal/service

I’ve come across a new tool for comparing courier called Parcel Checker and it’s got me thinking. When was the last time you reviewed your courier prices and are you getting the best deal and service?

I’ve used Parcelforce for years, and whilst I know they’re not the cheapest (especially since they started to charge VAT which upped their rates by 20%) I’ve always been a big fan of their service from the recipients point of view. Unlike most couriers Parcelforce will do everything in their power to deliver the item, or leave it somewhere local, at worst case normally a Post Office no more than a couple of miles from the destination address.

However should I for go some of the service in preference for lower costs? Whilst Parcel Checker only displays courier prices quoted on their rate cards (no one ever pays these prices, you’ll negotiate a discount based on volume when you open an account), it does give an indication of the savings to be made in comparison with Royal Mail.

There are so many couriers out there, and the market is further complicated by the number of consolidators who resell courier services and often offer better prices than going direct if you only ship low volumes.

Which courier do you use and when was the last time you reviewed your courier rates? Times are tough financially to tell us where to get the best deals and what volumes you need to get the price that you’ve negotiated.

We also know that price isn’t everything – does your courier offer timed delivery slots so customer don’t have to wait in? What about email or SMS tracking and notifications? How about evening and weekend deliveries? What makes your courier the best out there?