What are advantages in working with a regional carrier?
When you need to ship off your products regularly, it may seem easier to have national carriers like UPS or FedEx take care of it for you. After all, these national carriers are often large companies with household names and established systems for delivering goods efficiently to any place and at any time.
But there are circumstances when a regional carrier may serve you better. Here are four reasons why:
1. Regional carriers are cheaper.
Unlike national carriers, regional carriers have a smaller coverage area and, thus, have smaller operating costs. If they ship nationwide, it’s usually with the help of third parties so they can keep their costs down. Regional carriers also don’t have to pay surcharges that national carriers are often subject to.
So, regional carriers typically charge lower rates for their services than national carriers. Some are even willing to work with their client’s budgets. If you have a tight shipping budget or would like to save on your shipping cost, working with a regional carrier may be a better fit.
2. Regional carriers provide white-glove services.
A big advantage that regional carriers often have over national carriers is the ability to provide white-glove services. Regional couriers would have a crew of highly trained personnel who can deliver a package to the receiver’s doorstep. They will hand-carry the delivery to the place where the receiver wants it. If the receiver requires it, the crew can assemble or install the item on the spot.
National carriers usually don’t offer white-glove deliveries. However, this service is valuable and highly appreciated if you want to form a strong relationship and build loyalty among your customers.
3. Regional carriers are more flexible.
National carriers are sure to have highly organized systems in place to allow them to work large areas of coverage efficiently. The one issue with these systems is that they’re often set in stone and have no room for flexibility. For example, you have to follow their schedule when you’re shipping your goods. If you miss this schedule, you’d have to wait for the next.
Regional carriers, on the other hand, have more room to adjust. You can work out a schedule with them, for instance. Many carriers are also willing to create a customized service to suit your particular needs.
4. Regional carriers offer personalized service.
Customer service with national carriers can sometimes feel cold and sterile. They often use cookie-cutter approaches to handling customer concerns. Sometimes, you’d feel lucky that you got in touch with a customer service representative at all.
With regional carriers, customer service is more personal. The person assigned to your account would take the time to get to know you and your business so they can take better care of you. You’d also be able to get in touch with them through various channels whenever you need to.
It may seem easier to have a national carrier handle your shipments all the time. After all, they have established reputations and systems in place for delivering goods to any destination at any time. Even so, regional carriers do have advantages over national carriers, and it’s worth considering these advantages the next time you need to have items shipped.
At PearlTrans Logistics, we offer services that can be tailor-made to your specific needs. We treat each and every order with a personal touch. Contact us, and let’s see how we can work together.
