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A courier is someone who picks up a message, documents, mail, or a package from one place and delivers it directly to another. Couriers are used when the delivery of certain items is time sensitive, even 'off the cuff', and where traditional postal methods would be too slow or are not available. The larger courier companies, such as DHL, UPS and Federal Express, are household names, and tend to specialise in long distance domestic and international delivery services. Within the metropolitan areas yu will also find small courier companies, some of which will offer similar services, but many will operate ony domestically, sometimes just within the metropolitan area itself. Some larger companies will have their own in-house couriers. A courier will often use a bicycle, motorcycle, or even small cars, to allow them to quickly navigate the congested streets of our cities. A courier will often be called upon to make a same-day delivery, even if that means couriering a package from London to Glasgow for example. However, many companies will also use courier services to ensure that items are delivered on a specific delivery day, in which case the courier company will pick up the item(s) and securely store them before sending them off to be delivered on the appointed day at the due time. Very often a courier will carry an item that requires a signature at point of delivery. Courier services developed out of the London taxi companies. Quite rapidly these companies found tat it was possible to make money transporting and delivering things as wel as people. Initially the taxi companies would courier items around the city for a fee as and when they were not carrying passengers. From this dedicated courier services were born; companies who dealt in the logistics of delivering things not people. However, the heritage of te courier is far more ancient that this, and in fact 'couriers' have existed evr since human beings formed themselves into societies. These messengers (couriers) would walk, or even run, from one part of a city, country, even continent, to another with their mesage of goods. As the need to transport supplies as well as messages became ever more necessary, horses, donkeys, camels and other beasts of burden were used to aid the courier on their way. An early form of non-human courier is the carrier pigeon! Nowadays, bicycles and motorised transportation have taken over; with bicycle couriers in particular being a common site on our city streets. The benefit offered by bicycle couriers is that they can often negotiate the journey far more quickly than a car, and, of course, tey do not need a parking place at the other end! The disadvantage with a bicycle is tat it limits the size of load tat can be carried, both in terms of bulk and weight. For this reason, motorcycles are another popular form of courier transport, allowing as they do rapidity of delivery along with the capacity to carry larger and eavier loads: some of the larger motorcycles are rated to carry as much as 180 kilos! Not possible on foot or on bicycle! A smaller company will not normally be able to afford to employ its own in-house courier, so they will make use of the services offered by courier companies, who will pick-up and deliver on an as-needed basis. Most reputable courier companies will offer delivery verification, insurance, package tracking, and signed receipts on delivery. Always look for the courier service tat is going to be of most benefit to you. For example legal companies and solicitors may regularly sed documents locally and domestically, and will require delivery verification and signed receipts for every delivery. Other companies may want to courier items internationally, so they will need to find a company tat delivers to the countries they are sending items to. Spend a litle bit of time to research the various options offered by courier services to find the one best suited to your needs. Remember that reliability is as important, if not more so, than cost: the reputation of your business is carried by the courier just as they deliver your message. |
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