Waiting days to ship goods is no longer an option. Most companies are looking for the fastest way to get their products into the hands of customers, and so carriers started to offer same day shipping.

Obviously, same day shipping allows businesses to make shipments under tight deadlines, which can do wonders for your bottom line. Your flexibility in meeting a client’s request can often help strengthen the relationship — not to mention, their loyalty — thereby increasing the chances of more business down the line.

Drawbacks of Same Day Shipping

But same day shipping isn’t without its drawbacks, and many people fail to consider the nuances of the service when choosing this route. Although it’s popularity is on the rise, there are a great deal of issues you may encounter when selecting this method. As the world is headed towards faster, more streamlined delivery requirements, same day shipping may be the norm of the future logistics world. But as of now, most businesses view it as a luxury add-on to their current services. Keep these problems in mind when choosing to ship your goods via same day delivery methods:

Limited Flexibility

Same day shipping obviously expedites the shipping process, but it can sometimes move faster than you want or expect. Once an order hits the warehouse, you can no longer make changes to it — and that includes cancellation. Plan accordingly; otherwise you’ll need to correct it on the other end. Most companies enjoy the ability to re-route, change, hold, or move a shipment when it is already in transit to its destination, but same day shipping eliminates the majority of those flexibilities.

If your goal is simply to move one package as quick as possible to your customer, same day shipping is a great option. However, treating this method of transportation as your main service can cause for shipping nightmares and headaches if you are not completely certain that your business will benefit from it.

Freight Capacity

Depending on the day, you may run into some issues finding the space available to actually move the goods, and this goes double towards the end of the day. It’s when most businesses make last-minute shipments. Again, plan accordingly. Chances are good that you’ll have fewer problems using this service in the mornings.

If you plan on shipping via same day delivery on a frequent basis, it’s a really good idea to have dedicated staff to the task. Getting space on trucks is competitive, fast-paced, and a bit of a pain in the neck; but not if you’re prepared. Having even a single staff member who focuses on same day delivery can end up saving you in costs on damaged goods by selecting bad carriers, missed deadlines, and lost relationships with invaluable clients. Trucks are quick to max out their capacities by the end of the day, and if you are not 100% on top of your game when it comes to same day delivery, you are bound to miss your opportunities.

Shipping Inefficiencies

Efficiency is big for many organizations, and one of the ways to gain efficiencies in shipping is to group orders. With same day shipping, you have little time to accumulate enough orders in the queue before processing. The smaller the queue, the fewer gains you’ll make on efficiencies. Capitalizing on shipping efficiencies can be done through one of two ways:

1. Plan ahead and forget the same day shipping. Grouping orders is significantly easier when you have the time to accumulate numerous packages.

2. Create a process for grouping orders to be delivered via same day methods. This seems counter-intuitive to the idea of same day delivery, but can actually benefit your business a great deal in the future. Most often, people think of same day shipping as an afterthought, i.e., you are making up for a forgotten shipment, or your customer needs a product last minute – so you select same day shipping to get the goods to your client as fast as possible. However, same day shipping can be just as planned as any other method of transportation so long as you develop a system for it. Having orders queued and ready to go on a daily basis opens up the door for you to consistently group orders while flawlessly executing same day shipping on a frequent basis.

Added Expense

This should go without saying, but the cost of same day shipping can be fairly restrictive for many businesses, particularly those small in size. Making an order available to the carrier on the same day as the request comes at a cost, and it still doesn’t mean the package will be delivered on the same day as the pickup. Synonymizing same day shipping and same day delivery is a crucial mistake.

Remember – added expenses can always be turned into added revenue. When your customer requests same day shipping, they understand the additional costs they will inquire. It’s not your job to take the hit on delivering via this method. If it’s going to cost you extra, charge a little more than you are spending to turn it into a profitable practice. After all, this is how any business that focuses on same day shipping makes a profit.

But of course, there are always instances in which it is your job to accept the responsibility of missing a shipment or getting a product late to a customer. If it’s your fault or responsibility to pick up the pieces of a shipping project by purchasing same-day delivery services, expect to rack up some additional costs and take the hit.

Package Tracking

Though not as problematic as some of the other factors, be aware that it can sometimes take longer for carriers to update tracking information with this service. There may be a period of time where you don’t necessarily know where your shipment is in transit. Give it some time; the delay is only temporary. On the up-side, most same day delivery services offer superior tracking abilities, as the entire goal of the method is to create a more efficient, streamlined, and advanced service than the competition. Before sending your goods over to just any carrier with same-day delivery services, make sure you speak with them for full clarity on what tracking and tracing will look like. It’s no fun to be left in the dark – even for a day, and it’s especially difficult when you’re same-day delivery turns into a two-day delivery due to selecting a bad carrier. A carrier who offers visibility on the process is held to a higher standard than the others.

Where Do We Go From Here?

If you’d like to learn more about same day shipping, Interlog USA has years of experience in the area. Whether you have simple questions about the topic or are in dire need of some solutions, give us a call and we would be happy to have a discussion with you.