Not so many years ago, having a package delivered could be a time consuming and unreliable process. Once a package had been dispatched there was no way of tracking it, and there was not the same availability of fast courier services that there is today.

Even when these courier services started to expand in number, this did not always help the situation. As the emphasis on speed grew, so there was less attention paid to care in handling. Recent advances have started to address this issue. The growth of the Internet has also helped us all to be more aware of the journey of the parcel we are waiting for.

Tracking a parcel online

One of the best things about modern courier and postal services is that you can now track parcels online. If you receive a unique number, you can log in with the postal service or courier, and check to see where your parcel is on its journey. Many companies complement this service by using a series of texts to inform of expected delivery times. Having an idea of when a parcel is going to arrive makes life a lot easier for the recipient.

Using social media

As is the case with many businesses, courier companies use social media to communicate with customers. You can check potential issues with services, in real time. You also have the opportunity to communicate with the courier directly, by simply sending a tweet with your query. This is one of the simplest ways to keep in touch with the people who are delivering your parcel.

Prevention of damage

With so much emphasis placed on the speed with which packages can be delivered, there is still a tendency for some courier companies to not be as careful with handling packages as they should be. This can mean that when you receive a parcel the contents are damaged.

The good news is that damage indicators have now been developed which can reduce the risk of damages occurring. These indicators can detect vibrations and impacts which could potentially cause damage. This helps to prove if careless handling was to blame for the damage that an item may have suffered in transit. The presence of these indicators on an item tends to make handlers deal with it in a more careful manner. This, in turn, helps to reduce the number of incidents of damage.

We have come a long way since the days when you simply had to sit and wait for a package to arrive. Now, you should be able to tell which stage of the journey it’s at. This helps you to plan for receiving the item. As you can see, modern technology is also helping to protect packages while they are in transit. This makes it less likely that an item will be damaged while it’s on its way to you; helping to prevent potential disappointment.