7 important things to get for your shipping company
Photo by Feiyang Wang on Unsplash
If you own a shipping company, then there is some essential equipment that you need to get. Trying to operate and run a shipping company without the right equipment can be very difficult because you won’t be able to deliver your customers a high-quality experience. The better your equipment is, the more efficient your company will be.
If you have just started your business and have absolutely no idea what kind of equipment and technology you need, then this post’s got you covered. Here are seven important things that you need to get:
Weighing equipment
If you are in charge of a shipping company, then you will be responsible for verifying the weight of each parcel that you process. Verifying a parcel’s weight is actually a legal requirement. You will need to buy scales, preferably large ones so that you can weigh each processed parcel. You will also need to invest in a label gun so that you can carefully label each parcel once you have weighed them. This is so that the courier knows how much each parcel weighs and so that arrangements can be made for additional support for large parcels.
Van fleet
If your company is going to be delivering orders as well, then you are going to need a van fleet. Purchasing a van fleet can be very expensive, so make sure that you are prepared for the costs associated with a purchase of this size. In addition to purchasing a van fleet, you are also going to need to get insurance for all of the individual vans. You may also want to invest in fleet tracking software so that you can monitor your fleet when they are on the road.
Forklift
A forklift is necessary if you are going to be operating out of a large warehouse and will be handling very large parcels. Some parcels (like fridges, washing machines, and other appliances) are far too large to be carried by hand. For large parcels of this kind, you are going to need a forklift so that you don’t injure your staff. These kinds of parcels also need to be delivered by two or three-man crews, which means that you will need to employ staff too. Forklifts can be very expensive. Anyone operating them on your business’s premises needs to have a forklift license, which you will have to pay for.
Insurance
Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash
Your company will need liability insurance, in case you lose any of your customer’s parcels or in case they are damaged. If parcels arrive damaged, then the company that sold them likely won’t accept them back or offer a refund. It will be your responsibility if your staff damage parcels. If you are shipping a lot of parcels, then damages are inevitable. Insurance will ensure that you don’t have to foot the bill if parcels do become damaged because of your staff. You should also make sure that you thoroughly and extensively train them so that you can avoid parcels becoming damaged.
Ramp
A ramp is a definite necessity if you are going to have vans and forklifts, otherwise, there’s no way that your forklift crew will be able to deliver large parcels onto the back of vans. The ramp you need to invest in has to be made from high-quality materials and must be suited to the job that it’s being used for. If you buy a ramp that’s unsuitable then it could buckle under the pressure of your forklift, which could result in your customer’s goods becoming damaged and your forklift crew injuring themselves.
Conveyor belt
If you are processing a lot of parcels, then a conveyor belt is likely necessary. You will need to run items down a conveyor belt either into individual vans, or so that your staff can perform quality checks, ensuring that parcels aren’t damaged. If a retailer gives you a damaged parcel to post, then you need to know so that customers don’t blame you for the damages. You should always photograph and document any damaged parcels that come your way so that you can avoid being blamed for them. A conveyor belt system will help you to do this.
Warehouse space
Lastly, you are going to need a warehouse to work from if you want to make it as the owner of a successful shipping company. Your business will need room to grow, which means that you need space to store people’s parcels. Warehouse space can be very expensive, so it’s better to lease it at first than to buy it.
A shipping company can be a very lucrative business, however, if you don’t run it properly and ensure that you have all of the equipment that you need, then it could cost you more money than it makes you. Make sure that you have invested in everything that’s outlined in this post.