Canstar Blue’s 2019 courier services review has seen DHL Express, StarTrack Courier, Fastway, Australia Post, Couriers Please and Toll rated on business customer satisfaction.
For the second year in a row, DHL Express has delivered for Aussie businesses, claiming the top spot in Canstar Blue’s courier services ratings, scoring five stars in all research categories.
Running a business can be stressful, particularly if you’re on a tight schedule or budget. There are plenty of internal decisions to make, such as electricity, mobile providers, and even the waste disposal, but one area that many small businesses need to consider are courier services. With many businesses turning to an online presence, delivering goods, contracts and letters is a vital part of staying afloat, meaning which courier service you use can play a big part in your bottom line, as well as potentially your reputation. But in an industry that is packed to the brim with options, which courier service should you use?
There’s plenty to consider when selecting a courier company, because while you’ll want your package to arrive safe and sound – and in a timely manner – you won’t want it to cost you an arm and a leg. To help narrow down the options, Canstar Blue produces an annual review of courier services for small business, surveying more than 800 business owners and key decision-makers about their experiences with the big providers listed above.
So what did we find? In this year’s ratings, DHL Express has retained first place for customer satisfaction, achieving five stars in every research category.
Canstar Blue’s 2019 review of courier services saw six brands compared and rated in the following order for overall customer satisfaction:
With DHL Express remaining at the top, StarTrack, Fastway and Australia Post all finished on four stars for overall customer satisfaction, with Couriers Please and Toll recording three stars overall.
Our survey also uncovered a few insights into the world of courier services, with 59% of respondents in 2019 (down from 66% last year) stating that they always use the same courier company, with 28% of all respondents having a fixed term contract with a service provider. Despite this, over half (51%) think they could get a better deal with another provider, meaning it may pay off to look into other options if you’re considering tightening the belt.
Our research identified reliability of service as being the most significant driver of customer satisfaction, but other factors like delivery timeliness, value for money, pick up and drop off locations, as well as the booking process, were also crucial areas to consider.
A reliable service is as good as gold in the business world, encouraging customers to keep coming back if they can trust their goods will be delivered promptly. 38% of survey respondents (up from 35% last year) said they had previously sent an item that was not delivered, meaning dealing with a reliable service can prove a time saver, as well as keep your customers happy.
As they say, time is money, meaning having a courier service that can quickly (but safely) transport your goods to their destination can prove invaluable. But for those who aren’t in a rush, just having your parcel turn up at the right time and place is all that’s needed.
While customer satisfaction is worth more than money to businesses, forking out for a sub-par courier company may not be a sound financial decision for your business. Getting value for money however, is a bit more than just the bottom line, because some businesses may be happy to part way with a few extra dollars if it means a streamlined website, helpful call centre or quality tracking process to assist with the delivery.
The collection process will likely be the paying customer’s only face-to-face contact with their courier, meaning it pays to portray a professional image and go that extra mile for great customer service and support. Offering flexible pick up and drop off options and locations, including leaving parcels at another address, retail store or post office, may help with customer’s perceptions.
You can provide the best courier service in the whole world, but from time to time things will go wrong. If you’re the customer unlucky enough to experience a problem, you’ll want it to be handled promptly and seriously. You can forgive one mistake, but if it’s followed by the mistake of bad customer service, you won’t be happy at all.
For many customers, a courier service’s website will often be the first call of business when it comes to sending out that parcel or document, meaning having an easy booking process is a sure-fire way to get customers coming back. With 63% of survey respondents booking their most recent service online (56%) or via the courier’s app (7%), this is an area for courier services to keep on top of.
For many small businesses, courier services play a vital role in keeping things moving (literally), meaning which courier you decide to sign on the dotted line with can impact on how well your business operates, and your own customers’ happiness. As a result, it’s important to find a courier that suits your business model and day-to-day operations, along with one that doesn’t blow the budget.
Ultimately, who you trust with your parcels and deliveries will come down to your personal preferences, as well as what you’re looking to send out the door, as one courier company may fit your needs better than others. As with any business decision however, it’s best to look into all your options and to do your own research, to ensure you aren’t waiting for a courier to deliver on its promises, or your goods.
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This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Content Lead, Megan Birot. She’s an expert on household appliances, health & beauty products, as well as all things grocery and shopping. When she’s not writing up our research-based ratings reports, Megan spends her time helping consumers make better purchase decisions, whether it’s at the supermarket, other retailers, or online, highlighting the best deals and flagging anything you need to be aware of.
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,600 Australian small to medium-sized business owners or key decision-makers (i.e. the key decision-maker for the business) across a range of categories to measure and track customer satisfaction, via ISO 26362 accredited research panels managed by Qualtrics. The outcomes reported are the results from customers within the survey group who have used a courier for work purposes in the past year – in this case, 828 people.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included. Results are comparative and it should be noted that brands receiving three stars have still achieved a satisfaction measure of at least six out of 10. Not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The ratings table is first sorted by star ratings and then by mean overall satisfaction. A rated brand may receive a ‘N/A’ (Not Applicable) rating if it does not receive the minimum number of responses for that criteria.
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