1. But they are the cheapest!

As the old adage goes, the cheapest is the most expensive. I mean, it’s old, and an adage for a reason, it’s true! Cheaper businesses often have a revolving door of dissatisfied contractor employees, not the guys you want to trust with your precious paperwork, critical items, or anything else. The most reputable services are generally priced accordingly. Some extra spending is worth its weight in gold when your critical items and reputation are on the line.

2. They answer the phone with a “yeah, wait.”

This is not your local pizzeria. Getting fired before you get to “hello” is probably a sign of the direction of your future business relationship. Telephone skills are only one aspect of customer service. But rest assured that if talking on the phone is a chore for them, they won’t treat the delivery of your item much differently.

3. Your idea of ​​half an hour is actually 3 hours.

Nobody likes verbiage, well, at least not the commercial kind. Don’t you wish more companies realized that a little honesty goes a long way? Sure, not many will complain when a half hour is actually 45 minutes, but more than that and they’re pushing it. Time is money, a well used cliché for a reason.

4. The car they pull up in appears to have returned from the future after barely surviving World War III.

Reliability is a big issue here. And if they don’t care enough to drive a decently running vehicle, they probably don’t care much. Some people run their businesses and vehicles by a thread and hire contractors who do the same. Lack of maintenance on your vehicle can end up costing you money, time, or an important customer you simply cannot afford to lose. Make sure your courier has updated and varied vehicles.

5. His name starts with “A” or, better yet, “AAA.”

This is no longer the early ’70s, when putting an “A” in front of your name was a bona fide promotional tactic to get in the yellow pages. Granted, attacking the choice of a generic business name is not the end of all arguments, but not even bothering to try to update something that shows a modicum of effort just shows laziness and a lack of creativity. Messengers can be called many things, but “slackers” should never be one of them.

A courier service is an extension of your business, and choosing the right one is an important choice. By heeding these tips from the inside, you’ll have a head start on what to avoid and fewer headaches the next time you order express delivery.