By Jewelers Mutual® Group
Whether you’re just starting a relationship with a new customer or you’ve been their trusted jeweler for 20+ years, you do everything you can to provide the best jewelry buying experience possible.
However, even with the most advanced tracking and delivery platforms, packages still go missing every day. While shipping coverage specifically addresses losses during transit (from carrier acceptance to delivery scan), you can take proactive steps prior to sending a package to significantly increase the chances of a successful delivery.
7 Ways to Help Ensure Successful Holiday Deliveries
1. Go Beyond Basic Tracking: Opt for Enhanced Notifications & Signature Service
Most carriers allow you to sign up for text or email notifications that will alert you to any possible shipping delays, missing information, or if they’re unable to deliver your package. Just know that if you do sign up, text and data charges may apply.
Upgrading to the Adult Signature option that carriers offer is a simple step you can take to give the optimal level of protection for your shipments.
Activating this option means that carriers are required to make verbal contact and hand the package directly to a recipient (minimum 18 years of age) at the delivery address.
2. Understand Building Rules and Residential Guidelines
Shipments to multi-occupancy commercial or residential locations come with an elevated level of risk which means it’s a good idea to do some research prior to shipping your package.
As you may know, carrier proof of delivery to the building or building personnel is the conclusion of shipping coverage, which means you can’t always be sure that your package ended up in the correct hands, even if the package made it to the correct address.
Checking the handling protocol for receiving packages at your recipient’s location will help you decide whether to pivot your plan to a safer destination where your customer can receive the package directly.
To avoid the headache altogether, consider delivering to an alternate non-multi-occupancy building or sending as “hold for pickup” to an official carrier facility instead. These choices will eliminate the unknowns that come with sending to multi-occupancy buildings and give both you and your recipient added peace of mind.
3. Prioritize Theft Prevention & Security in Packaging
Boxes that have specific branding or logos on them make an easy target for theft, especially if they’re just sitting on a doorstep or lobby. If possible, use non-descript or plain boxes for packaging. Also, make sure customers are going to be home during delivery, to lessen the chances that a package might go missing. Customers are also encouraged to use smart lockers if they know they won’t be home for delivery, so they can pick up their package later or on a different day.
4. Proactively Monitor Your Shipment’s Progress
Though this may seem like a given, it is a step often overlooked. Staying in communication with your recipient on each package, letting them know when to expect delivery and checking with them to affirm receipt will not only help you build lasting client relationships, but it’ll also give you transparency into every step of the shipping process.
Knowing the status of your packages during each step of the shipment journey means you’ll have a better understanding of what happened should a loss occur. Plus, you’ll be able to successfully report a loss within 30 days of the shipment being sent, fulfilling insurance requirements and giving your recipient the support they deserve.
Keep in mind that, while you have 30 days, reporting a loss as soon as possible allows our team the best opportunity to recover your package.
5. Know Which Shipping Locations to Avoid
Though drop boxes can seem like a quick and efficient solution for package deliveries, the use of them voids all insurance coverage. It’s important to avoid all kinds of drop boxes or mail receptacles and obtain a system-generated carrier receipt for each shipment.
In addition, there is a substantially higher risk with sending to a carrier outlet, third-party business, or non-carrier location such as UPS Store®, PostalAnnex®, Walgreens, CVS®, or others of the like. While these might seem like convenient options, your coverage concludes the minute the carrier drops off at those locations and does not require an in-person handoff.
When in doubt, always send to locations where you are certain a recipient signature at the time of delivery or a carrier-generated receipt will be given.
6. Remind Customers to Skip Signature Waivers
Though this isn’t a step you take as a jeweler, reminding your customers not to keep a waiver or release of signature on file with the carrier is important because they allow for the package to be dropped off without a signature at the time of delivery. This significantly increases the chances of a package ending up in the wrong hands.
Note: even though your recipient may not have put a waiver in place, it’s possible that one exists from a prior tenant.
7. Master Your Coverage: Know it, Trust it
While you likely know the basics of what is covered by your policy, there may be some questions on where exactly coverage begins and ends for each of your shipments. Taking the time to educate yourself on the ins and outs of your coverage and reaching out to your agent for clarification can make all the difference when it comes to loss prevention. And it’s never a bad idea to increase insurance coverage on items, especially when it comes to jewelry.
These considerations and best practices not only will give both you and your recipient peace of mind and help ensure successful deliveries, but they will also help you create more trusting relationships with your customers, so they feel confident coming back and purchasing from you in the future.