How Emotions Affect Buyer Decisions in the Courier and Messenger Industry

The landscape for acquiring new customers in any business has changed dramatically since the expansion of the Internet and the growth of online advertising. Entire business models are shrinking to extinction. The days of print ads and regional trade shows to promote a company are but a fraction of their glory days, impelling entire sales divisions into revisionary actions. Old sales programs and presentations have been chiseled, sharpened and streamlined into attractive and user- friendly online campaigns--an undeniable necessity since potential customers will find your company more often then you will find them. Today’s new breed of customers have trigger points for qualifying a new supplier so instituting these contemporary pitches increases chances of acquiring new business. According to the Rapid Learning Institute, there are six emotionally based reasons that customers choose a new product or service. In the following paragraphs, we have used real-world business scenarios from American Expediting Company’s files, along with the question and specific emotion that drove a buyer to select us as their courier. Desire for gain: Will, and how will, this courier help me land more business? When a declining market for an industry leader in the secure document retrieval, storage, imaging, and destruction business was traced to an inept courier service, they turned to us, American Expediting for help in retrieving that business segment. We launched a two-fold plan that entailed training and testing our company’s Detroit office staff as well as the courier team to be used. These training sessions covered the specific “how’s” for handling our new client’s confidential documents as well as the importance of both courier and vehicular appearance. Almost immediately confidence was restored among our client’s customers and business picked up. Additionally, our client’s internal sales staff, which had ceased targeting that particular business sector, was inspired to renew their efforts. Says the client’s Director of Development, “The couriers’ professionalism won the confidence of our sales group who re-doubled their energies in selling that service.” Fear of loss: Will the services of this courier be 100% reliable to ensure continued loyalty on the part of my current customer base? “When plumbers, builders, contractors, engineers, and other trade professionals are working at a client site and need a replacement part, they call our client to supply them from one of their 1,000+ service centers,” says the Operations Manager of this national company. “Our ability to assure our clients that we have their part in stock, and that they can have the part delivered promptly, ensures that they don’t look to our competitors for order fulfillment.” A key part of that “assurance” is derived from their courier, American Expediting Company. Our national network of agents in over 250 cities, helps to secure on-time pick-up and delivery of time sensitive critical parts with a single call to our National Call Center. Comfort and/or Convenience: Can this courier effectively manage my deliveries and provide me worry-free time for other work as well as recreation? The work of a Pennsylvania facilities management service for a brand name motorcycle company is keeping the production line equipped with parts and other supplies round-the-clock. Failure to do so results in tens of thousands of dollars of production downtime. With suppliers for the motorcycle company scattered over a 300-mile radius of the facilities management service, the facilities manager chose American Expediting Company as its courier. “One selling point for us was their office locations,” says the facilities manager. “They have major sites in Newark, Baltimore, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Columbus and Philadelphia so they were able to guarantee prompt pick-up and delivery to our client.” But that wasn’t all. The management service is also responsible for emailed progress updates to multiple parties covering numerous personnel shifts. They needed a courier that could provide ongoing and solid delivery status from pick-up to destination to all parties involved, a function coordinated and readily executed by American Expediting. The result is that the facilities management team, knowing that American Expediting is involved, can go home, worry-free, to their families. “It’s nice waking up from a solid sleep and seeing email confirming a completed, signed and sealed delivery,” notes the facilities manager. Security and Protection: Does this courier have back-up drivers who can substitute for my fleet in case of massive outages, vacations, or an unexpected increase in demand? When a world leader in medical diagnostics testing has one of their Western Pennsylvania internal drivers call off from work at the last minute business must still go on. Their clients expect a 24/7/365 pick-up/delivery option given the life and death issues in this line of work. Consider that biological samples must make it to the lab for testing so physicians can get results immediately and determine treatment. By partnering with American Expediting, which offers back-up assistance, this medical diagnostics testing lab has ready use of our routed and STAT drivers, day or night. Pride of Ownership (Prestige): Can this courier help me maintain the appearance of national coverage? Customers often like to work with a single vendor who can manage their national delivery needs. No matter the goal--facilitating vendors, vendor loyalty, lower prices, or increased support--many customers prefer to work with fewer vendors and often the local ones. However, the local couriers must give the appearance of countrywide coverage. To achieve this image, they turn to the larger vendors such as American Expediting for help in completing the deliveries outside of their home territories. Result: local mom and pop courier companies, thanks to the larger players such as us, give the impression and service of size and win the hometown clients. Ego Satisfaction: Can this courier convince my Sales group and/or Executive Management that a transportation service can improve on the company’s bottom line? Like any manager or supervisor, inventory managers for national medical distributors want to shine for their bosses. However, with the responsibility of securing the availability of thousands of supplies and parts to surgery teams around the country at a moment’s notice while controlling the costs of each distribution site’s inventory, failure is inherent in the job. “Shining,” is a luxury. But, depending on the reliability of American Expediting Company to help replenish inventory among locations within a 100-mile radius and reduce their risks, these managers are able to demonstrate a higher rate of fulfillment, a reduction in overall costs, and finally, an improved bottom line. Let ‘em shine! Capitalizing on customers’ emotions with understanding and supplying them with real world examples of how you have helped other companies with similar needs, such as those above, will help reinforce their reasons for contacting you in the first place, and give you a better chance to earn their business.

American Expediting Company, a Logistics Solutions Provider and Same-Day Delivery Service, Launches PA CoStar Supreme Services for Pennsylvania State

On March 1st, 2011, American Expediting Company initiated the service operations of the CoStar SUPREME Program, a customized statewide same-day and next-day delivery service established by the State of Pennsylvania. The programs goal is to help State and Local agencies save money during recent budget cuts, by creating optimized shipping routes throughout the State of Pennsylvania for maximum efficiency.

All businesses, whether or not they fall under the Pennsylvania State CoStar program, now have access to the expanded service levels for same-day and next-day deliveries available from American Expediting Company. The company was recently awarded the State’s contract for courier service (No. 4400007816). This contract allows for same day and next day shipments under its guise by PA’s 7150 CoStar members, local governments, school districts and most non-profit educational or health institutions. At the same time that CoStar members are reducing their shipping expenditures, local business may also piggyback onto these predetermined routes, and can save up to 50% on their current supplier rates.

Since 1983 American Expediting has been evolving and improving the speed and reliability of expedited shipping instead of simply maintaining proficiency in only one sector of shipping. Evidence of this is found in their certifications and/or training modules for TSA and HIPPA deliveries. The former permits the courier to deliver packages scheduled on a commercial airline, and the latter provides essential training for handling secured information within the healthcare industry. Both moves have resulted in an expansion of markets throughout the nation and assured a foothold in growth industries. This foresight and planning has propelled the Company upward, gaining them recognition as one of the premiere state and national courier services to date.

Handling the shipping needs of Pennsylvania State agencies is the company’s newest branch on its service tree. Among the agencies using the service are the Departments of Environmental Protection, State Parks, the Department of Health, Workers Compensation, Forestry Service, and the Inspector General.

Thus, on a day-to-day basis across Pennsylvania, American Expediting is moving hundreds upon hundreds of time-sensitive and chain-of-custody documents, samples and products to help keep the state functioning properly. Shipments include water samples testing for the West Nile virus, Rabies samples, drug test specimens, and payroll checks to name a few. But their Supreme Service can offer all state companies solutions to the budgetary cuts affecting their business. A list of various services include:

Routed Deliveries: For a substantial savings, place your Next-Day packages on CoStar’s pre-

determined routes.

Next Day Service: CoStar members enjoy next day deliveries at prices that are specifically rated

for the State of Pennsylvania.

Same Day Direct Deliveries: Direct pick-up and delivery with no stops. Shipments completed

quickly, safely and securely.

Warehousing Capabilities: Secured facilities for all types of storage.

According to Hank Minskoff, American Expediting’s CoStar Coordinator, the company is adding new agencies to this service daily. “We’ve come so far in three short weeks,” he says, “ and many agencies are choosing to use the web portal we’ve created to place their orders.” The use of technology for placing and tracking orders has instantly improved the level of service that existing customers were previously experiencing. Reducing the time needed to place orders, automatic confirmation of deliveries, and easy billing are all features of this customized, upgraded service. Aggressive pricing and increased levels of service are truly the

S-U-P-R-E-M-E reasons for all businesses to select this alternative delivery service.

Caution: Changes in the Same Day Delivery Models and the Effect on Your Business

American Expediting Friends and Family,

Thought you would like to see the latest Press Release we published on the evolution of the same day courier business. This will be available to news sources throughout the country.

Let me know what you think....GB

With over 7,000 established couriers across the United States, there are plenty of same-day couriers to choose from if you are looking to have your package delivered by the end of the day. However, only a handful are remaining loyal to the traditional courier model with drivers available for rush and immediate delivery shipments. This is, in part, due to a variety of market factors forcing couriers to change, resulting in delays that could cost you real business from your clients. This article addresses these market factors and offers safer solutions for finding the most appropriate courier for your needs and thus maintaining your client base.

February, 2011 – Philadelphia, PA: With early roots exemplifying the American Dream of the “mom and pop” business, the same-day courier industry has blossomed over the past three decades into a cultured and mature business model. Initially for most, the majority of the work concentrated on moving legal documents quickly between locations. As the industry grew these couriers began building upon their original pick-up and delivery work with the addition of time sensitive and Chain of Custody shipments. Examples of these services included the pick-up and delivery of medical samples at a specific time of day; the distribution of Hollywood movie releases to safeguard against illegal duplications, and transportation of birds, fish and small mammals.

Twenty-five year industry veteran, Mark Sanner of American Expediting, has seen a tremendous change in the small parcel industry since his days with the “big brown” company. “Twenty years ago the FAX machine began biting into our business but now there are dozens of ways to electronically transmit documents and never call a courier. This has forced our industry to look for alternative growth avenues.”

Unfortunately, Sanner notes, a company attempting to adjust to a new growth opportunity can do so at the expense of its grass roots business. “We’ve seen our competitors drawn away from the urgent deliveries that their clients require.”

Glenn Berger, Director of Sales for American Expediting affirms this notion. “Just this afternoon we received another request for on-demand deliveries of medical specimens from the largest lab company in the country. The lab had received three complaints in the past week from their customers about late pick-ups of both medical organs and specimens. For them, that’s three disgruntled customers with patients that had to be retested.”

What was eventually discovered was that the previous courier had been combining multiple deliveries with other non-related shipments. Test results needed in the hands of doctors within a few hours had not even arrived at the lab. Compounding the service failure was jeopardy to the specimen results due to the temperature instability from the lengthier delivery period.

To get an idea of changes in the landscape of the courier business, you just need to consider the retail industry. Just ten short years ago, consumers travelled to their local electronics store for televisions, to their local bookstores for new releases and to clothing stores for the latest fashions. Today many of those items are being delivered to homes as a result of convenient online ordering capabilities. To give you an idea of the volume of packages involved, a single Internet retailer is delivering up to 20,000 packages per day in the Chicago region.

”With courier companies becoming more involved in this routed business, many are losing site of their roots,” says Sanner.

Thus, the best solution is doing your homework. Ask potential couriers for references, especially in your geographic area. Make sure they are servicing similar customers in your industry. Obtain firm commitments on pick-up and delivery times, and request email notifications when your packages are being picked up and delivered. When your business reputation is on the line, you will want to only work with those couriers that can offer you solid, sensible solutions.

Same Day Courier Helping Night Time Customers

As the demand for American Expediting's same day delivery services expand, and we open new offices across the country, our shining star employees experience new challenges. Holiday weekends tend to bring special challenges with demand peaking just as businesses are shutting down for the weekend. As a 24/7 /365 operation, we never sleep.

This past Wednesday night, the Eve of Thanksgiving, brought a tremendous increase in business in our cities, including one special move out of our Seattle location. Our customer represents one of the larger Aircraft manufacturer's in the country. They had an Emergency parts move requirement, where a part was picked up at 10:00PM and needed to go delivered to an Aerospace repair shop in British Columbia four hours away. When the required paperwork to transport the product over the Canadian Border was delayed, our National Call Center agent, Bill Linko stepped to the plate and made sure that the delivery was made as quickly as possible. Here is the customer referral that we received, a true Thanksgiving Testimonial for using our company.

Please convey my sincere appreciation to your folks in PIT (Pittsburgh National Call Center) last night that did a fantastic job (especially Bill) getting our shipment through customs this morning. Any carrier can get a shipment from point A to point B. What differentiates the good carriers from mediocre carriers is how problems are handled as they occur. Your team was all over it until the issue was resolved. I also know that you were a part of the solution this morning as well; greatly appreciated. - Wayne, Owner , E.P.L.

When we are asked how did we grow our business in a struggling economy, I tell them that we keep our customers happy, giving them reason to use us again, and making them comfortable in using us in all of our offices. Customer Service is truly the backbone of American Expediting!

Same Day Courier Taking Orlando By Storm

SAME DAY COURIER TAKING ORLANDO BY STORM
In the midst of a struggling economy, local Orlando courier, specializing in same day deliveries, sees tremendous growth. Their dedicated 24/7 Operations team and local Sales/Support team are currently offering a FREE logistic evaluations for transportation professionals looking at options for increasing their own customer service offering. Crediting their success to a combination of factors including: expanded coverage, increased warehousing, and a national footprint service offering, with an end result of a 40% increase in year-to-date sales.
Orlando, Florida, November 18, 2010 – While leading transportation companies are experiencing six percent to 9 percent increases this year, American Expediting Company, a local Orlando courier company, is bucking the trend of a spiraling local economy, and is experiencing a forty percent increase Year-to-Date. Operations Manager, Bob Carabello, is predicting that their increase in both rush deliveries and routed deliveries foreshadows a better economy for the region. Bob states, “It’s probably a good thing that our business isn’t tied into the real estate industry.” “Our customer and our offering are extremely diverse, probably because our sales team, led by Joan Gordon, are clued into the current market trends.”
American Expediting is part of a National privately held company based out of Philadelphia, PA, with 36 offices across the country, and currently servicing over 200 cities. The Florida market also includes distribution centers in Tampa and Miami, and drivers throughout the entire state. The company is one of those amazing stories of a single entrepreneur, working out of his garage in the early 1980’s, with a determination to build a business based on customer service. This core principal has been integral to every office that they open, and has resulted in above average customer retention.
In the past twelve months the Orlando office moved their physical operation to Winter Park, Florida in order to accommodate the growing customer demand for increased parts storage. Six months after the move, they found themselves needing more space, and were fortunate to be able to double their space by occupying the spot vacant next door. They are centrally located to many key Orlando businesses and close to the MCO airport for customers requiring TSA certified drivers. Additionally, they have available couriers who are both HIPPA and OSHA-trained and are experienced in transporting blood specimens and transplant organs, as well as time-critical medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
As a Sales Logistics specialist, Ms. Gordon helps her clients find efficient and effective solutions for expanding their delivery offerings. “With the growth of internet marketing, my customers want to find ways to step out of their local brick and mortar storefront, and offer their products to a customer base in a wider geographic area.” Says Ms. Gordon. In addition to working with retail based clients, American Expediting specializes in the following markets: Medical Supplies, Laboratory Specimen Testing, Emergency Parts Replenishment, Specialty Food Distribution, Process Serving, Transportation Partners, and Pet Deliveries. Ms. Gordon speaks about how her national sales team builds on the company founder’s philosophy of strong customer service. “We like to make a difference with each and every delivery made.” She ends her bi-weekly sales conference calls with the charge, AT AMERICAN EXPEDITING WE HELP TO SAVE LIVES.

American Expediting Courier Expands in Questionable Economy

Everyday, conflicting reports are issued by the media, the White House, and the economic experts about our economy: it’s improving, it’s holding steady, it’s declining. Who knows what to believe. This article studies a specific company in the same day transportation industry, and how their service industry is adjusting to the real market conditions by helping their customers to consolidate vendors.

Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) September 1, 2010 – American Expediting,a national courier and logistics company specializing in same-day delivery of time critical packages and freight, is experiencing growth in many regions across the country. With this expansion comes the need to hire new operations and sales staff, therefore bucking the unemployment trend. We’re told that the unemployment level is one barometer for gauging economic health. When the unemployment numbers go down, the economy is thought to be growing. But there is a flaw in this theory. Could it not be that unemployment remains high while the economy grows healthier?

The answer is yes. Years ago when this country began feeling the effects of the economy’s illness, companies everywhere learned how to operate more efficiently. Consider: what once took eight employees to accomplish now takes seven. Businesses discovered and pared their “fat;” they learned and utilized the endless available technological applications and they perfected the art of redistributing the workload.

In other words, companies, such as American Expediting Company, are now working smarter and, despite the economic gloom, it is paying off.

This transportation service provider has created a network of carriers and has positioned itself to offer the benefits of such a program to companies utilizing multiple carriers.

“This move has been a dream of mine since 1983 when I started this company,” says Victor Finnegan, President and CEO. “We are now able to provide same-day transportation solutions throughout the United States and into Canada through a highly skilled and professional group of employees and courier agents.”

Director of Marketing, Glenn Berger, says “CFOs from companies across the country love the idea because they can consolidate their vendor relationships using a single source rather than 20 or 200 different vendors. This enables them greater control of their spending and provides uniform pricing resulting in significant savings on all fronts.”

Mark Sanner, Director of Operations, heads up the company’s National Call Center. He notes the investments recently made in people and technology helped streamline order-taking and the vendor management aspects of those transactions. “We like being able to pass the savings onto our customers and it’s great when they express amazement at being able to rely on us to handle all of their delivery requirements and still see savings on the bottom line.”

As the positive results of the program became tangible, American Expediting Company sought to maximize their existing locations by expanding their warehouses. In one month, three of their facilities expanded: the Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Orlando sites.

In Pittsburgh the office moved into a new location to make room for added parts storage and medical distribution customers. The new office location also accommodates the addition of a National Call Center staff, which operates on a 24/7/365 basis.

An increased demand for airport pick-ups and deliveries resulted in the company’s Cleveland facility to relocate to a site 25 percent larger than its previous space. In the same time period, American Expediting’s Orlando office more than doubled their existing warehouse space due to a greater demand for computer parts storage.

“These moves were the easy part of growing our business,” says Finnegan. “We have always believed in a slow and controlled growth process, growing from a one-facility operation initially to 34 locations currently.”

Additional company growth is evident in the mid-year opening of three new branches in Chicago, Hartford, and Clarksburg, West VA. These geographical markets have a built-in customer base that is already using the company’s services in other parts of the country.

This is a prime example of how to prosper under questionable economic times. Growing a business model that fits what the customer is looking to accomplish.....Consolidation. Whether you are in the courier industry or another service industry, this is the future. Teaching us the importance of staying ahead of the competition regardless of the publics perception of economic climate.

Courier Lab and Animal Deliveries During the Dog Days of Summer

While most of the country is experiencing extreme heat, which appears will continue for the next several weeks, our Operations team is reiterating the American Expediting courier procedures for handling medical samples and live animal deliveries. All locations are posting the following reminder...

Please make sure that when we are transporting temperature sensitive materials, such as lab animals, medication, blood etc- we are reminding the drivers of our clients requirements. A significant temperature change can cause samples and medication to become damaged and in the event of animals, it can alter lab results or even kill them.These products can become rather expensive so please, ask the drivers when dispatching to keep their air conditioning turned up, bring a second set of keys with them so that they can leave their AC running in between deliveries, and try to avoid direct sunlight onto the boxes.

Our company has had an excellent success record, and with these subtle reminders, we plan on keeping it that way.