Batting in the Clean-up Position, American Expediting Couriers

Across the country, most cities are experiencing the dog days of summer. Thermostats exceeding triple digits are becoming the norm, with many families taking vacations based around swimming and as my kids say, “chilin out.” Unlike companies in Europe that commonly shut down three weeks in August for holiday,” North American companies maintain the status quo with up to 20% of their workforce gone in any given week.


This temporary workforce reduction resounds with opportunities. For example, many small and medium-sized widget suppliers use small crews of internal employees to manage their daily deliveries. When one or more of them takes off for vacation, the company may not have the personnel available to drive cargo vans or trucks. American Expediting has and can provide quality substitute drivers, licensed for these vehicle types, and stocked with the equipment to move clients’ pallets. Lift gates, pallet jacks, blankets, and other equipment are all available with advanced notice. In this capacity, American Expediting is a valuable resource, temporarily or permanently, part-time or full-time, for all types of businesses throughout the United States.

As medical couriers, American Expediting finds many of their lab and hospital clients reaching out for help in both their backup routes and STAT specimen deliveries. With the required OSHA and HIPPA training, and knowledge of the medical campuses, American Expediting makes this a smooth transition. Our company also works with the clients’ operations teams to ensure that adequate reporting of pickups and deliveries are communicated in real time.

The extreme summer heat affects sensitive computer parts, increasing failure rates and the need for replacements ASAP. As hot shot couriers experienced in moving such components, American Expediting enjoys an increase in the calls coming in for rush deliveries locally, regionally and via air. Businesses call on us based on our reputation as a courier who can mobilize quickly.

We've Come A Long Way Baby

Do you remember the year 1983? Was your company in business 28 years ago? This was the year that Vic Finnegan started American Expediting out of his garage. Sounds like the story of how Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs started Apple Computer just 7 years earlier. While Vic may not have acquired the stardom of these inventors, he did pioneer the courier business in Philadelphia, and grew to become a premiere player in the rush delivery industry across the country.

Just to give you a perspective on how far the courier industry has come since 1983, I’ve listed four new products that were released in that year: The Internet was founded; Motorola introduced the first mobile phone; IBM released the PC XT the father of today’s computer for $8000 (without monitor); and Microsoft introduced Microsoft WORD. Today our offices communicate with each other over high speed internet connections, with computers that cost little more than a nice wrist watch. We teleconference our 34 offices on video, check on our customers via webmail on our smart phones, and notify our customers when their packages are delivered within seconds of completion.

With all this available technology, there is one constant in our business that may never change. That is the hard work of many incredible individuals. People with the attitude “I’ll do whatever it takes to help our customers.” The team behind American Expediting never sleeps. If any local office closes after hours, our National Call Center manages their fleet of drivers. We are known to really care about our customers. You could say we have a lot of “heart.”

Speaking of heart, did you know that the year 1983 brought us the first artificial heart? It was implanted in the first human, Barney Clark. Like the pioneers who helped extend his life, we at American Expediting like to believe that we have been helping to save lives for the good part of three decades. Advances in technology have helped us to improve on the quality of your lives. Whether we are rushing a heart valve to an emergency room, or taking care of a last minute shipment that allows you to head home to your family when you have the need.

Reports of the Death of the Rush Messenger Industry are Greatly Exaggerated

Reports of the Death of the Rush Messenger Industry are Greatly Exaggerated

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!