Sunday, February 15, 2015

What is the best courier option for small to medium start-ups in Canada?

What is the best courier option for small to medium start-ups in Canada? By Lee Smith, P.log, B.M., CEO of LSL holding Company.


After many years of working with the some of the largest carriers in North America, I decided to start my own firm. One of the first things I realized is that I needed to have the ability to ship from my Home Office. I thought this was a great opportunity to see what was available in the marketplace and see how the carriers out there respond to the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office). Here is what I could locate:

The Carriers/special programs

·      Canada Post: Venture 1
·      Can-Par: None
·      FedEx:  None
·      Purolator: Business reward program
·      UPS: Small Business program

The Criteria for classification

Responsiveness: How eager was the company to get me signed up?
Ease of Signup: Was I able to sign up right away on the website?
Follow up: Was there any follow-up to see how I was making out using their services?

Extras: Was there anything extra provided to ensure that I would begin to ship with them?






Recommendation

While rates are extremely important to the bottom line of a business, the ability to arrange a pick up and or a convenient drop off location close to your business become paramount in deciding on a carrier.

 
It is also clear that the Carriers do not make it easy to do an apple to apples comparison, so it is imperative to understand all of your options to pick the right carrier for you. Heavier weighted items, multi-piece mailings, and need for speed will affect your choice of carrier.

With this in mind, I have decided to utilize Canada Post as my traditional carrier for non-urgent movement of my packages. 

Lee Smith is the CEO of LSL Holding Company, a leader in the Supply Chain selection and Courier optimization consulting. Whether you are new to the Canadian Market or looking for ways to improve your existing supply chain they can help.

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