Let’s say you find yourself in this scenario: a high-dollar, high-volume order comes in out of nowhere. It would be a financial windfall for your business. The only issue is the customer is on the other side of the country and says it needs the goods guaranteed to be delivered within two days or they cannot buy from you. So what you now need to figure out — is expedited shipping worth the cost?
When trying to figure out if expedited shipping is worth the cost, a few factors come into play. First, can you still hit your desired profit margin with the added cost? Also, is it absolutely necessary given the specific needs of the customer? Lastly, can you and the transportation company you’re dealing with make the request happen?
These questions will be answered in full detail in the following text and is designed to help you make the decision on when to use expedited shipping and if it is worth the added financial output.
By its very name, expedited shipping is faster than the standard movement of freight or packages than what is normally expected. In a very general sense, if your company is usually able to ship items to their destination in 4 days, anything less than those delivery times can technically be considered expedited.
In terms of moving freight through a transportation company, the expected time for an expedited delivery will be between 2 to 3 days. While this can certainly vary depending on what is being moved and the distance between the two points, that will be the expectation you ask to have something shipped more quickly than normal.
If the item travels in an 18-wheeler, for instance, that truck will likely not stop along the way to save time. The transportation company might have two drivers work in tandem as well, with each driving half the distance so as not to run afoul of Department of Transportation regulations.
Also it is important to know what the specifications of freight must be for it to be considered a freight shipment. Any item or items that weigh 150 pounds or more is a freight shipment. Also, anything with a length plus width of 165 inches total falls into this category.
We’ve just covered what expedited shipping is, but it’s worth noting the ways in which it will differ from regular shipping. Obviously the speed and shipping costs are the most easily identifiable differences between the two shipping types but the way in which the freight hauling will be done is a bit different.
During normal shipping, time is not of the same essence. Therefore, it is possible there might be other stops along the way. It’s also more realistic that ground shipping is used for this purpose since it should be the most cost-effective mode of transportation. Expedited services could include same-day shipping
On the other hand, expedited shipping opens up the possibilities of delivery options somewhat. If cost is not overly important, it could use air, ocean or ground as shipping methods. Whatever the shipper is willing to pay to get the fastest transport is what will be used.
Also on expedited loads, there is generally enhanced security and also less handling of the product since it will be touched no more than twice — during loading and unloading. Also the freight company will be more heavily involved in additional logistics planning. During normal shipping, your freight could be on a truck with other freight or not take the most direct route for a variety of reasons.
Also if the logistics company doesn’t have drivers who specialize in expedited delivery on staff, they will definitely hire some on your behalf to make sure you have an expert handling your urgent freight shipment.
Expedited shipping would also need to be used if a shipment needs to take place after hours or even potentially on a weekend. The cost itself is going to be hard to pinpoint in any expedited delivery since each case is unique and it is generally used on a “one-off” basis. On the other hand, there is absolutely more cost certainty with normal shipping, especially if it is a recurring freight order that has to be moved.
The type of work your business does plays a large role in how quickly you need something. If you work for a large oil company doing millions of dollars of commerce per day and an essential part breaks, like a drill, a few thousand extra dollars to get the replacement to the site suddenly becomes inconsequential. This is where expedited shipping can really be worth the cost, since normal shipping won’t get it where it needs to go with the same level of speed.
Need to move your freight as fast as the law allows? Learn how to book overnight freight.
When you’ve got freight to move fast and don’t have a second to spare, quickly contact R+L Global Logistics for your expedited shipping needs. When partnering up with us, you can be assured your valuable merchandise will get to its destination safely and speedily.
We offer expedited shipping that can get your equipment, supplies or goods to anywhere in the United States — and beyond — with drastically reduced transit times. So when something sudden or unexpected comes up and you can’t afford to waste time, R+L Global Logistics can offer you expert freight service.
We also offer real-time delivery tracking so you can know just how close your freight is to being delivered at all times and, across the board, we boast an on-time delivery rate of 99.5 percent. Along with this, R+L Global Logistics has a team of customer service representatives available to answer any questions you may have about your shipment.
So when you finally ask yourself the question “Is expedited shipping worth the cost”, contact the experts at R+L Global Logistics to find out how we can help you answer that query. You can receive a free, no-strings-attached freight shipping quote or by calling us at (866) 353-7178.
R+L Global Logistics
315 NE 14th St., Ocala, FL 34470