Want to learn more about white glove delivery?
As industry experts will tell you, all goods are not created equal. Whether it’s a pallet of Dom Perignon or a new Luxury Lexus, some packages deserve a little extra attention. That’s what white-glove service is all about.
When you think of white glove, do you imagine a flawless white glove hunting down dusty surfaces hidden in your otherwise immaculate room? Well, that’s where the phrase comes from. It’s loaded with such powerful imagery that it’s become synonymous with the special care given to important projects.
When you invest in white glove, what you’re really paying for is superior service and dependable delivery. We’re talking about the kind you’d trust to shuttle your toddler from Dallas to New York City.
Would you like that kind of extraordinary service? Then, read on to learn how white glove freight will benefit your company.
Standard vs Threshold vs White Glove Delivery
You may have seen these terms thrown around as you researched delivery services. Let’s take a moment to break them down, so you can make an informed decision.
Standard delivery is the service offered by the most common parcel delivery services, such as USPS, UPS, and FedEx. They transport your parcel from its origin and deliver it outside your home or business. It’s a relatively inexpensive and common courier option that usually takes from 5 to 10 business days.
Threshold delivery, on the other hand, is a little different. In this case, your delivery service still transports your package from its origin to your home or business. But when they arrive, they take your package inside.
This type of service is becoming more prevalent. Amazon, the third most profitable company in the world, now offers free threshold delivery to its Prime members. If their history as an industry leader is any indicator, other online retailers will soon follow.
Finally, we come to white glove service delivery. You can think of it as the Louis Vuitton of delivery services.
When you invest in white glove shipping, you pay for superior service. Your freight is transported with the utmost of care. Once it arrives at your destination, it’s moved inside, unpacked, and set up.
Then movers dispose of any packing material.
You don’t have to do a thing. This kind of service is optimal for large freight that’s easily damaged, such as stretchable furniture or pallets of delicate goods. Think about the big deliveries that you want to be transported with extra care.
But What About Price?
Believe it or not, white glove specialty services still fall in the low-cost large-item shipping category. The factors that may impact your price include the following:
Location: Transportation services frequent some hubs more than others. Large cities get more traffic. Small, rural towns get less.
Distance from your packages point of origin to its destination is also a factor. Transporting packages takes energy. That energy costs your courier money.
Delivery: Where would you like the courier to deliver your package on your property? Do you need the movers to climb 5 stories worth of stairs? Or is your home hidden at the end of a 15-mile dirt road?
Product Specifications: It requires more energy to transport 300-pounds worth of pottery than 100-pounds of pottery. It’s harder to transport unusual shapes than square boxes. Those costs come out of your pocket.
Delivery Schedule: If you want a package delivered overnight or on holidays, it’ll cost you more. It places extra stress your delivery service and often costs them money for overtime or additional wages.
Questions to Ask Your Delivery Service
Each delivery service is unique. They use different vehicles and go to different destinations. They specialize in different packages and offer different rates.
So how do you know which one is right for you? You start asking questions. Here’s a list to get you started:
- Will you assign a delivery time, or may I schedule it myself?
- Do you charge more for weekend or evening deliveries?
- Will your movers bring my package inside and set it up for me?
- Will your movers carry my package up the stairs?
- What precautions will your movers take to protect my floors?
- Does your service include assembly?
- Will your professionals clean up after themselves and remove packing material?
- Do you charge more for expedited shipping?
- Are there additional costs for these conveniences?
Be persistent with your questions. Even small delivery services deal with hundreds of customers a day. They can’t know each customer’s individual needs, so they shoot for the middle ground
That doesn’t mean they consider you insignificant or unimportant. Quite the opposite. They just need to know whether you have unusual expectations before they can fulfill them.
Preparing for Your White Glove Package
If you’ve ordered white glove shipping, do you need to do anything else? The answer is maybe. It depends on your expectations.
Here are some guidelines you can use to speed up your delivery and help your moving crew.
Clear a path: Check out the path leading from the front door to the destination room. Remove throw rugs, cables, cords, or anything else that may cause the movers to trip. If your package is especially large, you may also need to remove your door from its hinges.
Clean the area: Along with moving objects your movers may trip on, you’ll want to clear the area you intend to put your package. You may also want to sweep, vacuum, and mop the floor. That way, your delivery will remain spotless when it arrives.
Cover the floor: If your delivery service doesn’t use drop cloths or other precautions to save your floors, cover them yourself. While thin plastic sheets are cheap, they tear easily. Use thick tarps or canvas drop cloths to guarantee your floors remain scratch-free.
Stay there: You’d be amazed at how many people forget the most critical step. Someone’s got to let the delivery men inside when they arrive. And it’s got to be someone 18 years of age or older.
What’s Next?
Now that you know more about white glove delivery services, it’s time to make your decision. Are they right for you? If you have more questions, please contact an expert for additional advice and a quote. So long and good luck!