West Thurrock & Dartford Courier and parcel services

Deliveries to and from Tilbury Port and the Docks?

2009-11-15T01:40:00.000-08:00

Delivering into ports and docks is something that we enjoy doing here at Arrow Light Haulage, when delivering or collecting from a port it is something thats easy when you know how. We are local to Tilbury docks / port and a short drive to Felixstowe and Harwich. Docks and ports are areas that our drivers are familiar with.

: Image by Danny McL via Flickr

If you don’t do it correctly then you will hold up the collection or the delivery and in some cases you may fail to deliver or collect.

Failing to collect or deliver from a port is a serious issue for a courier, it is something that incurs port fines (and we have heard that customers really don’t like this). This is something that needs to be taken into account when pricing for this type of work. This isn’t the type of work that can be co loaded and needs just dedicated vehicles.

A few years back one of our bigger customers were feeling the pinch, so they went to a cheaper courier (or so they thought) the cheaper courier had no inkling about how to deliver into a port and in the space of a month racked up £30k in port fines for missed slots and deadlines. Our customer came back to us and the cheaper courier was fired because the reality was they were far more expensive.

It’s not just port fines that cost, its days of missed production if your component doesn’t reach its ship in time, the down time for a factory waiting for a new piece of kit. All this needs to be taken into account if you are shipping goods abroad, if not done in the correct manner, can cost you a whole heap of money before they have even left the country.

Kevin Arrow
Same day couriers

Do you drive without business insurance?

2009-11-14T01:47:00.000-08:00

Do you or your staff drive goods and items without the right insurance?
The money saved from having a member of staff deliver an urgent item or package, rather than a same day courier, is often wiped out if they have an accident. In fact it can cost a whole lot more.

People are often insured for their journeys too and from work, but not for work related errands that they may carry out. If they have an accident (their fault, or someone elses) then the items are not insured and neither are they. It's essential if staff are going to deliver anything work related, that you check that they have business insurance.

You may think its more expensive to use a courier service, and truth be told even if you were aware of the facts about insurance, corporate manslaughter and your liabilities / responsibilities, you would still choose to make the false economy or sending your staff to deliver the goods.

Kevin Arrow

5 things you need for an accurate courier quote

2009-10-22T02:20:00.000-07:00

When you need a quote from a same day courier, there are some things you will need to know before they answer the phone!

1. What is the item to be transported?
2. How heavy is it?
3. What are it’s dimensions?
4. Collection Postcode
5. Delivery Postcode

Often we get calls saying “how much for delivery” but prices are worked out on the type of goods and services required. If you know the above 5 things, you will get your quote quicker.

Sarah

Same day courier delivery company

West Thurrock Office Moves?

2009-10-21T11:24:00.000-07:00

The only thing more stressful than a move according to psychologists is death and divorce. In this blog we are going to share some tips to make your small business move more efficient and less stressful.

Unlike a house move moving the location of your business, if not done correctly could cost your business money. Virtually all offices moves can take place over a weekend so there is no disruption to your day to day business.

: Image via Wikipedia

A well planned office move would include booking your office removal service with plenty of notice. It should be treated like any other large project carried out by your company. The relocation experts treated as project managers as that is what they are for you. Once you have assigned this you move should run smoother and together you will assess whether you can do a staged move.

Every office has non essential equipment that may be able to be moved or placed into storage before the main move or prior to your lease expiring. This allows you actual move day to receive priority attention.

Check what equipment your office movers have, for example an electric stair climber would be very useful if you your office furniture has to go up and down lots of flights of stairs. The right type of crates can make all the difference and you will need to check that your moving company has crates or will organise their hire on your behalf.

Sometimes a few jumbo transits is far more time effective than one large 7.5 tonne vehicle. What this means is a vehicle can be loaded and sent to the new premises and the next vehicle loaded whilst that vehicle is unloading instead of waiting for one large vehicle to be packed and loaded.

Whatever you do decide to do to move your office make sure you have several quotes so you can compare the services offered.

A well planned move needn’t be stressful it can be as simple as leaving one office on Friday and going to a new office on Monday.

Good luck

Kevin

Couriers: time saving and cost effective?

2009-10-20T02:17:00.000-07:00

Courier delivery services can save time for either individuals or businesses.There are times throughout the year that we need either a local or long-distance deliveries for gifts or other time sensitive packages. These types of delivery services can ensure that your package arrives on time, as agreed. You’ll find that these services will provide you with the comfort of knowing that your package is safe, and in good hands.

: Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Even if there is plenty of time, talk to your courier service about getting the items delivered sooner. Last minute planning puts a premium on these kinds of courier services.Depending on the company you choose, it could be a large operation, right down to a one-man and his van. Furthermore, you can have regularly scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs to specific locations (known as multi-drop), or to drop off points that are predetermined by the delivery service. These predetermined drop-off points will more likely be less expensive than the latter.Such courier services can provide companies the financial assurance they need with reduced costs when compared to well-known big name courier services. In fact, if you require their services on a regular basis, it is easy to strike a deal with them. That would save you or your company money.

The biggest time savings when using a courier or van delivery come in the the form of saving you hours arranging quotes and chasing prices.

Quite simply an excellent service will save you hours on the phone, hours that you should be using to generate sales in your business and elsewhere. Often a courier company will get a quote into a company and a company will ring round trying to save two or three pounds on a delivery. An hour later they call back and book the service – in that hour they have called lots of people for quotes. The cost of the phone calls and the cost of the person making them is far more expensive than the saving made.

Sarah
Courier deliveries throughout the UK

At Arrow Light Haulage we are happy to endorse

Great for smaller parcels and smaller volume, say 5 -10 a day.

worldwide-parcel services

For all your Europe and other international destination parcel delivery.

The Cupcake Courier for Essex...

2009-10-19T10:59:00.000-07:00

Over the last few weeks we have been in talks with various companies that produce cupcakes, and how to deliver

: Image via Wikipedia

them. Up until recently, the safest and most secure way of delivery has been via same day courier, as it’s the only way to guarantee the cupcakes won’t be turned upside down during their journey to the customer. Sometimes the baker plain mistrusts the courier to complete safe delivery, and wastes valuable baking time delivering!

Unfortunately all that makes delivery very expensive for the people who hand bake and ice the cup cakes. For example, we would charge £15 per delivery / drops of cupcakes, minimum of 5 orders. This can make it too expensive for customers to buy.

Obviously there are still the marketing companies and companies who understand the powerful message that delivery by express courier send, but they have yet to embrace sending out baskets of designer cupcakes to their clients and potential clients….

The problem is, by sending the cupcakes the cheapest method possible means sending them by Royal Mail, and that means they may get bashed, and rotated a number of times before they arrive on the customers doorstep.

The solution is to prevent that, and the way to do that is through the creative use of packaging.

Cupcakes by Courier

The original ‘cup a cake’ container was devised in the US for holding the cupcakes, their icing and keeping them fresh. Last week, I spoke to Kim at the Cup a Cake company and she said the containers can be shipped to the UK for around $100 to $150

So if you are looking to ship cupcakes around the UK, here is the solution for your airtight cup a cake containers. The cupcake company may have to take a deposit from the customer, and the customer promise to wash and return the empty containers so they can be re-used.

A small investment in the right packaging, and you can deliver cheaply and safely to your long distance customers.

Kim Fuga from Cup A Cake can be contacted via kfadmin@cupacake.com

Delivered safe, even upside down

and as you can see from the image, they stay in place upside down.

Kim’s website is here http://www.cupacake.com/default.asp

We hope that helps with the safe despatch of your cupcakes, we suggest you try it out with one or two local postings to be sure the method works to your satisfaction.

Here at Arrow Light Haulage, we have enjoyed getting creative and thinking outside the box (and right back in it) to solve your courier delivery problems with cupcakes.

Alternatively, you know where we are if you would like an express delivery quote.

Sarah

safer cupcake deliveries

PS, if you found this blog useful, please leave a comment – it helps us to know what are the right things our readers would like to see from us.

Time critical delivery from West Thurrock and Dartford

2009-10-18T02:16:00.000-07:00

Courier delivery services can save time for either individuals or businesses.

There are times throughout the year that we need either a local or long-distance deliveries for gifts or other time sensitive packages. These types of delivery services can ensure that your package arrives on time, as agreed.

You’ll find that these services will provide you with the comfort of knowing that your package is safe, and of course in good hands.

: Image via Wikipedia

Even if there is plenty of time, talk to your courier service about getting the items delivered sooner. Last minute planning puts a premium on these kinds of courier services.

Depending on the company you choose, it could be a large operation, right down to a one-man and his van. Furthermore, you can have regularly scheduled pick-ups and drop-offs to specific locations (known as multi-drop), or to drop off points that are predetermined by the delivery service. These predetermined drop-off points will more likely be less expensive than the latter.

The biggest time savings when using a courier or van delivery come in the the form of saving you hours arranging quotes and chasing prices.

An hour later they call back and book the service – in that hour they have called lots of people for quotes. The cost of the phone calls and the cost of the person making them is far more expensive than the saving made!

Sarah Arrow

Same day couriers that deliver from all over the UK and back again.

Thurrock Businesses: Getting around the postal strike

2009-10-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

With the Royal Mail set to strike, small businesses across the country will be affected. Here at Arrow Light Haulage we have been thinking up some solutions as to how to continue business as best as possible and where a courier is essential.

Firstly and perhaps most importantly, Parcel Force is not going to strike. That means the cheapest option for sending out parcels and packages under 5kgs is still available.

So if you are a business that sends out one or two parcels a day, and send your invoices by email and pay your customers by Bacs, you will be in a strong position to carry on business as usual.

Until the 14th of October, if you click the link above to book your parcel delivery through Parcel Force and type ‘new’ at the checkout, you will receive a 15% discount.

Secondly, as mentioned above. Use bacs to pay suppliers instead of posting cheques, it’s greener and far more efficient. If you are sending invoices, send them by email too. If like us you have to send additional documentation, scan and email that too. Again it’s greener, faster and far more efficient than the Royal Mail.

For companies that use direct mail for their marketing campaigns, have a look at other methods such as an email mailshots – think of the benefits to your carbon footprint as well as the traffic to your website and the ways to reach customers that may not respond to direct mail. If you need support for this we recommend business consultant Jeff Nutbeem, he can be found via his website – Small Business Consultant

You could be really old fashioned and pick up the phone and call the customers direct and send them a tailored email afterwards. More time consuming perhaps, but may have better results. If the Phone isn’t your thing then talk to an expert, we recommend Shaun Gisbourne at Phone for Business

More importantly, when to use your courier.

Use them when you usually do - for same day deliveries, for urgent items, for fragile items. You may think you need to use one for your every day mail service but the truth is, you can do a lot of it now via email, fax and instant messenger. These are often secure and safe, and if it really is that confidential you will already be using a courier to deliver it.

Sarah

Same day couriers in Essex

PS if you need to send birthday cards either send them with a present, arrange friend to do it if they live nearby, send a video via email – think a bit creatively! The chances are this won’t be the last strike and we can find ways not to let it affect our businesses or personal lives.

Please note, we have used an affiliate service to obtain the codes and links for the Parcel Force discount.

Happy Birthday Arrow Light Haulage

2009-09-19T11:21:00.000-07:00

Posted by Kevin Arrow on September 19th, 2009 Edit | 1 Comment

7 years trading today.

As with all birthdays, there are a lot of people to thank for helping us get this far.

My wife Sarah, without her there would be no blog and no reason to go to work. Her unflinching dedication, belief in me and support is priceless. Her enthusiasm brings a light to the transport world. Thanks Sarah x

Angie Taylor, Angie finds us fresh talent, most of whom are out working today on an office move. When the going gets tough Angie dusts off her gloves and gets behind the wheel. Thanks Angie, it’s all appreciated.

Michael O Steen, like Angie he is a hard worker. Whether it’s driving, lifting or shifting Mike gets it done. Wicked sense of humour, working with Mike really makes the day fly by. Thanks Mike.

Jamie Durham, Jamie was our star person when our first big contract came through. We were nervous and sweating (just a tiny bit) but Jamie was there on site to help us complete it in a cool, calm professional manner. Thanks Jamie.

Colin and his wife Lynn, who gave us a short term loan in 2005 to finance our expansion back then. Sarah saw it was paid back a month early. It wasn’t easy but they believed in us and the loan enabled us to get our second vehicle. You couldn’t wish for a better business people to be your in-laws. Thanks.

A huge thanks goes to Barbara Saul, she listens to Sarah’s harebrained website schemes and that means we are all free to get on delivering the goods. She has also enabled us to manage our subcontractors better, blog better, and in the next few weeks there will be changes coming to the website. Babs will be bringing Arrow Light Haulage up to date and with Sarah yelling advice from the sidelines, it won’t be easy. Thanks Babs.

Paul Riggs, competitor, friend and big supporter. Over the years work has flowed back and forth between our companies. Advice given, support offered, coffee drank. We set up at the same time and unlike others who set up at the same time, we are both still trading. Paul, put the kettle mate. Cheers.

I would also like to thank in particular Clive Arrow and his wife Dorothy. They are the only Arrow’s that took an interest and understood how hard it is to be your own boss. Thanks Uncle Clive, Auntie Dorothy for all the listening and support, it really has meant a lot to us

To everyone who has worked for us, past, present and future – thank you.

Here’s to another 7. Cheers

Kevin Arrow – founder, driver, floor sweeper & now blogger for Arrow Light Haulage.

The difference in courier services, explained

2009-07-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

There are a few types of couriers / courier services and they are easily confused.

First we have the most common type which are the parcel couriers or carriers. They take parcels and packages up to 25kgs in weight and when they are sorted (usually at a central depot) they are then multi- ped to their destination. Prices range from £ 5 upwards and delivery is done overnight, 48 hours, 2-3 days or another length of time that you specify.

Most people when they call a courier they assume that they are the parcel carriers, they are getting a low cost but high volume service. Breakages are not uncommon.

Check before you call.

Then we have Same day couriers or Express couriers who work with urgent consignments that have to be delivered right NOW! These are more expensive because they are ad hoc and a specialist service in some cases. Arrow Light Haulage specialises in same day courier work with vehicles up to 7.5 tonnes. Breakages, well so far we have had 100% success in 7 years of trading. We are very lucky.

Confusing the two types of courier service may mean your parcel is dispatched same day but costs you 4 times the price! Check which service you require and if you are not sure, then call for advice.

Sarah
0800 917 6084 (calls are free)
Courier Services in the UK

The greener printer in our office

2009-06-19T06:26:00.000-07:00

A few weeks back we delivered a ‘green printer’ to France (with the kind assistance of Darren Porter) for marketing and PR company Edelmann.
As a greener delivery company, it’s important to find someone who is going ‘that way’ when we arrange delivery of certain items – so it’s not so damaging on the environment (15% of emissions are from road transport).

HP OfficeJet 8500

We also collected the HP 8500 to trial ourselves at the same time. We take extra care with our back office and try to make is as green and efficient as possible. Waste is the worst kind of ‘not-green’ in this office, and we are often looking at creative ways to recycle things.

The printer, it’s a dream to use so far. We scan all our documents in and store them, we are often a companies unofficial back up of their delivery documents. We have saved approx 4 hours a week on scanning time alone.

We also have a an upcoming Business Scene event on the 2nd of July. I printed 150 red, black and gray invitations and only used a quarter of the ink that I normally do. I have enough ink to print up 100 or so posters for the Business Scene event in Brantham a few weeks later.

We also print a fair few invoices a week and other documentation and so far I am pleased with what the printer is saving me, in both time and money.

I must point out at this point, this printer isn't a laser printer, but an inkjet printer - and a viable greener alternative to a laser printer.

Thanks Tom @ Edelmann for reminding me to update everyone on my thoughts and progress with the printer.

I shall keep you posted as to how I get on with it.

Sarah

PS did I mention I LOVE the fact it's wireless...

Collecting and delivering from West Thurrck and Dartford : Furniture

2009-06-07T11:01:00.001-07:00

Do you need a furniture courier? do you have items of furniture that you have bought from a store, free-cycled or ebayed?

Sofa

Chairs

Antiques

Sideboards

Dressers

Beds

Cabinets

Desks and other items of office furniture

Arrow Light Haulage the Essex based same day courier company are happy to quote to move your items. Whether they are high value or sentimental value, we look after them as if they are our own.

All our furniture deliveries are wrapped in felt blankets if they are not packaged already, then strapped to the vehicle - so they don't slip and slide in transit.

Whether it's one item or a houseful, we can offer you help and a two man team if items are really heavy.

Kevin

0844 884 3331

Same day courier

Awkward courier delivery

Same day delivery in Basildon

Delivering to Deadlines in Thurrock

Geting your freight delivered when YOU need it

2009-06-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ordered goods / cargo from abroad, had it arrive in the UK and then found your import house or freight forwarder is reluctant to schedule your courier delivery to you, for another 2 weeks? Their lorries are always too busy or you live too remote to be part of the regular delivery schedule? Frustrating and annoying are words that spring to your mind when this happens.

Sometimes the collecting part isn’t a problem but the fact that the forwarders are not 24/7 like us means you cannot collect your goods yourself (losing a days pay from work or having to take a days holiday). Time is money and it can be as equally frustrating to sit and watch it being wasted.

We are based in Essex near Tilbury port, a drive from Harwich & Felixstowe and are 10 minutes from the M25, in other words we are real close to your goods. You no longer have to wait - if you want your goods we can collect on your authorisation and deliver.

We can also collect and store for you to collect at your own convenience.

After waiting for your items to reach the UK you may just decide to cut out all the hassle and ask us to be your courier and collect and deliver for you.

Alternatively send me an email and I’ll get a quote back to you. I’ll need to know the collection postcode, the delivery postcode, the item size and description of the item. If you are unaware of the service you will need, just say so and I can give you a price for each option.

Kevin.

Same Day Couriers easing your delivery hiccups

Same day courier? what size van do I need?

2009-04-19T14:26:00.000-07:00

If you are looking to book a same day or next day courier service, you need to know what size vehicle you need.

You van depends on the size and the weight of the items of freight or cargo, here are some guidelines -

*Small Van - up to 500kgs

*Transit van - up to 1000kgs

*LWB Transit / Sprinter up to 1500kgs

*Luton - up to 1100kgs, mainly used for bigger bulkier items.

(Both our Luton's have tail lifts)

Call us and we will happily advise you 0844 884 3331, local rate wherever you are in the UK.

Kevin

Awkward courier delivery

2009-03-20T10:18:00.000-07:00

How often is it you get a parcel or a package and you are not in? It's frustrating isn't it. Depending on what type of courier service you use, you can actually schedule around the delivery times in order not to waste time or money.
Type of courier services that will allow flexibility -

*Store to door delivery
Generally the courier collects your item at the retail store or retail park warehouse and delivers it to your home. You pay delivery yourself and arrange it with your chosen courier company, so it it's delivered when it suits you, and not when it suits the retailer.

*Same Day courier
The goods or cargo are collected and delivered on the same day, with modern day technology, its fairly easy top give an accurate delivery time and in the event of traffic, the driver can always call ahead and let you know.

If you are sick and tired of waiting around for couriers and deliveries, give us a call and let us know, we may be able to help.

Sarah
0844 884 3331

West Thurrock Same Day Delivery

West Thurrock and Dartford same day couriers

2009-03-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

Here we are, talking to Business Video Productions about being a West Thurrock same day courier and what is different about our business. We talk about our sustainable beliefs, our testimonials and what we do. You get to see the team behind Arrow Light Haulage!

Sarah

Delivering to Deadlines in Thurrock

2009-02-23T01:51:00.000-08:00

When something is urgent and has to get there to a deadline, the best option is to use a same day courier service but what exactly does that entail?

A same day courier uses a dedicated vehicle to collect your goods and then goes straight to the delivery destination. Now here's the tricky part, some people say they do same day but actually co load your cargo with another customers cargo. Nothing wrong with that until you have something smash because its fragile and should not be transported with anything else. Oh yes, and you will still pay premium price...

When booking make sure you specify that goods cannot be co-loaded and if they can and they are non urgent, tell that to your courier too. Of course when you book an express or same day courier, you are booking a premium service and the price reflects that level of service and urgency.

We are happy to collect and deliver same day urgent goods in the Thurrock area, to all over the UK. We don't co load and we don't miss a deadline. Priceless really ;-)

regards Kev
07816 528421

Light Removals in Basildon

Had Your Parcel Slung Over a Fence Lately?

Air freight drops as global trade siezes up

Beware of Rogue Couriers - Antiques Trade press (arrowlighthaulage.co.uk)

Hauliers up in arms over hard shoulder use!

2009-01-21T06:13:00.001-08:00

My dear wife is up in arms today, she is concerned about the hard shoulder running.

In theory it’s a good idea - ease congestion by using the hard shoulder. It certainly saves money on widening the roads, but for a government so obsessed with Health and Safety, I cannot think why they would believe this is a good idea! In all honesty a few months back, I thought it was a good idea, now I am not so sure.

Imagine this scenario, a 44 tonne lorry has broken down at 4.15pm. The recovery services are called and the driver is waiting to be recovered. Rush hour arrives and drivers without thinking pile into the hard shoulder, making it impossible for the lorry to be recovered quickly, causes more congestion and puts the drivers life at risk.Hauliers up in arms over hard shoulder use!

I can see her point of view regarding lorries carrying hazardous goods / chemicals. Yes, they could get rammed and spilled and cause a far bigger catastrophe to the environment than what widening a lane would.

Would congestion actually ease? Would the traffic actually flow better for using the hard shoulder?

Where I am based in Thurrock a section of the A13 has had Chevrons painted in. Most vehicles drive evenly spaced with one chevron between them. This shows when there is an accident - the vehicles slow and effortlessly move lanes, because there is now the space to do that. Yes the traffic slows but it doesn't stop.

Could the government look into doing and enforcing these ways rather than putting peoples lives at risk?

What do you think?

Kevin

Moving your trampoline via courier

2009-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:00

Often we buy things and then when we move house we have a near cardiac arrest about how we are going to move them! A Trampoline is one of those items, a shed/ gazebo is usually the other one

Generally speaking to move a trampoline (if applicable) you would first removed the supports for the safety net, You would not necessarily have to dismantle all of the poles and neither would you have to remove the net ties.

Once removed this can them be strapped together and easily lifted by two people onto your removal van.

The main body of the trampoline may or may not have to be dismantled depending on the size of the removal vehicle. Having said this I would strongly recommend removing the canvas and the protective paddings to prevent damage during transit, thus leaving only the metal frame.Moving in Essex? You need Essex Removals, Jan 2009

If you need any help, or are reluctant to do it yourself, we can always do it for you you. Just give us a call or drop us an email.

Sarah

The Most Expensive Delivery in The World?

2009-01-01T11:44:00.001-08:00

Seriously how much for delivery… $42 million dollars if it was a Nasa space shuttle. Nasa are planning on selling their old ’stock’ delivery / shipping and handling is $42 million dollars.

Why so much? Moving a wide, heavy load is expensive. A fully loaded shuttle can take up to three hours to move one mile. Now in this instance it will not be carrying the fuel so it should be able to move that bit faster. Banksmen and other technical and non technical support is also required. You cannot just through a shuttle on the back of a lorry and hope there will need to be police escorts and co-ordination with the highways agencies etc. It could be split down and sent by road and air but most likely it would be shipped.

If you can afford to buy one, I am sure the delivery charges are not a problem the good news is decommissioning fees are also included!The Most Expensive Delivery in The World?

What would you say if Nasa called and ask YOU to deliver a shuttle? ;-)

Kevin

Delivering big, awkward, bulky items but most certainly NOT space shuttles

The Pope’s courier

2008-12-23T10:59:00.001-08:00

I have just been reading this fascinating article in the Guardian about the Pope’s Courier. On average Thaddeus Kühnel does 150,000 miles to collect and deliver gifts from the Pope. This year he has collected his favourite German Sweetmeats (a carload full!) and a footwarmer.

With the Vatican issuing guidelines regarding environmental issues and encouraging their congregation to be greener, I felt they could have been a bit greener themselves. They could have used the secure (diplomatic) postal systems to deliver his items. Looking at it in more detail, I realise the safest, most secure option for him would have been a dedicated courier which is exactly what he used

When security is of the utmost importance a dedicated courier is the very best option, I hope that Thaddeus Kühnel has his vehicle tracked in case of hijack and remembers to secure his vehicle every time he leaves it. I am sure he uses up to date software to plan his routes - so that they are the most efficient. I know he will be co-loading whenever possible to keep costs down and make the fuel go further…

I also hope that Mr Kühnel has changed his vehicle since this article was published, as he could now become a target. It’s vital to keep things confidential as a courier and unless you have your customers approval, discretion is a must. Especially when your client is a religious world leader.

Infallible Christmas gifts: Pope’s courier reveals secrets | World news | The Guardian

Kühnel drove from the pope’s home state of Bavaria to the Vatican yesterday to personally deliver this year’s boot-load of food, as well as five Christmas trees that were strapped to the roof of his car.

Lebkuchen honey and spice biscuits, stollen German Christmas cake, and chocolate were among the treats, Kühnel told German media. Of the trees, which came from the pope’s home town, Marktl am Inn, Kühnel said: “One is for the Pope’s living room, and two are for private chapels.”

Butchers in Marktl am Inn began selling Ratzinger sausages in his honour when he became pope in 2005.

There was also a present from the pope’s brother, Georg, 84, a retired priest. Kühnel would not reveal what it was, but said “usually they give each other practical things, like wristwatches and electric foot-warmers”.

Kühnel said he had already clocked up around 250,000km 150,000 miles in his car, delivering goods to the pope that he had personally requested, along with presents from his old friends, staff and distant relatives. “I deliver all the things he misses about Bavaria, including fruit nectar, Bavarian sausages from his favourite restaurant, advent wreaths and German sweets. He has a very sweet tooth,” Kühnel said.

“The first thing I brought to Rome, in my car, was a paschal candle, as well as some fruit from Adelholzen and mineral water. He likes the Christmas cookies that women from Bavarian parishes bake at home as well as those made at certain monasteries. He also likes the chocolates made in Aachen.”

The Pope’s courier, Dec 2008

It's not an easy job delivering goods from food stuffs to presents, but having a happy customer is very rewarding.

Merry Christmas

Sarah & Kevin

10,000 hours and you STILL want someone else to deliver?

2008-12-22T01:10:00.001-08:00

This week I have been reading articles about someone called Malcolm Gladwell and the Outliers, and in these articles research by a chap called K Anders Ericsson is quoted.

In the early 90s, the psychologist K Anders Ericsson and two colleagues set up shop at Berlin’s elite Academy of Music. With the help of the academy’s professors, they divided the school’s violinists into three groups. The first group were the stars, the students with the potential to become world-class soloists. The second were those judged to be merely “good”. The third were students who were unlikely ever to play professionally, and intended to be music teachers in the school system. All the violinists were then asked the same question. Over the course of your career, ever since you first picked up the violin, how many hours have you practised?

Everyone, from all three groups, started playing at roughly the same time - around the age of five. In those first few years, everyone practised roughly the same amount - about two or three hours a week. But around the age of eight real differences started to emerge. The students who would end up as the best in their class began to practise more than everyone else: six hours a week by age nine, eight by age 12, 16 a week by age 14, and up and up, until by the age of 20 they were practising well over 30 hours a week. By the age of 20, the elite performers had all totalled 10,000 hours of practice over the course of their lives. The merely good students had totalled, by contrast, 8,000 hours, and the future music teachers just over 4,000 hours.

Now, I am not quite sure where this quote comes into play with Mr Gladwells book (ok, maybe it’s about genius ), but I do know that having worked at least 48 hours a week for the last 6 years delivering cargo, freight and the odd sofa or two we have clocked up at least 10,000 hours. Thats in just our own business, Kev has another 14 years experience in doing this for other companies. So, that makes us an expert apparently…. and we certainly do know all the tips and tricks to get the best out of your delivery.

So, would you rather see the local schools piano teacher or Maksim? Well, I am sure they both have their place in life, and you choose what is appropriate. If Maksim was looking to move his grand piano, would he use Joe Blogs from down the road who had been trading 5 minutes or would he use a professional piano mover? He would use the professional piano mover of course.

We often get phone calls about Freight / Cargo deliveries that have gone wrong, and the most common these people have used someone who are cheap. They have no experience or wisdom to pay for, and then the customer gets upset when it has gone wrong. We get upset too, why didn’t they come to us first? It would have been the far more cost effective courier option10,000 hours and you STILL want someone else to deliver?

Sarah

What does your courier quote include?

2008-12-22T00:58:00.000-08:00

When you book a parcel courier do you read the small print?

Last week we took on a new customer who had read the ’small print’ and found it not to his liking until he came to us. When doing his research he found that he would often be charged a ’surcharge’ for delivering to a private address rather than a business address - between £3-£5 extra. He would also be charged a 5% fuel surcharge, and if he went over weight by even just a kilo, he would be charged an extra £3.00 as well.

He started to add it all up and realised the £8.95+VAT he was being charged for delivery wasn’t that cheap once the ’surcharges’ had been added, if fact it could double the initial price for a parcel!

At Arrow Light Haulage we believe in a transparent pricing system - that the cost is determined by the items weight, and thats it. The only extras we charge for are items such as packing and wrapping materials, again this is optional.

So, if you have a parcel to collect in Basildon, Chelmsford or West Thurrock & Dartford give us a call on 0844 884 3331 we are a flat rate courier, no surcharges unless of course you want us to charge for them

Regards

Kevin

West Thurrock same day and parcel courier

Less bucks = more bang

2008-10-20T12:38:00.001-07:00

Delivering fireworks.....

Fireworks are generally not allowed to be delivered by couriers. Quick quiz: If you are a professional truck driver, a good thing to haul is…

a) jelly doughnuts
b) bunny rabbits
c) designer shoes
d) highly explosive fireworks

You need specialist training to deliver fireworks, and if you are using a courier to do this, check the small print before suggesting they do not need the training… if you wrongly suggest they can deliver the fireworks and they have an accident where do you stand with your corporate manslaughter liabilities?

Be very careful not to get caught up in the small loads small print of 8.2.3 of ADR Link how VOSA and other agencies interpret may be different from how you do. To be quite blunt, a white diamond symbol does not mean you can transport and deliver fireworks as a courier.Fireworks: Delivering without the bang!There are no fireworks in the uK that can be carried by road for hire and reward without the courier in question having at the very least ADR 'awareness training!

High Value Goods Courier

2008-10-13T01:07:00.001-07:00

As a Same Day Courier company, we are often asked to deliver high value goods. All the items that we collect and deliver, we keep confidential but here are some examples of things we can move, that are high value:-

Photographic art
Reels of Film
Fine Wines
Rare musical instruments
Fine Jewellery
Designer labelled clothes

Delivering High Value Goods.
Each item we deliver is tailored to it’s needs. Whether it’s careful wrapping in soft felt blankets (to prevent scratching) or strapping securely to prevent breakage.It's best to deliver the high value goods on the same day, using express courier services, this means there is les chance of something going wrong with your delivery. Our drivers are CRB checked and have training in defensive driving. Each route is planned moments after we collect the item, so no one but the driver knows the jopurney to be travelled, and then we track our vehicles just to be even safer. Check when you book your courier that you are getting the same great service.

Sarah
Related articles
Tesco Delivery Driver Sues Customer!

Basildon based ebay seller? we can do your deliveries!

Do you need to use a courier?
How a cheap courier can affect your business

What do you factor in for your same day courier?

2008-09-25T05:42:00.001-07:00

When do you book your courier? Is it dependant on what type of service you need? When your goods are ready to be moved? or do you give it a few days notice?

If you leave it till the goods are ready, you could land up with a hefty waiting time bill, if something goes wrong at the last minute. This is most likely to happen when waiting for printed materials to dry and then be loaded. What can you do to prevent your same day courier costs going through the roof? Often it’s as easy as telling them what items are going to be transported, as the more experienced courier can then factor in prep and drying time, and make the drivers aware of the possibility of waiting when they come to collect.What you need to factor into being ready for your courier

Do you factor in all the probablilties when you have goods to move? Would you like us to do it for you?

Sarah

Same Day Courier Services

More accidents caused by drivers using left hand drive....

2008-09-22T15:57:00.001-07:00

I have been reading this over on my freight emergency blog, thought it would be interesting to read.... Freight Emergency deals with moving goods onwards in the event of an accident, so the supply chain is kept in tact.

Vehicles from overseas were involved in 163 accidents in which someone either died or suffered serious injuries in one year, while British hauliers were involved in 1,956.
But with foreign HGVs accounting for only one per cent of the total in the country, the proportion of accidents in which they are involved is far greater.
Campaigners say that foreign lorries are not maintained to the same safety levels as British ones.
Many accidents are also caused because they are designed to be driven on the right hand side of the road and drivers cannot see motorists alongside when they are changing lanes on motorways and dual carriageways.
More than one in five trucks operated by overseas hauliers have also been found to be unroadworthy.
The findings reignited the debate over the need for tighter controls on thousands of lorries which come in from the continent, amid fears that many do not comply with UK safety standards.
At the same time they are more at risk because they are designed to be driven on the right hand side of the road, which creates additional problems including judging turns and seeing what else is on the road.
In addition some overseas lorry drivers are unfamilar with British roads and some have run into trouble using satellite-navigation devices which resulted in trucks being stuck after being guided into small side-roads.
The extent of the risk posed by overseas lorries were were buried in a Government document on plans to impose on-the-spot fines on overseas lorry drivers and increase penalties for more serious offences.
According to the latest figures, covering 2006, foreign lorries were involved in 163 accidents in which someone either died or suffered serious injuries.
This was nearly eight per cent of the total involving heavy goods vehicles.
The Department for Transport also found random inspections revealed that 22 per cent of foreign lorries were unroadworthy.
This means that foreign lorries are three times more likely to be in a dangerous condition than their UK counterpart on British roads.
The UK haulage industry has now called on the Government to get tough with foreign lorry drivers who fail to meet British safety standards.
“It is quite clear that foreign lorries operating on UK roads are most certainly not maintained to the sort of safety level which has been created by the UK operator licensing regime,” said a spokesman for the Freight Transport Association.
“The UK licensing system, involving annual tests and roadside inspections,has resulted in UK lorries being the safest on the roads and, on a mile for mile basis, being involved in about half the number of accidentsas cars.
“We estimate that, on a mile for mile basis, a foreign lorry is three times more likely to be involved in an accident than a UK vehicle.
“Lorries are a vital ingredient in the way we live - if you’ve got it then it has been inside the back of a lorry.
“Too often we see that the operating standards of foreign lorries working in the UK are not what they should be.”
The call for tougher action was backed by Robert Gifford, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety, said “The government has at long last recognised in these figures the over-representation of foreign registered HGVs in accidents on British roads.
“In addition to tougher penalties and better enforcement of the law once these vehicles have reached the UK, we also need to look at preventing them from coming here in the first place.
“More consistent enforcement across Europe is essential, ensuring that our high standards of roadworthiness are supported throughout the EU.”
Mr Gifford called for inspectors from the Government’s Vehicle and Operating Services Agency to be stationed at French ports of Caen and Calais.”
“The Government should now look to tougher rules to enter the UK in order to prevent British lives being lost.”
However, the Department for Transport insisted that it was already stepping up its drive against dangerous overseas lorries.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk
Freight Emergency

Back in June the rules changed to allow Foreign drivers to take backloads from the UK to countries on their journey, or where they were returning to. Whilst this method is undeniably greener, you have increased frequency of your driver causing or being in an accident, and what happens to your load then? What are the extra costs involved in an accident?

What are your thoughts?

Kevin
Same Day Courier Services

Couriers - room for improvement?

2008-09-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Another little gem on the internet, this time from a website that deals with consumer issues. It's a very good read, the link is at the end of the quote. The article goes on to make some suggestions on what can be done to make things easier for the consumer when expecting delivery..

* Companies that offer "delivery within 2-3 days" - Well, which is it? And does that include the weekend?

* Companies that say "your order has been dispatched", but not how it's being delivered (Royal Mail, Courier, 24 hours?)

* Companies that let you order when there's no stock, but don't tell you that it's back in stock and they shipped it - the first you know is when you get the "we tried to deliver but..." card

* Failed deliveries where the little boxes aren't ticked so there's no clues - so you drive to the sorting office to get a bit of junk mail that the kind postie didn't want to fold or leave outside, when you were expecting to be picking up your hi-fi.

* Couriers that aren't flexible. "We can't deliver to your work address. We don't deliver on Saturdays. You can't collect from our depot"

* Couriers websites that let you view online tracking... that's a day out of date

We all have to work, and it's not always possible to take a day off work waiting for the knock on the door. I've lost count of the number of days I've either:

* Waited in for a courier that didn't show

* Faffed about with parcel-tracking websites and "we called but..." cards

* Spoken to a courier's head office to arrange redelivery - and got very frustrated

* Tried to get a number for the courier's depot (not the call centre)

* Driven to a depot on a Saturday to collect something a courier wouldn't send out at a weekend

Help with mail order deliveries and couriers.

As a courier company, we are happy to delivery out of hours and on a Saturday, or even a Sunday. Parcel deliveries we do Monday to Friday, and any delivery estimates do not include Saturday or Sunday when it comes to the parcels.

Parcels we will try and deliver three times, and always leave a card with contact details on.

Same day or Express deliveries, we can tell you within 15 minutes what time your items will arrive, and we call our customers an hour prior to delivery, so if they have to nip up the shops for a pint of milk, they can do so without worry.

When looking for a courier service that understands what customer service means, look for someone local. Bigger is not always better when it comes to delivering your goods.

Sarah

Basildon, Chelmsford & West Thurrock Same Day and Parcel courier

Need a TV delivered from West Thurrock?

2008-09-18T01:21:00.000-07:00

By Same Day courier? By the parcel network? overnight delivery? Lots of choice, but which one is the best to courier your Television?

The Parcel networks, although the cheapest option, cannot take the weight of TVs. Even the new Plasma / LCD style screens come in over the cubic weight that a parcel carrier can take.

Another option is a overnight pallet service, where your TV would be strapped and shrink wrapped to a pallet and loaded, and transhipped several times before reaching you or your customer. This increases the chance of damage, and you never know for certain at what point that damage happened.

We recommend that television collection and deliveries are an item that can be co-loaded onto a vehicle. This means that the vehicle has other items on it, there is a small risk of damage from the other items, but in the case of a correctly packaged TV set, that is minimal. We have never damaged one this way yet. Depending on the style of TV, depends on whether a two man team is needed. Our vehicles are equipped with sack barrows and tail lifts, so that only a huge boxed TV set would actually need two men, the rest can be delivered by our well trained drivers.

If you have bought a Television set from ebay, or one of the retail parks in West Thurrock and require us to collect / package it for you, we can do that easily. We use recycled packaging, and we are happy to collect and deliver those large items like TVs and white goods, that are often just collect in person.

So, if it needs lifting and shifting, give us a call even if it's just for free advice 0844 884 331 or 07816 528421.

Sarah

Essex Television delivery

A cheap courier at what price?

2008-09-16T11:45:00.001-07:00

I have been reading this from The Courier Shop Blog:

Kent courier business Beeline Sameday has had its licence revoked and its boss disqualified after failing to observe drivers’ hours and tachograph rules.

VOSA analysis of tacho charts revealed driving and tachograph offences, missing kilometres, excessive driving and insufficient daily rest. Three drivers had been convicted of 16 drivers’ hours offences and the firm pleaded guilty to 10 counts of permitting these offences at Medway Magistrates’s Court in July. The company was fined £1,800.

Beeline Sameday failed to report driver convictions from 2006 and 2007 to the Traffic Commissioner’s office, and TC Christopher Heaps found that the company had effectively operated without a transport manager for years. He even pointed out it was unclear if the nominated transport manager, John Crook, was still alive.

The TC said that although Harvinda Pasricha was listed as the sole director, “by reference to her body language, I find that she is not, and has not been the director de facto. She does not even know her own salary.”

Kent courier disqualified for hours offences - 15/09/2008 - RoadTransport.com

Kent courier disqualified for hours offences, Sep 2008

It seems now, more than ever courier companies need to look at their systems and procedures when it comes to drivers hours. Obviously companies want to save money and ‘labour’ is one area where people think they can cut back. Care needs to be take, because it can put you in a position where your company breaks the law.

What I have always said to companies that use cheap and cheerful couriers is, do they treat their drivers ethically? do they pay the minimum wage? Whats the price of being associated with a company that doesn't do what it's supposed to do?

When you want an above the board courier, and your goods safe, you have to use companies that don't take shortcuts, and that may mean asking awkward questions and keep on doing so, until you get the answer that satisfy you. You risk your goods being impounded if you don't. Is that worth it just to save a fiver here and there? And what would you tell your customer?

Sarah

Kent Same Day and parcel company

5 things that go wrong with other couriers

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Getting quotes from Couriers

Parcel deliveries getting them right...

2008-09-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

The big courier and parcel companies may get it delivered cheap for you, but look what your parcel goes through in order to get delivered...

(This video may take a little time to load depending on your internet speed)

Items like parcels, that get trans-shipped will get thrown around, and if you have something that is fragile, even marking it as fragile will make little difference - it's a guideline only.

When you book your courier ask about their systems, how their drivers operate and what their policy on breakages is.

Sarah
West Thurrock Same day and Parcel couriers

Delivering to pregnant women.

2008-09-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Tailoring your service to fit your customers needs is something you would think quite natural for Mothercare. The chances are if you are having a cot, pram etc delivered that the person signing for the goods will be pregant, quite healiy pregnant in some cases.

This is not the situation to abide by the rules, this is a situation for common sense. Here's what one disgruntled Mothercare customer has to say...

They were delivered on time, but in an appalling state. Some of the boxes and goods (things like a bouncer chair and the blankets) were delivered to me wet and in damaged packaging. The man dumped a heavy box in my hand to carry up the stairs. Im 33 weeks pregnant, and this was totally inapproprite. He refused to let me have the cot, and said the whole order had to be returned.

When I called up to complain the customer service manager was very rude with me, she said I was lucky they were delivered so quickly and was short, unsympathetic and totally unhelpful. she refused to put me through to a manager, or let me know when my goods would be redelivered.
I was made to feel like I was lucky there were there at all, and that my complaints were not taken seriously at all. I was spoken to very ruidely.

Mumsnet Discussions - mothercare are awful (Pregnancy)

Whatever problems there are at the depot, the customer shouldn't be getting wet and damaged deliveries, this is unnecessary damage to the Mothercare brand, it doesn't show any care at all. When choosing your courier, you need to brief them, and the courier driver needs to be aware that they may need extra lifting equipment or a two man team to deliver to pregnant women (this also counts for delivering to the elderly, and the physically disabled).

Mothercare are not the only company to neglect the needs of their customers. A birthing pool company have done the same in the past, refused to help a 38 week pregnant woman take the wooden pool upstairs as it "wasn't his job". When the mum-to-be waddled down, he was overcome with remorse and struggled with it and delivered it safely up two flights of stairs, in this instance a two man team should have been used. If the common had thought about it, they would know the likely recipent of a birthing pool is a heavily pregnant woman.

So if you are a company looking to deliver items to women who are heavily pregnant...

Do you brief your drivers?

Do you send out two man teams?

Are you busy trying to save money?

How much money would you save if you injured a pregnant woman through inconsideration?

Can you afford the negative publicity?

Can you sleep at night knowing a few quid off the bottom line, a few more quid in the shareholders pocket is actually causing pain and suffering to the customer base you are targetting?

Sarah

Couriers and delivery, for when your customers welfare actually matters to your business.

5 things that go wrong with other couriers

2008-09-09T02:16:00.001-07:00

I was thinking about the major players in the courier industry today. How they do the little niggling things like ring the doorbell for 1 minute on a Saturday morning delivery. That made me wonder what else they do wrong

They don’t re-deliver. You go out, miss delivery and they leave a card to collect from the depot thats 30 miles away and you cannot get it for another week…

They tell you any time between 9 and 5pm for delivery, and you wait and wait and wait… you call the depot at 5pm and ask about the delivery only to be told, they couldn’t find you.

The courier arrives three hours late for the collection, offers no reason or apology for wasting your time

The courier decides it’s acceptable to throw items in and out of the van

The courier doesn’t use safer, greening driving techniques and pulls away in a cloud of black exhaust fumes..

Top 5 things other parcel couriers do wrong…

Here at Arrow Light Haulage your local Essex and Kent courier, we take excellent care of your goods that we deliver, we treat them like the’re our own.

We give you fast, accurate collection times. When you use our dedicated / epress same day services you will get an accurate time for delivery. We don’t leave your goods on the doorstep if you are unable to bring it in yourself (although we are not obligated to). For an all round better, faster, greener, effective courier service just give us a call on 0844 884 3331.

Sarah

London Couriers, delivering to and from London

Do you work in the City?

Delivering your dining table using a Basildon courier

Kerbside to Kerbside delivery - what exactly does it mean?

Delivering your dining table using a Kent courier

2008-09-07T14:09:00.001-07:00

Couriers are often seen to be the most expensive options when it comes to deliveries, a dining table and chairs can be quite awkward and heavy to move. When you start to weigh up the cost of actually doing the job yourself, fuel, van hire, you begind to realise how a courier can actually save you.

These are generally too heavy to be delivered by parcel services. Depending on what they are made from, I would check with your courier company first. If it’s possible, the furture should be dismantled and packaged securely before collection, this reduces the cubic weight and makes it more likely your items can be delivered. Remember to package them carefully to prevent damage.Collecting and Delivering a Dining Table and Chairs by Same Day Courier

Pallet Networks - You dining is palletised and collected with other items and sent to the hub (usually in the Midlands) then put on a vehicle that will deliver to a depot and then on to you, the end destination. Your pallet may be ‘ugly freight‘ or oversized and this would be more expensive. There is high risk of damage using these services and it’s very difficult to establish where in the chain it happened.

Overnight / Economy courier - Your dining table is collected and loaded onto the vehicle, with other goods and delivered at some point in the next few days. The routes are as fuel efficient as possible, less chance of damage than a pallet network, but your item could risk some damage if the courier company does not secure their loads or protect your dining table and chairs correctly. We always secure our items and wrap them for added protection.

Same day or express courier - you item is the only item on the vehicle, it is secured and delivered in one piece, the only method likely to result in the least amount of damage.

When you decide which type of courier you need, you also need to ask some other questions about timings and help unloading. You will also need to advise on parking restrictions etc.

If you need any advice, please don't hesitate to call us on 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421

Sarah

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They call it "Ugly Freight"...

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Tolls increase on the cards at the Dartford Crossing

2008-08-30T05:23:00.001-07:00

One of the most beautiful bridges in the UK, the Queen Elizabeth II bridge at the Dartford Crossing. You drive over into Kent and return via the Dartford tunnel into Essex.
The Department for Transport has recently concluded it’s low key survey about the Dartford River Crossing. The survey was so low key, they only received 67 responses… and they used these to make some changes.

Tolls are set to increase by 50% in the sutumn as a result of the survey. Motorists will now pay £1.50 to drive a car over the bridge or through the tunnel. Vans will pay £2.00 and Lorries will now pay £3.70 although there is no longer a charge if you use a trailer.Toll Increases At The Dartford River CrossingIn the last set of accounts (2006-2007) the crossing made £47 million in profit for the treasury, straight into the chancellors coffers. So why the increase? is £47 million not enough? Apparently not, and its businesses and residents local to Dartford and Thurrock that will pay for this.

Sarah

Thurrock and Dartford Couriers

The Thurrock School run increases traffic

2008-08-30T04:19:00.001-07:00

Sarah has been blogging about the school run today, and in doing her research she found that the school run puts 20% more traffic on the roads from 8.30am to 9.15 am and 2.30pm to 3.30pm.

The Institute of Advanced Motoring has some tips for tackling the school run.

• Avoid taking the car if you can. Walking, cycling and public transport are all better options, not only for children, but also the environment. Children cycling to school should be proficient and wear a helmet, with bright, all-weather clothing.
• If you have to drive, offer to car share with other parents and take it in turns rather than add to
congestion around schools. When you have an informal arrangement, set an example by
attending a defensive driving course such as that offered by the IAM.
• Allow plenty of time for the journey. Crashes cause delay and are normally caused by drivers
going too fast and driving too close to the car in front. Leave five minutes earlier to reduce
stress.
• Drive well within the speed limit. Maintain a sensible safety gap - remember the “two second
rule”. At 35mph you are twice as likely to kill someone as you are at 30mph. Yet within the
car, this feels hardly any different. The school approach presents many hazards - including
children not concentrating fully as they cross the road.
• Park considerately and safely. Never double park, block driveways or simply rely on the
footbrake to keep the vehicle still as children climb out of the car. Consider parking 100 yards
or so away from the school gate and completing your journey on foot. This gives you an
opportunity to teach children about using the road and reduces congestion at the school gate
itself.
• Never stop on the yellow “zig zags” by the school gate, even briefly. Always ensure you let
the children out on the pavement side (or if there is no pavement, the side away from the
traffic).
• Do not drive on the pavement in an attempt to allow oncoming vehicles to pass. Wait until the
way ahead is clear rather than risk injuring a pedestrian.The East London Ex-Pat’s Guide to Essex, Aug 2008
Whats this got to do with courier services? Sometimes it's more cost effective and safer to have our driver sitting in the traffic, than one of your own.

Give us a call on 0844 884 3331 if you think we can help, we can deliver everything except your kids, to school.

Kevin

Lakeside Shopping Centre Courier and Parcel Service

2008-08-28T03:10:00.000-07:00

Collect and deliver from Lakeside to anywhere in the UK.

Want an item, only to find it has sold out in your local area? If they have it in Lakeside Essex, we can collect it and deliver it to you for just £9.99 plus VAT. Thats right a couriered parcel service for just £9.99.

We take orders all week, and on Thursday evening we will collect your item, wrap it and pack it, and on Friday we will dispatch it and it will be with you Monday morning.

As part of our premium services, provided you have booked our by midday, we can collect and deliver overnight to most places in the UK for just £15+VAT.

So now you need never miss out on the ideal pair of shoes, designer dress or suit and of course all items up to the value of £500 are insured.

This service is for items up to 20kgs volumetric weight, 2 metres in length.

We are also able to collect from stores in Romford, Basildon and Southend.

Sarah

Dartford / West Thurrock Amtrak account cancelled?

2008-08-27T14:05:00.001-07:00

Are you looking for a parcel delivery company?

We have an excellent ‘account’ free parcel delivery service. What does account free mean? It means you pay as you use our services, so you don’t have a minimum spend and there is no maximum spend.Is your Basildon Amtrak Account cancelled?We are an Essex based express courier and parcel company within easy reach of West Thurrock and Dartford, and we can collect and deliver your parcels and packages all over the UK.

What does that mean to you, the customer? It means you don’t have any unexpected shocks when the invoice hits the mat, no fuel surcharges, or overweight charges (you know those nasty charges that mean you pay an extra £5 or £10 because you have gone overweight by .5kgs). Account free of all the hassle associated with other parcel and courier companies.

Give us a call on 0844 884 3331 (local, no matter where you are) or 07816 528421 (mobile and out of office, yes we really are 24-7).

Sarah

West Thurrock parcel courier and collection

Deliveries gone wrong

2008-08-27T03:34:00.001-07:00

I writing about deliveries that went wrong on Sunday:

Delivering a boat, a luxury one included, can be done safely by land. Only last week I delivered two boats for very happy customers, although I have no idea of the value, in these cases the customers insured the boats themselves for delivery.When deliveries go wrong…delivering by powerboatand that got me thinking about the other ways that deliveries can go wrong.

Quite often the problem can be in the venue the item is being delivered too. Doorways can be too narrow for sofas and beds redulting in the removal of a window to get the item in the house.

Sometimes its climbing 7 flights of stairs with a very large sofa - a cup of tea is always welcome at the top!

Pianos can be a pain too, I read about the piano they had to be removed from an upstairs flat by crane! I wondered how they got it in to the flat in the first place.

Informing your courier of potential venue problems is a good thing, it means they can plan with you how they can help, if they can help at all.

If you do find you have to remove a window to get items of furniture in, a window fitter is a good option and doesn't add that much to the overall cost, a local one may even help out of hours so you don't have to take the day off of work.

For no obligation advice on preventing your delivery going wrong, just give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421

Sarah

Delivering your fridge freezer from West Thurrock

2008-08-25T02:12:00.000-07:00

If you are in West Thurrock, Lakeside or Bluewater, you might decide to collect your own fridge freezer from one of the nearby retail parks, or from the shops local warehouse. With many people having a 7 seater car, they think that it's ok to just lay the freezer down in the back of vehicle and take it home...

...this is the worst thing you can do when collecting or delivering a fridge. It must always remain upright, and when disconnected from the mains, it should be disconnected for at least 3 hours before you plug it in again.

By laying a fridge on it's side you are allowing air bubbles to get into the compression system, and possible leakage from the pipes. This isn't quite terminal for the fridge but it's often very expensive to repair.

American style fridges are also very popular. These take a two man team and our tail lift vehicle to deliver as safely as possible.

So whether you are buying a new fridge freezer from a local Bluewater, Dartford, or Lakeside retail park, or getting the item from Freecycle (the modern recycling groups), be careful how you transport your fridge freezer and if you don't or can't do it yourself, give us a call we will be glad to help and advise. Our numbers are 0844 884 3331 0r 078216 528421

Regards

Kevin

White goods delivery to and from West Thurrock, Essex

Working in London but living in West Thurrock?

2008-08-24T04:44:00.000-07:00

And have a requirement for a home office?

In the ever evolving workplace, it's quite common to have a workstation facility based at your home address. If this is the situation you find yourself in having ordered your office furniture, but have no time to collect or assemble said items, then we can help.

At Arrow Light Haulage we have furniture installers that can collect, deliver and assemble your flatpacked items with the minimum amount of disruption to you and your families routine.

As a professional courier and parcel company, we are capable of meeting all your delivery requirements with short notice. We can deliver out of office hours if that suits you better.

So, whatever your home office courier and delivery requirements are, just give us a call on 08444 884 3331 or 07816 528421 wqe are happy to help and advise without obligation.

Regards

Kevin

West Thurrock Courier and parcel Delivery

Lost your memory stick?

2008-08-22T03:00:00.000-07:00

Thinking about this blog post, I made earlier today:

PA consulting is the private sector company that has lost this round of confidential information. The transfer of further data to PA Consulting on the project has been suspended pending the investigation. This on the surface appears quite harsh, after DHL lost 25 million child benefit addresses, and as far as we are aware still delivering government documents.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Aug 2008Is there any tools or gadgets that could actually help the government?

I found an interesting looking secure data pen on a blog by Don Cooke, who specialises in remote team working. This led me to think, why is the data being transported via a memory stick anyway? Why isn't it being encrypted and uploaded to the research companies? Don't tell me it's more secure this way...

Even if your courier is insured, what exactly is being insured? the replacement data stick? or the data on it? and how do you put a price on that data?

Is it time for the Data Protection act to be reviewed? a SME would get huge fines for non compliance, I think there should be some sort of fine to the government, perhaps suspend MPs expense accounts until they can get it right?

For confidential delivery services, with 100% success rate (so far) then look no further than your local West Thurrock and Dartford confidential courier company, Arrow Light Haulage.

Regards

Sarah

25% off the Complete Courier Guide

2008-08-21T06:44:00.000-07:00

This morning we have had even more success! With the ebooks selling nicely, and the positive feedback coming from happy customers, we thought we would offer the book in other formats too.

So we now offer it on CD, and can post it out to you, and in printed version again we can post it out to you.

CD is available at £34.95 and the printed version at £39.95 (plus Vat).

But because it a Bank Holiday coming up, we are offering 25% cashback on all books bought up until Midnight Bank Holiday Monday (25th August). All books bought and paid for in any format, will get a 25% cashback.

So, what are you waiting for? upload the sample Complete Courier Guide ebook right away and see if being a freelance or self employed courier is the right career for you!

Hope this makes it easier for our potential customers to make a decision, and if it doesn't and you want to speak to me, then please feel free to call my on 0844 884 3331.

Regards

Kevin

The complete guide to being a freelance or self employed courier

Delivering dinner services and crockery by post

2008-08-19T07:38:00.000-07:00

Packing crockery for safer courier delivery can be done fairly easily, the problem lies in the weight. Like most parcel companies we are bound by HSE rules that say we can only lift 25kgs at a time.
So, you may need to pack your plates etc into two packages, depending on the size of your dinner service.

When you have a lot of items, bubble wrap can prove expensive, so think about using corrugated paper instead. Place shredded / scrunched up paper around the edges and around cups to stop them chipping.

Then weigh the box, if it comes in under 25kgs, then tape it up securely and give us a call on or 0844 884 3331 or call Kevin on 07816 528421 and we will come and collect it.

We deliver to mainland Uk destinations starting from £9.99+VAT and we collect in West Thurrock, Dartford, Grays or Stanford Le Hope as well as other Essex areas.

Be sure to check you parcel company's terms of business, often glass and second hand goods are not insured.

Happy packing!

Sarah
Chelmsford Courier and parcel delivery

London Couriers, delivering to and from London

2008-08-17T07:24:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia London can be a very time consuming exercise for a courier company! At certain times of the day it can take you 2 hours to go 10 miles! This means most courier companies like to collect ordrop their goods as early as possible.

At Arrow Light Haulage we also do a London shuttle run, for other courier companies who don't want their driver tied up in London. They give us a call, and we meet them on the M25 (well, just off of it to be precise) and transship the goods onto our vehicles, and then continue the delivery into London.

Our prices are exclusive of the congestion zone charges.

London multidrop of bulk parcels and packages is available at very favourable rates, from as little as £6.50 per drop if we can do them overnight. That's a fully personalised service, with uniformed driver.

We will also gladly offer the same services throughout Essex and Kent, for bulk parcels and packages, just send us the details and we can work out a price for you.

Some other companies may dislike delivering to London, but if it's a problem for them, then come to us, we are here to deliver customer satisfaction!

Regards

Sarah

London deliveries by courier

Student moves to / from Kent universities

2008-08-16T05:32:00.000-07:00

Are you a student looking to move closer to Uni, in the term time?

Well, you have some options and the most popular seems to be hire a van, and do it yourself.

Alternatively you can hire a courier company, like Arrow Light Haulage to do it for you. A courier is usually paid on the distance moved and not the amount of stuff that needs moving.
The have different insurance from a removal company, so it can be a cheaper option to use a courier for your light removal, than to use a removal company.
Using a courier may not suit your circumstances, so it's best to check first and see what you get for your quote.

Arrow light Haulage are happy to collect at several destinations, so it may suit you to split the cost between two or three people, that way everyone saves money!

So, if you are looking to go back to halls of residence or rooms closer to Uni, have a look at the alternative student movers too. You may well pick up a bargain.

Regards

Sarah

How to send a Bicycle by post or parcel carrier?

2008-08-15T11:52:00.001-07:00

Got a bike to send by post? Bought one as a gift and now need to ship it to another destination in the UK? Bought one at Lakeside retail park or on Ebay? Read on, and we will help make your delivery, smoother and help ensure you item arrives in one piece.

If the bike is already assembled, remove pedals and handle bars. Wrap the paintwork with bubble wrap. Wrap the pedals and handle bars with bubble wrap and attach them with tape to the frame.

If you have a box to hand, great place the bike in the box and secure it, its ready for transportation.

If you don't have a box, then wrap in recycled brown paper, and tape securely with duct tape.

You can mark the paper with Fragile, so the parcel carriers are aware its fragile.

Any questions? then don't hesitate to give us a call on 07816 528421 or send us an email
or send us an email, we are happy to help where we can

Of course, if you don't want to pack it and wrap it, we can do it as part of our premium courier services.

Regards

Kevin

How businesses find a courier in West Thurrock

2008-08-13T06:46:00.000-07:00

I recently conducted two pieces of market research independently of each other, about how people source their couriers. The idea being from the results, I would determine where to focus the advertising budget for the business this year.

The first piece I surveyed a cross section of the business community about how they sourced a courier. In the second piece I asked new customers how they found our services.

The results I think are quite interesting.

92% of people in the first survey said they would use the Yellow Pages to source a courier should they need one. They would ask around for recommendations second, after they had used the Yellow Pages.

In the second survey 75% of our customers found us through a search engine on the Internet. The rest came from a mixture of leaflets and recommendations. Not one mention of a telephone directory, on line or offline.

This confirms my belief that advertising should be a mix of mediums and not focus on just one specific area.

What was also interesting was the business community clearly stated they did not buy on price alone, every customer who used us in the second survey stated we had the best value for money service. The whole package that we offered was better than just getting a price, the care in delivery was exceptional.

Quoting one customer.... 'You delivered a glass display cabinet over 300 miles without breakages. Upon collection your driver dismantled it, wrapped it and then at my delivery address, carefully unwrapped it and re-assembled it. It looks perfect. No-one else would do the job as the cabinet was made of glass and not easily transportable without breakage. I really liked the way you worked on transporting the cabinet rather than telling me how hard, how difficult and it couldn't be done. I will definitely use you again. I don't know why more retailers don't use you, you certainly are a well kept secret.'

Boy, that was good to hear!

Regards

Sarah

West Thurrock and Dartford Courier and parcel deliveries

Collecting and delivering motorbikes, quadbikes and scooters

2008-08-11T06:05:00.000-07:00

When you a Motorbike, Scooter or Quad bike online, delivery is one aspect that isn't often covered.
A courier can help arrange safe collection and delivery if your online retailer doesnt provide this, or you have nabbed a bargain on ebay.

So, how to deliver a motorbike...

2 people are required to load a motorbike safely, but one person can unload it.

The same for a scooter or Vespa type vehicle, and a quadbike can take up to 4 people to lift it on, and 2 to unload it.

Firstly the bike is lifted on to our vehicle via a tail lift. The bike is moved so the front wheel faces the rear shutter of the van. Close the shutter (with yourself still inside), apply the front brake, push down hard on the suspension. Your assistant will will strap the bike to the floor hook, wrapping it around the handlebars and then securing it to the other floor hook, making sure its extremely tight.

Release the brake and with another strap, secure the passengers hand grip. This will stabilise the bike ready for transportation. It doesn’t need to be covered as its securely strapped.

To do it any other way risks damage to the indicators and the engine.

You will need a transit sized van or above.

If it seems to much hassle, give us a call, we happily transport Motorbikes, Quadbikes and Scooters throughout the country and to France or Spain.

Regards

Kevin
(07816 528421)

Essex and Kent Courier and parcel distribution

Delivering Jet ski and other sporting equipment

2008-08-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

The best thing to transport Jet Skies is the Jet Ski trailer. If you have just bought one and the shop are delivering, then your next investment should be a trailer.

If the your seller is unable to deliver, then a courier company can help deliver to you. We have delivered several of these, and every time I deliver one I think next year I will get one myself...

Again like the Rowing Boat, the Jet Ski fits nicely into the back of our tail lift luton, and depending on the models, two will fit nice and safely.

They need to be on a padded surface, and strapped carefully to prevent movement and damage. Care is always taken by us, especially when we deliver fibreglass items.

If you would like some advice on collecting and delivering Jet skies (or larger items of sporting goods) then please give us a call.

Regards

Kevin

Couriers that deliver the awkward but precious things

Related articles by Zemanta

2008-08-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

Kent companies are you looking to outsource your vans /own transport and deliveries?

Looking to save money? Looking to outsource your transport to make great time and money savings?

Then look no further than your local Essex & Kent Courier company, Arrow Light Haulage.

Did you know the average delivery driver earns between 15-18k per year? Plus holidays and pensions, add in the cost of your van, whether you buy or lease, you are looking in the regions of another 5k a year when you add in servicing, insurances etc.

Do you really think you need all the drivers you have? As a company you can make significant savings but cutting back on your own transport and outsourcing the remainder.

Example, you have two delivery drivers that cost your company £40k a year. By having one and outsourcing the other you could save 7k by using Arrow Light Haulage to deliver on your behalf.

Find you are using a lot of agency staff?

Quite often its cheaper to use a courier as you don’t have to train the driver, induct them, or show them how to use your paperwork/trucks/equipment. An Agency driver can cost you as much as £220 (inc VAT) a day, then they don’t get as much done as a regular courier would.

Just because you have a vehicle sitting their doing nothing, it doesn’t mean you are saving money by getting in a temp.

If you are a business based in Essex, Kent, Herts or London who wants to make significant savings on their costs, then give us a call now on 07816 528421

Regards

Kevin

The second costliest courier service is...

2008-08-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaJust in Time deliveries.
While this type of service is the second costliest ( general aviation charters are the most expensive and it is rare for a company to require these services in the present economic climate).

Companies look at the cost of service to engage an "on-board" courier versus the "cost" the company will realise should the product not arrive by a specified time. Examples of this include an assembly line stopping, untimely court filing and attendance, lost sales from product or components, missing a delivery deadline, even organ transplants.

When you use 'Just in Time' services, you are paying a premium for this, and it's vital that your courier or delivery company can deliver to your deadline.

The most frequent users of this type of service are the medical and legal professions, and needless to say, we do provide services to these companies, in complete confidence.

So if you have a subpoena or non hazardous lab samples, give us a call on 07816 528421 to discuss your requirements.

Regards

Kevin

Essex and Kent Couriers and delivery services

Courier deliveries in Essex and Kent.

2008-08-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Being so close to West Thurrock's industrial parks we often complete journeys that start in Essex and finish in Kent. We then source journeys to return to Essex, so we are environmentally friendlier. We absolutely try not to waste fuel and run empty, it's just not green.

To enable us to run at 85% loaded capacity we belong to several freight exchanges, as well as placing local adverts.

What can we collect and deliver?
Anything (with in reason, and legal) that can fit into the van. Our vans have tail lifts, so it an item is awkward or bulky, we can fit it on.

As an Essex and Kent courier company, we are happy to collect items for our parcel delivery services - no account is needed!

Kevin

Delivering a bed

2008-08-04T00:13:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaWe often collect large items of furniture from the warehouses in Lakeside retail park, often beds. Because we are flexible on our delivery times, we can collect and then deliver when you are home from work.

So, back to delivering the bed....
Unless a bed is flatpacked and only a single or double, a two man team is required.
There are many types of mattress, and the memory foam kind is popular but it needs to people to lift on, and lift off the vehicle as it's so heavy.

The beds we collect are often wrapped in plastic sheeting, which we are happy to recycle if you give it back to the driver.

As part of our premium services we can even install the bed for you, please order this service at the time of booking, it is very popular.

So, if you have bought a new bed or even a bed from Ebay, we can help deliver it for you when it's convenient, we can recycle the wrapping and we can fit it together if it comes flatpacked or needs installing.

Give me a call on 07816 528421 if you have any questions.

Regards

Kevin

Essex and Kent Courier and parcel company
Want to become a freelance or self employed courier?

Delivering in complete confidence

2008-08-01T12:17:00.000-07:00

As a courier company, we deliver some unusual things but mostly we deliver in confidence.

What do we mean by that?
We mean unless we get the customers permission to discuss what we have delivered for them, then we won't mention it.
In the courier world there has been some discussion around a company that delivered an item to a celeb via the BBC.

Nice publicity? perhaps for the courier but what about you, the client?
When we deliver your items, we don't think about whether or not this could make the news, we are concerned with getting the item to your customers as fast and safe as possible. We do not put our drivers in jeopardy by adverting high value and famous clients. That's just not cricket!

In the past we have delivered all sorts of things from a varying range of values whilst our clients can be reassured that unless they say so, we won't be telling anyone. Next time you book your parcel, courier or messenger services ask them about their confidentiality agreement.

regards

Kevin
Essex, Kent and East London Delivery & Collection services

How to move the shed, Gazebo or summerhouse you have bought on Ebay

2008-07-29T02:13:00.000-07:00

How to move your shed, gazebo or summer house

There are two ways of moving your outbuilding, erected or dismantled.
An erected building will be quicker and easier to move, but would need specialist transport. It would need to be moved on a flat-bedded vehicle with HIAB facility.

Apart from cost, you would need to take into consideration two other factors
1. Would the building survive by being lifted in one piece
2. Is your Shed, Gazebo or Summerhouse close enough for vehicle access?

If the answer is no, to either of the above then it’s not possible to transport your outbuilding in one piece. It needs to be dismantled.

When dismantling make sure you have at least one helper, make sure you have all the correct tools before you start. It’s also advisable to have a box or plastic bags to keep all your nuts and bolts etc safe in one place.

Under normal circumstances you would start with the roof and work your way down.

If you cannot do this, we can organise assistance as part of our premium services.

Once dismantled ensure all doors, widows and air vents are secured. A good courier company (like us ) will make sure all glass is covered to reduce the chances of breakage in transit. Remember glass isn’t covered by many insurers.

One last thing to consider, when booking your courier service make sure you have the measurements, and the dimensions of the largest parts.

To book the wrong size vehicle can cause all sorts of problems, too big and it’s going to be expensive and too small, well it’s not going to be delivered in one piece….

We are happy to advice and give you a no obligation quote call me on 07816 528421 or email me.

Regards

Kevin

Essex courier and delivery services

Couriers, free lancers? Self employed? need more business?

Press Release: The Complete Courier collaboration

2008-07-28T13:55:00.000-07:00

Press Release: Arrow Light Haulage
Subject: Publications of three e-books to help freelance couriers, hauliers and the transport industry.
Word count - 880

Credit Crunch - Learning lessons from history

In the last recession many families substituted the main income by becoming taxi drivers. Now the

world has moved on but the problem is the same.

With the increase in household bills, a rise in mortgages payments and the explosion in the price of

petrol, virtually every family is starting to feel the pain of the credit crunch. At the same time,

because most people are cutting back, many income streams, maybe even the job of the main

bread- winner, is becoming less secure.

It is no surprise then that many families are seeking new ways to balance the books. After a while

you realise you can only cut so much out of the budget, before you have to look for new ways to

increase the amount of money coming in.

Here is where the history lesson comes in - the taxi driver can become the courier in today’s

market of home delivery, Internet services and house moves. No “knowledge” is required as in

London black cabs, no HGV or PSV licence needed. How difficult can that be?

Kevin and Sarah Arrow have got together with Linda Mattacks to produce a series of three

E-Books for would be couriers. Book 1 tells you how to start up, book 2 shows you how to grow

your business and book 3 is all about you and your brand image.

Book 1 is written by Kevin Arrow and plots the course for anyone wanting a career in this fast

growing profession. Based on sound economics, life experiences and a practical 'know how' this

book is a “How to go about it” for any driver who wants to get in to the courier business.

He puts his experience on the line and lays it out for you. Since starting out working for a multi

national courier company in the mid 90s, and a life long fan of every thing green, he now owns and

runs Arrow Light Haulage, one the few green courier services in the country.

The first book in this series drives home best practice, acceptable behaviour, and time saving tools

to make you; your van and that all-important parcel arrive at your destination in one piece. It

includes everything you ever wanted to know about obscure time saving and fuel efficiencies; the

best sat navigation for the job. It tells you how to work with your client, the best web sit es to get

freelance work and even how to set up your business, what is required to open a business bank

account and how the family can support you whilst you are on the road.

Based in Essex, Arrow does everything a courier company should do. It uses green fuel, the drivers

are encouraged to keep to the speed limits to save fuel, and the clients are enticed with

carbon-offset proposals.

So what does book 2 do then? Whether we have been in business for generations or are first

starting out, we all have one thing in common.

It doesn’t matter what you sell or how you make your money, this problem is as old as the oldest

profession in the world. We need more customers.

Book 2 tells you how to quickly establish yourself and grow your business. You could provide one of

the best courier services in the country but that doesn’t help if it’s a well-kept secret. And you’re

unlikely to have, or want to spend, a lot of money promoting your business when it’s just starting out.

As in book 1, the Arrows have enlisted people who run their own business practicing what they

preach and Linda Mattacks of CoZo is no exception. Linda runs a company that specialises in

helping owners of small businesses to develop their own skills to do just that:

With over 25 years’ experience in sales training, market research and direct marketing, Linda has

produced a “How to win, keep and grow customers” E-book that’s equally of use to courier start

ups, young companies and established firms alike. It explains how you can not only survive but also

thrive in a tough market – without overtly selling.

Book 2 shows you how to get yourself and your company known for all the right reasons to the right

people - those who could become your customers and those who could introduce customers to you.

And keep your customers once they ‘come on board’.

When you finally close books 1 and 2 and read through the notes you made, you realise that unlike

most self help books, there is important information on every page including how to avoid known

hazards and take advantage of profitable opportunities.

Forget the rude, aggressive “man in the rusty white van” that stamps all over the road. With these

two books you’re moving into a completely different league.

And the best bit – Like any trilogy you have to wait for book three, which is all about you and how to

live your business. It’s about personal brand image.

In summary Book 1 is about starting a courier business. Book 2 is shows you how to grow your

business and Book 3 is all about you.

These books are not books of dreams. They have been written from the experiences of LUCK –

Labouring Under Correct Knowledge.

Credits
Kevin and Sarah Arrow – Arrowlighthaulage.co.uk. 01375 643 897
Linda Mattacks – Sellingforbusiness.co.uk 020 7209 1284
David Edwards – Bigriverlife.com

Delivering houses, doll's houses

2008-07-27T14:29:00.000-07:00

Doll's houses can be great collectors items and the right ones can have a very high value.

Depending on how well they are made depends on whether they will travel well in the post.

Some are made of ply wood which can be very flexible, so careful packing is needed to prevent splits and breakages in the wood.
If the item can be flat packed, then do so for transporting. Then wrap the sides individually in bubble wrap, this is so they don't scrape against each other in transit.

If the item cannot be flatpacked, then you need to look at packaging it in a large enough box to protect it, but not so large it takes you over the volumetric weight that it's safe for one person to carry!

Wrap the interior and furniture items separately where possible.

Antique Doll's Houses cannot be flat packed and would need very secure packing indeed to get it to arrive in one piece. Again in this instance I would recommend a dedicated courier van to complete the delivery.

The item can be protected with soft felt blankets and strapped securely to prevent damage in transit.

If you have a Doll's has that you are selling on Ebay or through a specialist auction, consider your transportation methods carefully.

You are most welcome to call or email on 07816 528421 and we can advise you how to pack, safely and securely.

Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin Arrow

Claiming our blog on Technorati

2008-07-27T02:19:00.000-07:00

Technorati Profile

They call it "Ugly Freight"...

2008-07-27T01:28:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaBut at Arrow Light Haulage, we love it.

Ugly freight (sometimes called non-compatible) means your freight is not suitable to be delivered in a standard pallet or parcel network.

It could be because it’s too late, too awkward, too bulky, too precious, too urgent, too fragile, or even two man. ;-) .

It could might some assembly or installation on delivery. We are happy to do that.

As our customer you may like us to break a pallet for you, and re-wrap into smaller individual consignments then dispatch through our parcel network (we have had 100% success rate this year). We are happy to do that for our customers.

You may like us to store it and then deliver it at a later date. You've guessed it, we are happy to do that too.

If it’s a problem for pallet networks and other couriers, it’s no hassle for us.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and your ugly freight is beautiful to us.

Kevin
Kent, Essex and East London Courier

Ashford, Tonbridge and Sevenoaks Courier & Parcel deliveries

2008-07-27T00:39:00.000-07:00

Arrow Light Haulage is a professional Ashford, Tonbridge & Sevenoaks courier and delivery company. We collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK. We are part the UKs biggest transport network, so even though we are based close to West Thurrock, Essex we have the resources to collect from anywhere within 60 minutes or 30 minutes (premium service).

Our drivers are polite and well trained, they know your reputation is in their hands.
We do the job right the first time, so the need for re-deliveries at your expense comes with using a cowboy not a professional courier. You get what you pay for, next time you get a cheap quote for a courier you need to ask why its so cheap...do they pay their drivers at the least minimum wage? Are they insured? Do they have the correct equipment to complete your delivery? Are their drivers helpful, clean and polite? Quite often you won't find out until something has gone wrong and then its too late.

Email for a parcel or express delivery quote by clicking here

What our customers say about us...

" I thought I would go cheaper after all it was only delivering clothes to a deadline, how hard could that be? I went with another courier and in a month I was billed £30,000 in fines from missed deadlines and port fines. I learned my lesson, professional couriers make the difference and are worth every penny and are not that much more expensive..."
Paul - Lightning Despatch

"It got there on time with ArrowLight Haulage, for the first time in months we don't have customers complaining about late deliveries or spillages and our equipment is still in perfect condition"
Brenda, LCS

We also collect and deliver for private customers. Items such as rare guitars bought from Ebay, the new owner didn't want to entrust it to a parcel company, he didn't want to take the chance it would be broken in the warehouse or in-transit.

We have even offered the government the use of our services, they certainly wouldn't lose valuable data when they used our services. :-)

Our parcel and delivery services for packages up to 15kgs is just £9.99 plus Vat for our customers, thats 5kg more than Interlink or DHL give you! There is no fuel surcharge to take you by surprise, no over weight or late collection fines, our prices are static.

Parcel deliveries collected in Essex, Kent or East London can be delivered throughout the UK, certain parts of Scotland are exempted but can be covered by our Express Delivery Services.

If its just Essex to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £7.99 plus Vat up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer. Again no Fuel surcharges, no hidden extras, just one flat rate.

Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Or give us a call on 07816 528421

regards

Kevin

Email for a Parcel or Express delivery quote by clicking here

Mainstone, Canterbury and Sevenoaks Parcels & Couriers | West Thurrock and Dartford Courier Blog | The Courier Shop for bussiness ebooks and driving resources | Driving resources blog

Maidstone, Dartford & Canterbury Courier and parcel services

2008-07-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

Arrow Light Haulage is a professional Maidstone, Dartford & Canterbury courier and delivery company. We collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK.

We are part the UKs biggest transport network, so even though we are based in Stanford Le Hope, Essex we have the resources to collect from anywhere within 60 minutes or 30 minutes (premium service). Our drivers are polite and well trained, they know your reputation is in their hands.
We do the job right the first time, so the need for re-deliveries at your expense comes with using a cowboy not a professional courier.
You get what you pay for, next time you get a cheap quote for a courier you need to ask why its so cheap...
do they pay their drivers at the least minimum wage?
Are they insured?
Do they have the correct equipment to complete your delivery?
Are their drivers helpful, clean and polite?

Quite often you won't find out until something has gone wrong and then its too late.

Email for a parcel or express delivery quote by clicking here

What our customers say about us...

" I thought I would go cheaper after all it was only delivering clothes to a deadline, how hard could that be? I went with another courier and in a month I was billed £30,000 in fines from missed deadlines and port fines. I learned my lesson, professional couriers make the difference and are worth every penny and are not that much more expensive..."
Paul - Lightning Despatch

"It got there on time with ArrowLight Haulage, for the first time in months we don't have customers complaining about late deliveries or spillages and our equipment is still in perfect condition"
Brenda, LCS

We also collect and deliver for ebay sellers and customers too.
Items such as rare guitars bought from Ebay, the new owner didn't want to entrust it to a parcel company, he didn't want to take the chance it would be broken in the warehouse or in-transit.

We have even offered the government the use of our services, they certainly wouldn't lose valuable data when they used our services. :-)

Our parcel and delivery services for packages up to 15kgs is just £9.99 plus Vat for our customers, thats 5kg more than Interlink or DHL give you! There is no fuel surcharge to take you by surprise, no over weight or late collection fines, our prices are static.

Parcel deliveries collected in Essex, Kent or East London can be delivered throughout the UK, certain parts of Scotland are exempted but can be covered by our Express Delivery Services.

If its just Essex to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £7.99 plus Vat up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer. Again no Fuel surcharges, no hidden extras, just one flat rate.

Email for a Kent Courier parcel quote by clicking here

Or give us a call on 07816 528421

regards

Kevin

Email for a Parcel or Express delivery quote by clicking here

Stanford Le Hope, Corringham and Tilbury Parcels & Couriers | West Thurrock and Dartford Courier Blog | The Courier Shop for bussiness ebooks and driving resources | Driving resources blog

The lazy man's guide to driving...

2008-07-26T16:12:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia.. yes, really

Be a More Efficient Driver

Brakes are your enemy. When you step on them, you have spent gas to go nowhere. Think ahead to limit the amount of brakes that you need to use. Trust me, it becomes a habit very quickly and you no longer have to think.
Coast to red lights. Why use gas when you are going to have to stop?
Coast down hills. I see a lot of people gunning it just to have to brake when they reach person in front of them.
Coast to green lights far ahead of you. If it has been green for a LONG time, you might not make that light by the time you get there. That will force you to brake (see #1).
Don’t tailgate… …In fact do the opposite. Leave plenty of room between you and the person behind you. If the person needs to slow down a little, you can coast to catch up a little instead of using your breaks.
Take three rights instead of a left. UPS drivers do this in metro areas like NYC and found that they save fuel that would have been spent idling. Only look to do this at those really difficult left turns.

More can be read here - http://www.lazymanandmoney.com/how-to-save-on-gas-35-tips/

Practical, common sense tips for driving more fuel efficiently!

Regards

Kevin

Essex, Kent and East London parcel deliveries
Blow your redundancy money on becoming a courier

Road tax - have your say

2008-07-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia Yes, it’s true the Govenment wants to know what we think on road taxes etc.

Select Committee wants your views on road taxes and charges

The House of Commons Transport Committee is to look at road taxes and charges. It has several questions it wants answered, including what taxes and charges are paid to the government by road users, how much cash do they raise and how does this compare with national and local government spending on roads?
The committee also wants to know the effect of on individuals, businesses and the economy. It also wants to know about other ways of charging for road use; e.g. truck tolls and if foreign vehicles should pay to use UK roads.
If you have any points you’d like to make, get writing and tell them by Monday 29 September 2008.

More from Laura Kibby on +44(0)2 072 190 718 or kibbyl@parliament.uk

Can anyone think of any reason why foreign trucks should be exempt from our future road charges and tolls?

If so, please email Ms Kibby and let her know.

Regards

Kevin

East London, Essex and Kent courier and parcel delivery

Do you need to use a courier?

2008-07-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

Image by finishing-school via FlickrIf it was just about jumping in a van and driving from 'a' to 'b' anyone could do it, but the sad fact is, it's not that easy. Do you need a courier? Here are 10 reasons why we think you do, so if you have parcels and packages that need delivering give us a call on 0844 884 3331 or 07816 528421 and we will help you choose the right service for your delivery.

1. Dedicated Driver and Vehicle - Rapid response collection of 30 minutes and direct delivery to destination -or part loads if you need to save money and it's not so urgent.

2. Safety - Your goods are looked after and not placed with lots of other items - Risk of damage greatly reduced, there are certainly no footprints on anything we deliver! Fragile is no problem for us.

3. Time critical - When it can't wait until tomorrow, because your client needs it now

4. Valuable up to 25k in one consignment (Items that cannot be transported via Royal Mail due to their Value)

5. Professional - our courier is an extension of YOUR company, peace of mind that your hard earned reputation is still intact.

6. No Resources , You don't have the vehicle or staff to carry out the delivery

7. 24/7 Service We work no matter what time you need us

8. Helpful Staff - Our team can assist you throughout the whole process

9. Free Account Facilities - We offer free accounts to companies - Subject to acceptance

10. Cost Effective - We can greatly reduce your transport costs, call us to find out how.

Call Kevin on 07816 528421 or 0844 884 3331 (local rate)

East London Light removals, Express, parcel collection and delivery
Calling all couriers, win keep and grow customers

East London Parcel courier

2008-07-26T06:02:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaArrow Light Haulage is a professional Tilbury port courier and delivery company. We collect and deliver time critical goods and deliver them anywhere in the UK. We are part the UKs biggest transport network, we have the resources to collect from anywhere within 60 minutes or 30 minutes (premium service). Our drivers are polite and well trained, they know your reputation is in their hands.

We do the job right the first time, so the need for re-deliveries or port fines at your expense comes with using a cowboy not a professional courier.

You get what you pay for - next time you get a cheap quote for a courier you need to ask why its so cheap...
Do they pay their drivers at the least minimum wage?
Are they insured?
Do they have the correct equipment to complete your delivery?
Are their drivers helpful, clean and polite?

Quite often you won't find out until something has gone wrong and then its too late.

Email for a Essex and Kent courier quote by clicking here

Regards
Kevin
East London, Kent and Essex parcel collection and delivery
Sales tips and tricks for couriers

Calling all couriers - Do you plan to be a victim of the credit crunch or a survivor?

2008-07-26T05:48:00.000-07:00

Do you have enough business for all of your drivers?

Do you have drivers sitting about waiting for work?
Have you sent drivers home early this month to try and cut the wage bill?
Are you looking at or planning redundancies for drivers?

If you have answered yes to any of the above, you will be pleased to know there is a solution. If you don’t want to get into the above situations in your business then the solution could well fit you too.

Recently leading UK sales trainer Linda Mattacks from Cozo, has been looking at soft selling skills for courier businesses.

The result is the fantastic Calling all Couriers - Win, Keep and Grow Customers, a reasonably priced ebook on…. Winning, Keeping and Growing your customers.

Linda is passionate about making businesses grow and her enthusiasm for the hard hit (at the moment) courier industry cannot be faulted. As usual, she hasn’t rested on her laurels, but come up with pro-active ways to get more business for your business.

Just think: - as a result of reading the ebook:

* If you only save one customer who was about to be poached by the competition…
* If you handle one customer’s complaint so well he ends up singing your praises…
* If your customers pay you on time and in full…
* If you get one recommendation you’d never have got before…
* If you get one referral you’d never have got before…
* If you win one new, good customer from your gentle prospecting…
* If your sales letters, flyers and emails start producing better results…

Would you have drivers sitting around waiting for work? No, you may be well in the position of needing more drivers!

So, don’t stare into the abyss, look at the way to move forward.

Don’t become a victim of the credit crunch become a survivor.

Want to know more? Call Linda now on 020 7209 1284

Regards

Sarah
Essex Couriers, the cleaner greener way
Thinking of starting up as a courier?

Making more of the green stuff!

2008-07-26T05:41:00.000-07:00

Its becoming easier and easier to go greener in the office these days, so I have put together 10 top tips for this blog.

Print double sided in the office where possible.

Use light bulbs that are energy saving they can make quite a difference.

Switch off lights when they are not needed.

Computers and monitors are turned off when not in use & use the energy saving mode feature that many monitors have

Our ink cartridges are recycled and can be sent off for more recycling when they are empty.

Car Pool in the office for business journeys and start car share schemes for staff to make journeys to and from work.

Office waste paper is segregated and collected for recycling along with our vehicles waste paper.

Online selling & email campaigning is better than reliance on a sales force and it reduces energy usuage by huge amounts.

Support Fair Trade products. Great Tea, Coffee and Hot Chocolate is available in supermarkets, in particular the Co-op.

We use email whenever possible to communicate rather than fax or letter. We even send our invoices by Email.

Write an Environmental Policy, ours can be viewed on our website www.arrowlighthaulage.co.uk

Sounds good but don't want to do it yourself? Appoint an Environmental or 'Green Champion' to look after the green stuff, you will find its saves you lots of the Green Stuff in the long run!

Regards

Kevin - part time eco warrior, full time courier

East London Collection, national delivery?

Couriers - freelancing or self employed? you need to read this!

Thinking about becoming a self employed or freelance courier?

2008-07-26T05:32:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week we had success! Our book for people who want to be freelance or self employed couriers is now available. The book wrote from Kevin's experiences in the transport industry is aimed at helping start up courier businesses get the most of what is available and help avoid the pitfalls of starting up as a freelance or self employed courier.

We have been able to upload the sample Complete Courier Guide ebook instead of just the contents pages!

Hope this makes it easier for our potential customers to make a decision, and if it doesn’t and you want to speak to me, then please feel free to call my on 0844 884 3331.

Regards

Kevin
PS, I almost forgot - For more information, and a downloadable sample of Linda’s superb book ‘Calling all Couriers- Win Keep and Grow Customers, please visit Sales Success at the Courier Shop.co.uk

East London parcel and same day couriers
Sales success for couriers

Getting the best from your parcel delivery service

2008-07-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

I wrote this blog earlier today:

When time is money, the parcel networks work swiftly and work on volume.

You may only send one package a year, but if it doesn’t get delivered, it can be a total nightmare!
It may also cost you twice, and you need to check you are insured for the right amount, as if you are under-insured, you may not be able to make a successful claim.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Jul 2008
The entire article is about what you can do to stop losing parcels in the parcel networks.

Very few parcel networks are achieving our current 100% success rate, it takes a lot of hard work and effort, we not only don't charge fuel surcharges, we take the time to advise our customers how to package an item.

Next time you think cheaper is better, take into account what it will cost you to resend if it doesn't get there, or what a refund will cost.

Warm regards

Sarah

West Thurrock Courier, distribution and storage

Starting as a freelance or self employed courier?

How to deliver Giraffes.... and other gifts.

2008-07-25T06:59:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia
Yes, seriously... how do you deliver giraffes?

The challenge was laid down by Olivia, the owner of one of Norfolk's best gift shops.

Olivia sells the most gorgeous giraffes and these can be bought online, and they are then packed and sent to the customer.

The advice that I gave to Olivia is to package well, and explain to the customer than they made need to be in to collect their giraffe, as they tend to be too big (even in figurine form) to push through the letterbox!

When packaging gifts it's important to do it correctly so the item does not get damaged. It shocks me when I buy an item from an online store and it is sent to me wrapped in a bin liner. I am all for recycling packaging, but if you don't package correctly (thankfully Olivia does, and your giraffes will arrive in perfect condition) you item will arrive damaged.

As an online retailer this means you may have to send an item at your expense if you didn't pack it right the first time round!

As a customer that will leave you disappointed with your shopping experience, and frantically looking for a last minute gift.

So the next time you send a gift, make sure you take the time to pack it correctly, the smile in the recipients face will be priceless. You only have one chance to make the right impression, so do it right the first time.

Sarah

Essex, Kent and East London Couriers

Thinking of becoming a freelance courier?

Kerbside to Kerbside delivery - what exactly does it mean?

2008-07-25T06:24:00.001-07:00

I found this fascinating quote today:

As a customer it means your goods are not delivered to your doorstep, but onto the kerbside. The driver is under no obligation to help you move it through the garden gates or even through your doorway. This can leave you feeling pretty miffed off at the delivery company and the company where you bought your sofa, Aga or fridge freezer.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Jul 2008You can read the whole article at the Arrow Light Haulage blog.

This got me thinking, how do people on their own manage? How do the elderly manage?

With our courier services we offer two man team and help move the item you have bought into your home or desired location.

Once our drivers cross the threshhold of your house, they are no longer insured, and once the goods are unloaded from the vehicle they are no longer insured ( this works for all couriers). So, if everyone in the chain is prepared to be flexible, we can happily deliver your items.

We also deliver at a time that is convenient to you.

Regards

Sarah

Moving and delivering pianos

2008-07-25T06:11:00.000-07:00

Moving a piano is something for a specialist piano removal company.

If they are to expensive for you, and you feel that you can work around getting it re-tuned etc, then our courier services may be a possible solution.

What type of piano are you trying to move? Moving upright piano's is more common than being asked to move a grand piano.

One person on their own should not try this, and it's not uncommon to use 4 or 5 people to lift and maneuver it.

Starting with four 'helpers' place two at each end of the piano. You do not need any other assistance - don't let anyone other than your movers touch the piano (ie mums, dads, children or granny).

Cover the piano with a protective plastic sheet and make sure the lid is down and locked.

Most of the weight of an upright piano is located toward its back. It does tip over very easily. When moving it away from a wall, be absolutely certain no one is standing behind it.

Lift the piano on a heavy-duty dolly. Carefully. This will preserve tuning. It will also help keep movers from damaging the piano or your home. Remember to lift and roll the piano endways NOT sideways. Be careful of not exerting to much pressure on the front legs.

Keep hold of the handle behind the piano all the time it is moving. Watch out when rolling the dolly over thresholds/doorways and steps.

Move slowly so the piano won't tip over by being pushed too fast. It's easier to move over obstacles if moved slowly.

It helps if the vehicle you are loading it onto has a tail-lift, and then see that the piano is blanket wrapped and strapped to the van.

When moving a grand you must make sure to lift slightly to take some vertical pressure off the legs. If you don't the legs could get damaged or even break under the extreme pressure through lifting onto a dolly.

Most grand piano's have casters, but very few would roll on carpet, this makes it important to lift some of the weight off the legs when moving. Upright piano's also have castor's and again, it's very difficult to move them across carpet.

Email for a parcel / moving something awkward quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin
Essex courier and parcel distribution
Courier business start up

Getting quotes from Couriers

2008-07-25T06:04:00.001-07:00

I have borrowed this quote today:

With the weight and dimensions, we can work out the volumetric weight, and ensure your get the right size vehicle for your cargo.The Essex courier and parcel delivery company, Jul 2008It comes from the Arrow Light Haulage blog.

This got me thinking "What else do couriers ask, when they get a call for a quote?"

We ask for Post Codes, so we can give accurate pricing, we ask if a two man team is required if the item is over 25kgs. We also ask about how the item is packaged? so we can determine whether it's safe to transport.

What questions does your courier company ask? or are you only interested in a getting a price?

Sarah

Essex, Kent and East London Couriers
Thinking of starting up as a courier?

2008-07-25T01:11:00.000-07:00

What not to do when packing items for parcel delivery…

When packing items to send by courier or parcel network there are certain things you should NOT do… Some people forget, or perhaps didn’t know of the first place.

* Remember that all shipments can be opened by customs authorities for inspection - Do not over seal your package. Package securely and safely. If it really is that precious you need to consider sending it by dedicated courier vehicle.

* Do not use cellophane tape or rope to seal your shipment. Parcel tape always works best. Cellophane tape easily rips under pressure. Do I need to explain rope?

* Do not consider “Fragile” and “Handle with care” labels a substitute for packaging, you should still pack carefully and then label your items. Fragile and Handle with Care labels are for guidance only.

If you are not sure, please don’t hesitate to call us on 07816 528421 or send us an email, we are happy to help.

Kevin & Sarah, Arrow Light Haulage- The Essex, Kent and East London Courier and Delivery company

Packing hints, tips and tricks

2008-07-25T01:04:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

Items to send by parcel carrier or post?

* Choose the size of the packaging according to its content. Overloaded boxes may burst; under-filled boxes are likely to collapse

* Whenever possible use high quality materials for your shipments. Things to consider with your wrapping supplies are strength, cushioning, and of course durability

* If you can choose boxes made with corrugated cardboard, and good quality outer lining. Use heavy-duty double-layered board for your most valuable items.

* Make good use of cushioning materials, these can stop your items from moving.

* Put fragile goods in the centre of a package; ensuring they don’t touch the sides. If your item is well cushioned on all sides it has more chance of arriving in one piece.

* Liquids must be stored in leak-free containers, packed with a lightweight, strong, internal material- Styrofoam is a good choice, and sealed with a plastic bag. Remember that bad packaging may cause damage to surrounding items.

If an item is both fragile and valuable, then consider using a dedicated courier.

We are happy to advise where possible, just give us a call on 07816 528421 or Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin

Dartford, West Thurrock and Purfleet couriers

Lost in the post?

2008-07-25T00:55:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaParcels and packages go missing every day, your delivery can get lots of many reasons, the most common being insecure packaging (your items have become unwrapped in the sorting process) or the address label has come off. In some cases your item may be one of the items the Royal Mail isn't allowed to carry.

Royal mail doesn't have a tracking system for ordinary mail, first class, second class and recorded, if it's valuable you should really send Special Delivery or via a dedicated vehicle.

A claim form can be downloaded here

You will have to wait 15 days after you sent the parcel and 10 days after for Special Delivery before you submit your claim.

When you have printed your claim form, you should complete it very carefully, and error could invalidate your claim. You will need to provide the proof of posting for the letter / parcel that has gone astray.

If it is an ebay item, you will have to provide additional proof such as a printout of the Sale page and proof of payment for the item, such as paypal statement or credit card / bank statement.

If your item is delayed for more than 5 days, you can generally claim compensation for the delay, this normally in the form of stamps.

Details of the retail compensations scheme can be found here.

Good luck with your claim, next time perhaps consider using our parcels services.

Kevin Arrow
Kent Courier, Parcel delivery company 100% successful deliveries so far.....

What couriers are NOT allowed to deliver for you.

2008-07-25T00:51:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaWhat are couriers not allowed to deliver? Quite a few things, somethings are regulations and somethings are insurance restrictions.

1. They are not allowed to move livestock, there needs to be certain regulations and the welfare of the animals to be taken into account. So if you are looking to move livestock, you need a specialist livestock / farm transportation.

2.Explosives, a courier needs to be specially licensed to move these items, and the insurance rates are astronomical!

3.Radioactive items or radioactive waste, again to move these involves a special license and facilities.

If you have goods to move and would like to discuss your needs then please give us a call on 07816 528421 and we can advise.

Kevin Arrow

Are you a Kent based company looking to outsource your transport?

2008-07-25T00:40:00.000-07:00

Kent companies looking to outsource your couriers and deliveries?

Looking to save money? Looking to outsource your transport to make great time and money savings?

Then look no further than your local Kent, Essex and Herts Courier company, Arrow Light Haulage. Did you know the average Delivery driver earns between 15-18k per year? Plus holidays and pensions. Add in the cost of your van, whether you buy or lease, you are looking in the regions of another 5k a year when you add in servicing, insurances etc.

Do you really think you need all the drivers you have? As a company you can make significant savings but cutting back on your own transport and outsourcing the remainder.

Example, you have two delivery drivers that cost your company £40k a year. By having one and outsourcing the other you could save 7k by using Arrow Light Haulage to deliver on your behalf.

Find you are using a lot of agency staff? Quite often its cheaper to use a courier as you don’t have to train the driver, induct them, or show them how to use your paperwork/trucks/equipment. An Agency driver can cost you as much as £220 (inc VAT) a day, then they don’t get as much done as a regular courier would.

Just because you have a vehicle sitting their doing nothing, it doesn’t mean you are saving money by getting in a temp.

If you are a business based in Essex, Kent, Herts or London who wants to make significant savings on their costs, then give us a call now on 07816 528421.

regards

Kevin

Kent couriers delivering that bit greener!

Couriers? need to win more customers?

So you want to be a freelance or self employed Courier?

2008-07-24T15:43:00.000-07:00

Calling all drivers!

Do you want to start your own courier business?

Become a freelance courier? Be a self employed courier? where YOU are the boss?

Want to steer clear of the perils and pitfalls of being self employed and get your business up and running as soon as you can?

You have come to the right place then!

The Courier Shop is home to the Complete Courier Guide, written by Kevin Arrow, owner of Arrow Light Haulage. Kevin has been successfully trading since 2002 and has wrote this guide with the start-up courier in mind.

In this book you will learn
What vehicle is the right one for you
Why you should do your market research
How to source business
How to get to provide an excellent service as a subcontractor
Why you shouldn't actually call yourself a freelance courier...

What you will not get...
Pages and pages of out of date information.
A book crammed packed with names and number copied from the telephone book
Advice from some who has never run a courier business...

The Complete Courier Guide has answered all the questions that need answering in order for you to set up a successful courier business, just short of coming round and doing it for you.

If you want to be successful, put into action the advice in this book, work hard and you will soon be earning a decent living, only this time YOU are the boss.

Success as a freelance or self employed courier starts here! For just £29.99

So, the book is done, and hopefully I will help people not to blow their redundancies packages on unnecessary things, but help them maximise their income.

Let me know what you think.

Regards

Kevin

PS the sister book, Calling all couriers - how to grow, win and keep customers will be launched tomorrow. So, subscribe if you want to grow your own courier business.

Essex courier and parcel delivery
The complete guide to being a courier

What's hampering your delivery?

2008-07-24T15:41:00.000-07:00

Who delivers you hampers?

It's fast approaching the time of year where companies think about gifts to send their customers and suppliers.

At Arrow Light Haulage, we are happy to undertake the delivery of such hampers. Our smart, uniformed drivers take care to ensure they arrive safely and unbroken. There is nothing more likely to give the wrong impression than a bottle of wine or Port, smashed and soaking into all the other goodies. It really puts a dampener on a nice gesture.

If hampers are out of your companies range this year, we are happy to deliver fine wines through our parcel network.

Again these are delivered by smart, uniformed drivers and a signature obtained on delivery, so you can be sure the right person has got their gift.

This service is also ideal for Essex Ebayers and Essex shoppers who have to send Christmas presents throughout the UK, and it's only £9.99 plus VAT for up to 20kgs (volumetric weight).

So, if it's important enough to send, it's important enough to do it right the first time, so use Arrow Light Haulage for all your delivery and distribution needs.

Email for a parcel / distribution quote by clicking here

Regards

Kevin
Essex courier and parcel distribution
Courier business start up

How to move a motorbike by courier

2008-07-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Well, we don't do it like this! we deliver safely, securely and professionally!

2 people are required to load a motorbike safely, but one person can unload it.

Release the brake and with another strap, secure the passengers hand grip. This will stabilise the bike ready for transportation. It doesn't need to be covered as its securely strapped.

To do it any other way risks damage to the indicators and the engine. You will need a transit sized van or above.

If it seems to much hassle, give us a call, we happily transport / deliver Motorbikes, Quadbikes and similar items through out the country.

Regards

Kevin
(07816 528421)

Bought a car engine on Ebay?

2008-07-24T15:03:00.000-07:00

How to move a car / van / lorry engine.

When buying something on ebay, I must be one of the few people who don't worry about collection and delivery, because I have the vans at my disposal. That got me thinking about the most common things we deliver from our ebay customers....

Engines!

Whilst there are no specific requirements when moving an engine, it helps to prepare the engine first. In theory you could remove it from a vehicle and ‘throw’ it in the back of a van and it would get to it’s destination in one piece.

Here’s how to do it properly…

It’s advisable to remove all liquids, prior to engine removal.
That includes all coolants and oils.
When it’s removed, using soft rags plug the holes left by the hoses and pipes - this prevents residues leaking in the van and staining / damaging the van floor.

Where possible place the engine onto a plastic pallet, this is so that it if there is any spillage it can be easily removed and the pallet used again. A wooden pallet in this instance isn’t re-usuable.

It may be worth wrapping the engine in recycled plastic sheeting for it’s journey.

Secure the engine to the pallet using metal or plastic straps.

Be very careful if you are looking to co-load an engine with food, cardboard, any porous materials as it can contaminate and damage other items in transit.

Sarah
The greener Essex Courier company

Kent and Essex parcel & Package services

2008-07-24T14:53:00.000-07:00

Our parcel and delivery services for packages up to 15kgs is £10.00 plus Vat thats 5kg more than Interlink or DHL give you! No fuel surcharges, no overweight charges, what you pay for on the day, is the only price you will pay!

Ideal for businesses based in or around West Thurrock, Dartford, Purfleet or South Ockenden. We throughout the UK, certain parts of Scotland are exempted but can be covered by our Express Delivery Services, and you don’t even need to have to have an account - you can pay as you go….

Did we say no fuel surcharges? parcels getting delivered right the first time? no overweight fees? .... give us a call on 07816 528421

If its just Kent to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £9.00 plus Vat for up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer. Same day Kent to Essex from £20 including Vat if delivered to us or ready for collection by 10am!

Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Our other services include Express, Europe and Pallets:
Need to deliver fragile items?
Want to move your precious items and get them to there destination in one piece?
Sick of your items being delivered with boot prints on the packaging?

Transporting high value goods is not a hit and miss business when you use Arrow Light Haulage.

We move pallets throughout Essex, Kent and Herts at extremely low prices, and elsewhere in the UK our rates are extremely competitive.

Whatever your Kent courier and delivery requirements are give us a call 0844 884 3331 (Local, no matter where you are)

Sarah
Kent and Essex delivery services
Want to be a freelance courier?

Fuel saving hints and tips! from your Kent courier

2008-07-24T14:45:00.000-07:00

Image via WikipediaFill up on Monday to Friday - prices usually rise at the weekend. The cheapest times to buy Fuel are Tuesday lunchtime or Wednesday morning.

Filling up at night is better because pumps deliver more fuel when temperatures are lower.

Buy fuel from busy fuel stations. Supermarket fuel stations and the like that are constantly busy have their tanks refilled more which means the fuel is more likely to be fresh. Fresh fuel has more power than fuel that may become contaminated by sitting dormant in the tanks.

For safer driving and fuel tips please visit our website www.arrowlighthaulage.co.uk and sign up to our blog subscription services, so you don't miss a thing!

To book our greener courier services please call 0844 884 331

regards

Kevin
Thinking of becoming a freelance courier?
Kent, Thurrock, Dartford Courier needed?

Kent / Essex Medical Courier or bloody couriers?

2008-07-24T14:40:00.000-07:00

Bio-Medical couriers?

When you need a courier, do you ask or test the capability of the courier? or just say yes to the cheapest one?

How do you feel when they ask questions back?

Well an NHS lab in Oxford found out the hard way when they booked a local courier to take some blood samples just 120 miles up the road. They didn't tell the courier it was blood, and the courier company didn't ask what the items were either.

So, the driver picked up the cardboard box and the documents, put the box in the footwell, directly under the heater and drove off. It was a cold day, and the heater was on full blast, and for nearly 3 hours the blood sat and cooked and congealed nicely... and was no use what so ever when it reached it's destination.

Communication at both ends would have prevented this from happening, but if the communication isn't coming from the company taking the job, in order to do it right, it needs to come from you.

When you need to move lab samples, blood samples, medicines or medical items do you ask the right questions? or do you find yourself paying for re-deliveries?

The courier company that did this job is no longer trading, it was to much like hard work to establish the customers needs and tailor their service.

Need advice? Call us on 07816 528421

Kevin
Essex & Kent greener, cleaner deliveries

IT equipment movements, a modern day fairy tale? or is it!

2008-07-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Moving IT Equipment, servers and the like....

Once upon a time, Byte and Bit Server manufacturers needed to have one of their servers delivered to a customer. They had decided wisely that a courier should deliver the server units, as with the credit crunch and economic downturn, they would save money by no longer having their own delivery vans and drivers. They were saving a small fortune until they employed Breakit & Bashit couriers, the cheapest company in town.

They rubbed their hands with glee, they were certainly going to save money here! They called B&B in, and they had the wrong size vehicle booked, the booking clerk didn’t take the correct details, not to worry, they will send a new correctly sized vehicle. They did 4 hours later, but that was ok, they would still just get it to their important new customer on time.

The server had to be laid down, and the van didn’t have carpet on the floor, so it had to be pushed onto the van carefully or the outer casing of the unit would get damaged through the packaging. B&B also had some furniture on the van and shoddily wrapped pallet of ball bearings.
The driver didn’t seem to bothered about this, so Byte and Bit and didn’t worry after all, they were in the hands of the professionals.

The driver took the paperwork and set off on his journey. On the M25 he did a lot of violent braking and fast accelerating, and the pallet of ball bearings burst through the poor packaging and spilled all over the interior of the van.

After the customer had waited 2 hours past their business closing time, the delivery was finally made, and the server delivered just to the kerbside. The client of Byte and Bit wasn’t very happy, and didn’t have a good impression of Byte and Bit.

They installed their server, but it didn’t work, several ball bearings had got into the casing. Engineers had to be sent at Byte and Bits expense, and then a replacement unit was delivered.

This is a fairy tale right? Sadly no, only the names have been changed to protect the not so innocent!

By using Arrow Light Haulage to deliver their server units Byte and But wouldn’t have been late, they wouldn’t have created the wrong impression and they wouldn’t have had to redeliver a perfect item to their customer to replace the damaged server.

You get what you pay for when it comes to delivering your goods, and if you want to create the right impression then you need to use the right courier from the start.

Just give a call to discuss your delivery needs on 07816 528421, we will even wrap and pack for you as part of our premium services.

Make sure your deliveries end with ‘happily ever after’ by using the Essex based courier company that delivers safely, nationwide

Kevin Arrow

Kent Couriers collecting locally, delivering nationally

Delivering documents around Kent, Essex and East London

2008-07-24T14:05:00.000-07:00

Documents and blueprint collection and delivery in Essex, Kent & East London

No matter if your business needs require file deliveries or courier services for subpoenas and court documents, Arrow Light Haulage is the premier Kent area delivery service preferred by law professionals throughout the county.

* Law Firms
* Paralegals
* Court Services

All these make use of our safe, secure & signed for delivery services.

Call 07816 528421 to discuss your requirements now!

If its just Kent to Essex, we can do your parcels overnight for £9.00 plus Vat for up to 15kgs, again more than the other local parcel companies offer. Same day Dartford (Essex side of the river) to Essex from £20 including Vat if delivered to us or ready for collection by 10am!

Email for a parcel quote by clicking here

Kevin Arrow

Packing a chandelier for posting

2008-07-24T14:02:00.000-07:00

Firstly, I wouldn't send a chandelier by post unless I really had to, with a high value, fragile item I would always opt for a dedicated courier vehicle. These carry higher insurances and have nothing else on the vehicle except for your item, making it less likely to get damaged.

Sometimes, you need to send it via the post or an Essex, Kent, East London parcel company such as Arrow Light Haulage. So to get it there in one piece, find a box big enough for the chandelier and the packaging. You will need to remember if the item is over 25kgs it will need to be lifted by 2 people - HSE rules.

Wrap all the loose parts with bubble wrap and tape securely. Place gently onto a polystyrene base and then fill with polystyrene chips or popcorn. Place another polystyrene bad gently on the top of the Chandelier, taking care not to damage the item. before you secure the box, check that the item isn't ratting around in the box, if it is add more chips and perhaps pad out with scrunched up balls of newspaper.

When the Chandelier is secure, tape the box closed and write on the box in marker pen, the address. Why not a label? because a label may get torn, or damaged and your item may get 'lost' in the system.

If you don't want to pack it yourself, we can do this as part of our premium services. Just give us a call on 07816 528421 and we will discuss how we can help you.

Kevin

Calling all Couriers! Buy, Win, Keep & Grow Customers now!

2008-07-24T13:59:00.000-07:00

Courier companies - Credit crunch victims or survivors?

Do you have enough business for all of your drivers?

Do you have drivers sitting about waiting for work?
Have you sent drivers home early this month to try and cut the wage bill?
Are you looking at redundancies for drivers?

Recently leading UK sales trainer Linda Mattacks from Cozo, has been looking at soft selling skills for courier businesses.

The result is the fantastic Calling all Couriers - Win, Keep and Grow Customers, a reasonably priced ebook on…. Winning, Keeping and Growing your customers.

Just think: - as a result of reading the ebook:

Would you have drivers sitting around waiting for work? No, you may be well in the position of needing more drivers!

So, don’t stare into the abyss, look at the way to move forward.

Don’t become a victim of the credit crunch become a survivor.

Want to know more? Call Linda now on 020 7209 1284

Regards

Sarah
Essex Couriers, the cleaner greener way
Thinking of starting up as a courier?