Plan, procure, execute, & track transportation for every shipment across your supply chain & logistics operations
A SaaS solution to help grow your business by achieving 100% perfect order execution at high volumes
Increase vehicle capacity utilization and customer promise adherence
Grow your business with omnichannel presence and automated pickups
Consolidate shipments for hub to hub movement across land and air
Real-time customer communications and collect accurate PODs
Orchestrate logistics operations with multiple 3rd party carriers
Achieve cost effective, scalable, sustainable, and customer centric deliveries
Orchestrate all your cross-border logistics operations with ease
Improve address accuracy, ensure first-attempt delivery success, reduce costs and boost customer experience
Gain end-to-end shipment visibility, get proactive alerts, and send customers live tracking links
Grow business in a dynamic world and manage operations across First, Middle & Last mile
Delight customers by seamlessly managing store and online orders across own fleet and 3rd party
Reduce freight costs & get end to end visibility across shipments
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The global courier, express, and parcel industry is expected to hit the USD 540.8 Billion mark by 2028. In India, the market size is expected to be USD 15.75 Billion by 2028, demonstrating a growth rate of 16.69 % CAGR. As the industry gains momentum and the global parcels-shipped volume inches closer to the projected 266 billion by 2026, the demand for the best courier services is reaching sky-high.
While the business use cases for courier services vary across businesses and brands, the need for advanced management capabilities and comprehensive functionalities, such as automated alerts, order management, automated workflows, etc., remains a constant.
Below, we explore how the best courier service providers can help businesses overcome multiple challenges and what major business benefits they offer. We also share the names of the companies that offer the best courier services and some key considerations businesses should have in mind while investing in a courier service provider.
These are the core services provided by courier companies. Businesses can offer safe and reliable time-sensitive deliveries. Apart from express services, courier companies also provide standard delivery options for less time-sensitive shipments. These services usually come at a lower cost compared to express delivery.
Companies offering courier services facilitate shipments across international borders as well. They handle the complex processes involved in international logistics, such as customs clearance and international regulations, and ensure the timely delivery of packages to destinations worldwide.
Companies with the best courier services offer real-time parcel tracking for each shipment and also send automated status updates. Thus, businesses can keep track of shipment movements and share them with end customers as well. This instills trust and transparency and elevates the CX while improving visibility across logistical components.
Courier service providers also offer special handling services for fragile, perishable, or high-value items. They also provide warehousing and fulfillment services for businesses, enabling them to store inventory and manage order fulfillment efficiently.
Courier service providers often integrate their services with e-commerce platforms, allowing businesses to seamlessly process orders and arrange deliveries directly from their online stores. Depending on the specific requirements of clients, courier service providers also provide customized solutions, including dedicated fleets, route optimization, and tailored delivery schedules.
Many courier companies handle the reverse logistics process as well, managing returns and exchanges on behalf of businesses and customers. They also offer services for returning the shipment to the origin or some other hub/warehouse for temporary storage etc.
Now that we have had a detailed overview of the key service offerings of a courier service provider, let us move on to explore the names of the companies that offer the best courier services.
DTDC (Desk to Desk Courier & Cargo) Express Limited is a leading name in the industry and offers the best courier services, such as express parcel deliveries, international logistics, and integrated eCommerce logistics solutions. The company offers multiple business-specific services, such as cash-on-delivery, bulk shipping, heavyweight shipping, express delivery, and more.
DTDC specializes in the transportation of parcels, documents, and goods, providing reliable and efficient shipping solutions. It provides both inter-state and intra-city delivery options and has a comprehensive range of services, including domestic and international courier delivery, supply chain solutions, e-commerce logistics, freight forwarding, and warehousing.
DHL (Dalsey, Hillblom, and Lynn) is a prominent international brand providing the best courier services across the globe. The company excels in international shipping, express courier services, freight transportation, and supply chain solutions. Operating across a vast network that spans over 220 countries and territories, DHL guarantees dependable and swift delivery of packages and documents worldwide.
Their services cater to a diverse range of industries, from eCommerce and healthcare to automotive and beyond. DHL is acclaimed for its proficiency in handling intricate logistics operations, streamlining supply chains, and delivering unparalleled customer service on a global level.
FedEx is another prominent name in the courier service industry and offers a diverse set of logistics services for a wide range of products, including heavyweight, fragile, and high-value goods. They cater to various industries, including eCommerce, healthcare, automotive, and more.
The company also offers a number of IT offerings, such as APIs for various capabilities, such as simplified returns management, efficient shipping label creation, and comprehensive performance reporting. DHL is known for its expertise in managing complex logistics operations, optimizing supply chains, and delivering exceptional customer service on a global scale
Blue Dart specializes in express and courier services and has a strong domestic and international presence. It offers a wide range of solutions, including domestic and international shipping, secure and timely delivery of parcels and documents, and specialized services for various industries. Blue Dart Tracking API enables eCommerce companies to efficiently track their inbound and outbound shipments in real-time.
Known for its reliable delivery network and advanced tracking systems, Blue Dart caters to both individual customers and businesses, making it a preferred choice for fast and efficient logistics solutions in India. The company’s commitment to customer satisfaction and innovative approach has established its position as a trusted and dependable logistics partner.
Ecom Express specializes in e-commerce logistics and provides end-to-end solutions, including order fulfillment, warehousing, inventory management, and last-mile delivery. The company offers express delivery, fulfillment, returns, quality check-enabled reverse logistics services, transportation of large and bulky products, doorstep compliance services, and more.
The company offers three core business offerings, namely Ecom Express Services (EXS), Ecom Fulfilment Services (EFS), and Ecom Digital Services (EDS). Through these comprehensive solutions, Ecom Express empowers businesses to enhance their logistical efficiency and provide a seamless customer experience. From reliable courier services to efficient order fulfillment and digital solutions, Ecom Express stands as a valuable partner in the success of businesses across various industries.
GATI is a prominent name in the logistics sector and offers the best courier services across multiple industries. The company offers a wide range of distribution options for eCommerce brands as well to cater to their diverse needs. Key business offerings of Gati include express delivery services, express distribution, supply chain management, cold chain solutions, e-commerce logistics, and warehousing.
The company also offers additional services such as GST services, transportation services, end-to-end logistics services, freight forwarding, and more. The company also offers a number of digital services and tools to make it easier for businesses to orchestrate and manage their field and hub operations.
Aramex is a leading global logistics provider and is one of the major players in the courier and logistics industry. The company has a strong international presence in around 70 countries and offers a wide range of logistics and transportation services. Some core offerings from the company comprise international logistics, express delivery, road, air, and sea freight, supply chain management, consumer retail services, e-commerce shipping and fulfillment solutions, technical support, and more. The company provides advanced warehousing facilities, efficient inventory management, valuable insights, and real-time order tracking capabilities.
Ekart Logistics is a leading courier service provider in India that offers comprehensive supply chain and fulfillment services. The company offers a smart API that allows businesses to connect with multiple online marketplaces and storefronts, enabling them to offer different types of payment gateways to customers, which include cash on delivery, UPI, wallets, and net banking.
Some other service offerings of Ekart include easy pick-up and delivery from businesses to end customers, multiple payment options, reverse logistics, and advanced management of logistics movements across the first, middle, and last mile.
The company offers a comprehensive range of logistics solutions to meet the needs of various businesses. One of the key areas of expertise for Safe Express lies in express parcel delivery. They excel in delivering packages swiftly and securely, both for domestic and international shipments. Customers can rely on their timely deliveries, ensuring that their goods reach their intended destinations without delays.
The company also specializes in freight transportation and caters to businesses requiring the movement of goods in bulk, offering both full truckload (FTL) and less-than-truckload (LTL) services. It also offers warehousing services, efficient distribution, reverse logistics, manages returns and exchanges for businesses, and specialized e-commerce logistics services, including last-mile delivery and efficient order fulfillment.
Delhivery is a prominent logistics and supply chain services company that also offers excellent courier services. It has a strong presence in the e-commerce sector and offers a wide range of comprehensive solutions for businesses seeking efficient logistics and delivery services.
One of its key offerings is e-commerce fulfillment with end-to-end solutions, such as warehousing, order processing, packaging, and last-mile delivery. The company specializes in express parcel delivery, catering to both domestic and international shipments. In addition to its e-commerce and express services, Delhivery provides freight transportation solutions for businesses requiring the movement of goods in bulk.
In response to the evolving complexity of delivery demands and the growing customer preference for same-day or next-day deliveries worldwide, businesses are now turning to multiple courier partners to fulfill their transportation requirements.
As digitally-powered shoppers continue to increase in numbers, their expectations are increasingly geared toward specialized services, including real-time tracking, proactive communication, and flexible payment options. Fulfilling such diverse expectations necessitates a sophisticated and diverse tech stack that empowers delivery operations, facilitates seamless management of multiple couriers, and provides a unified view of operations.
This is where intelligent automation, multi-party integration, and seamless stakeholder collaboration become essential components, offering the most promising path forward to meet the evolving demands of modern consumers and businesses alike.
Next, we discuss how intelligent automation can help businesses work with multiple couriers at once and unlock optimal operational efficiencies.
As a retailer, determining the right courier partner for each type of delivery poses a significant challenge. While manually selecting a courier company may be feasible for a small number of orders, as the business expands and order volume rises, managing this task manually becomes increasingly difficult.
To address this issue, advanced courier management solutions come equipped with an AI-based allocation engine. This intelligent system takes into account multiple crucial parameters, including shipment type, SKU type, best service level agreement (SLA), order type, and more. By analyzing these factors, the system can efficiently choose the most suitable courier provider for each individual order, streamlining the delivery process and ensuring optimal service for customers.
The absence of control and the inability to track consignments can have a direct impact on both the cost of delivery and the overall customer experience. However, with a smart Multi-Courier Management platform, retailers gain the ability to track all their shipments, whether they are sent via the same courier provider or multiple ones, all from a single dashboard.
Moreover, an intelligent solution provides comprehensive analytics for every activity related to the delivery process. By automatically sending alerts for each delivery milestone, it ensures that all stakeholders remain well-informed throughout the process, promoting transparency among all parties involved. This level of visibility and real-time updates contribute significantly to enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery operations and leveraging the best courier services for optimal profitability.
The variation in delivery-related alerts and milestones from different 3PLs creates challenges in achieving centralized control over multiple shipments. One courier provider might send a message like “your order is out for delivery,” while another may use “parcel is out for delivery.” This lack of standardization complicates the coordination process.
However, a smart multiple courier management solution offers retailers the flexibility to standardize such delivery-related messages. Regardless of the 3PL used, customers will consistently receive delivery alerts in the format specified by the retailer. This standardization enhances coordination and ensures a seamless customer experience, allowing retailers to efficiently manage their delivery operations across multiple providers.
Centralizing operations, communication, and tasks across multiple courier partners is vital for system profitability. Intelligent multi-courier management solutions offer CXO dashboards with integrated capabilities for insights and streamlined management. Businesses can easily create indents for vendors, settle bulk invoices, automate shipment routing, and take consolidated actions. They can monitor partner performance against SLAs and metrics for accurate assessment and gain direct visibility into field operations to address urgent situations promptly. Enhanced efficiency and customer satisfaction lead to a successful and profitable logistics management system.
Another excellent capability offered by automation-powered multiple courier management systems is the cost calculator. Businesses can create directories for courier rates, turnaround times (TAT), and serviceability offered by partners. The system automatically generates a comparative price list for all courier partners each time a shipment is to be delivered, allowing businesses to select the most suitable carrier based on shipment and delivery requirements.
Additionally, the cost calculators are integrated with partner selection and prioritization modules, automating the process based on set factors and constraints. Businesses no longer need to manually manage partner selection, as updates can be easily made as needed.
Effective monitoring of courier partner performance and adherence to service level agreements (SLAs) is crucial for retailers to benchmark performance, evaluate the business value of each courier provider, and make informed decisions. Smart courier management solutions provide data-driven insights, including on-time delivery percentage, successful and failed deliveries, and more.
Moreover, these advanced solutions facilitate NDR (Non-Delivery Report) management and help prevent fake delivery attempts. Armed with these valuable insights, retailers can strategically assess and identify the most profitable and top-performing logistics partners. This data-driven approach empowers businesses to optimize their logistics operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and maximize business outcomes by collaborating with the partners that offer the best courier services.
Multi-Carrier Management (MCM) platform offers eCommerce and other businesses the opportunity to seamlessly manage multiple courier partners to ensure streamlined logistics operations and efficient last-mile deliveries.
With the platform, businesses and their stakeholders can track all their shipments through a unified dashboard, digitize rate and TAT (Turnaround Time) contracts to compare and evaluate 3PL rates as well as serviceability. The solution also automates the label generation process, providing universally accepted labels across all carriers.
Additionally, Shipsy’s MCM solution harnesses the power of business intelligence, enabling businesses to measure key performance indicators (KPIs) of their courier partners. It facilitates the identification and mitigation of risks in logistics operations while offering actionable insights to improve decision-making.
With more than 120 ready-to-use integrations, the software simplifies and expedites the onboarding process. By leveraging Shipsy’s Multi-Carrier Management Solution, businesses can unlock a range of benefits that optimize their logistics operations and enhance overall efficiency.
To know Shipsy’s Multi-Carrier Management platform in detail, please get in touch with our experts and request a customized demo today.
Explore how smart, scalable, and robust 3PL logistics solutions can help your business make the most of the US $4.23 trillion eCommerce opportunity in this 3PL logistics guide for 2023.
The rapid rise of eCommerce in domestic and cross-border markets, increasing delivery costs, and the popularity of the same-day delivery model are calling for multiple courier partners.
