Tips to Avoiding Missed Pickups

Missed pickups are a logistics company’s worst nightmare.  Yet, they happen regularly.  When you are looking at avoiding them as much as possible, the details will make all of the difference.  Specifically, organization and a focus on communication between parties.  Take a look at the details to keep in mind.

Top tips for avoiding missed pickups

Since no one wants to be worried about missing pickups on top of all the other things to keep in mind when on the journey (short or long), you’ll want to use these tips to help avoid them in the first place.

Schedule 24 hours in advance minimum

You and the consumer both know that you could do it with less, but things happen. Always schedule 24 hours in advance at the very least, and try to aim for longer whenever possible.  It builds in time to help you skirt around a scheduling disaster so that the result is not a missed pickup.

Keep an eye on the weather along the route

Weather is one of the most common causes for missed pickups. It’s also one of the few things that can’t be controlled.  To help keep everyone working with the same information on the same details, you’ll want to keep a close eye on the weather along the route that you’re travelling.  Tune into those on the road, too, and see what they’re experiencing as far as delays so that you can let the person on the other end know what to expect.

Have all information accurate and up to date on all the paperwork

Another common not-talked-about reason for missed pickups and delay is the paperwork.  Yes, seriously.  To keep everything straightforward, have all information (including location and hours) up to date on all paperwork.  Pair that with a detailed inventory so that you can ensure everything is onboard.  Organization is key to doing everything right.

Double and triple check the hours of operation

The hours are the hours. Make sure you arrive for the pickup during those hours of operation otherwise it’ll all be for naught.  Ideally you’ll want to check these out before you start, and arrange to be at their pickup location within a certain window.  At the very least, though, keep their hours in mind for a positive and professional experience.

Plan to be early

This is an oldie, but a goodie. Deliberately build in extra time to your schedule so that you never have to worry about being late if you end up stuck in traffic or run into some weather.  It keeps stress levels down and customers happy.  Worst case, upon being early, you can find a place nearby and take a well-deserved break.

It seems wild to think that little details like these can make the difference when looking for a successful pick up, but it really is that simple.  Implement all these details, and more that you can think of, for a positive pickup experience for you and the person on the other side!