Tips for Taking the Stress Out of Your Ground Shipping

Brooke Chaplan

September 23, 2016


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Ground shipping is the process of transporting products by land, either by train, truck, bus, or car. While ground shipping has undergone a series of refinements over the past several decades, it remains a stressful task for the millions of workers involved in day-to-day shipment, from delivery truck drivers, to warehouse pickers and packers. As a business owner, here are four tips you can implement to take the stress out of your ground shipping systems.

Bring on Temp Workers
Depending on your business, there are times of year when order volume is at an all-time high. You can either require your existing workforce to clock in more hours to get the job done, or bring in temporary workers. In some cases, the latter is a cheaper alternative than paying time and a half to your current employees. Consider this tip before the holiday season when customers are shopping for Christmas presents.

Establish Regular Standards
A great example of this is standardized packaging. Ordering the right sized boxes will give your workers an easier time in packing and shipping items. Another standard that serves as a quality check, is how workers encase items into the box. Packing standards will ensure that all items are safely packed and shipped to its intended recipients. Don’t make exceptions and be sure all employees know the standards they are being held to.

Another way to standardize is to be sure your ground vehicles are all the same. You might hire out for this task, or if you have your own fleet, make sure they rely on similar GPS systems and truck storage. If you have different sized vehicles, use a tarp to distinguish them as part of your company. Glider Systems Inc tarps can cover most sizes and help you keep things standardized.

Automate Tasks
Anything that can be automated should be, assuming that it bears minimal downside with better upside potential. No matter the type of business you operate, there's always mundane areas you can automate. In a warehouse setting, for example, you can automate the processes of insuring a high-value item, writing invoices, and tracking packages that are en route. Find a tracking systems to help you track and organize items in the warehouse. There are many of these that can be used on your mobile devices for faster processing.

Organize Everything
Organize all necessary shipping supplies and equipment and encourage employees to do the same with their desks or cubicles. Boxes should be stacked according to its size or provided name. Bubble wrap, ribbons, and gift wrapping paper must have their own separate sections. Designate a trash bin or recycling container around the facility so that employees can easily discard scraps of paper, ribbons, and bubble wrap.

Not only does these four tips take the stress out of running a ground shipping department, but it also streamlines the workflow of your business, trimming down expenses from too much stock and increasing the rate of items going out of the shipping facility. Whether you're a tech startup or a semi-truck tarp seller, there is so much to gain from a smoother shipment flow.