Mis-routed parcel

Mis-routed parcel

As the volume of shipments sent throughout the world increases, the number of potential logistics problems or complicated situations rises as well is also on the rise. A misrouted parcel is an unwanted scenario for both logistics companies on one side and individuals and businesses on the other side.

A misrouted parcel can sometimes lead to misdelivery. But these two words do not mean the same thing. When a parcel is misrouted, things can be rectified soon enough before the package is sent to the wrong address., and thus misdelivered.

If you are running an e-commerce and you need to send your customers the items, you will want to make sure that the shipping process works smoothly. Otherwise, you will most certainly be the first one to blame if the shipment is misrouted.

But don’t think that a misrouted parcel is a problem only for the end customers. This is also an issue for the logistics companies that need to make several adjustments to put things back on track. And all the changes translate into more costs for them.

In this article, we will lay down the reasons why packages are misrouted and how to request a re-routing of your parcel.

When does a parcel get mis-routed?
There are a couple of reasons why a parcel can get misrouted. Sometimes, the logistics company is accountable for the mistakes, while in other situations, the mistakes have been made by the customers themselves.

    Incorrect or incomplete address
When it comes to addresses, there should be no room for interpretations. The delivery address has to be clear and complete.
If you are running a business and have to deliver packages to your customers, make sure you double check the shipping address they provide you with.
This is one of the most common problems that the logistics providers are dealing with on a daily basis. People involuntarily make mistakes when they type in the address or overlook details that are crucial for the courier driver to find the location (such as the name on the doorbell or the intercom number).

    Parcel delivery to the neighbour
Sometimes, when the consignee is not present at the address at the time of the delivery, the courier company delivers the package to the neighbours.
Once again, if you are running a business and ship package to your customers, it might be a good idea to choose a shipping service that requires a signature upon delivery. Also, you should specifically request the logistics company you are working with to hand over the packages only to the consignee. In this way, you can make sure that the shipment arrives at the right place and you will avoid complaints from your customers.

    Human and machine error
In logistics, packages are sorted both mechanically and manually.
When it comes to automated processes, even the most flawless system can sometimes face an issue. A shipment can be misrouted due to mistakes in sorting process, which takes place on the conveyer belts. Logistics facilities handle thousands of packages per day. It is understandable that every once in a while, an error can occur.
While you cannot do much to prevent such happenings, you should always try to track the parcels you are sending online. In this way, you will be able to see if they mistakenly took any detour. The error will most likely come to light later, during the transit. If you have booked a service which guarantees delivery on time, the error will be noticed soon.
Regarding human errors, they can occur when the package is manually loaded into the wrong truck or if simply the courier driver attaches the wrong label to the wrong package.
These are the cases when the parcel will most certainly be misrouted. This is why, if you are constantly shipping parcels, at the time of the pickup, make sure you double check which label goes on which package.

Just note that:
    Sometimes, the tracking system might provide you with information suggesting the parcel is heading in the wrong directions. However, this is not necessarily a reason to worry. The logistics companies are mapping the routes based on their local facilities. So even if the package seems to take a longer route than expected, you don’t need to worry that it is misrouted. For instance, you are shipping from the UK to Italy, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the package will travel the shortest distance possible. The routes are chosen in a way that would be the most cost-effective solution.
    A misrouted parcel will always show in the tracking system. A sign of misrouted shipment is when the parcel does not reach the delivery address in the estimated time. Also, if the tracking system shows that the parcel is being bounced back and forth between the same locations.

 

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