7 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Courier

Choosing a courier service can feel like a gamble — especially if you've been burned before by late deliveries, damaged goods, or services that simply didn't deliver on their promises.

The good news is that asking the right questions upfront can save you a lot of frustration down the line. Here are seven questions every business should ask before hiring a courier.

1. Is My Delivery Dedicated or Shared?

This is arguably the most important question you can ask, and it's one that many people don't think to raise.

A dedicated delivery means your consignment travels alone in its own vehicle, directly from collection to destination. A shared delivery means your items travel alongside other parcels, often through sorting depots and on multi-drop routes.

For urgent, fragile, or high-value items, dedicated delivery is almost always the better choice. It's faster, more secure, and gives you far more control over how your goods are handled.

2. What Insurance Do You Carry?

Every professional courier should carry Goods-in-Transit (GIT) insurance as standard. This covers the value of your consignment while it's being transported.

Ask specifically:

• What is the maximum cover per consignment?
• Are there any exclusions (fragile items, high-value goods, electronics)?
• Can they provide proof of insurance if requested?

If a courier can't answer these questions clearly, that's a red flag. At Roebuck, we're fully insured for every job we undertake — it's not optional, it's standard.

3. Can I Speak Directly to the Driver?

When your delivery is time-sensitive, you need real information — not a customer service script. Being able to call the driver directly means you can get genuine updates on collection times, ETAs, and any issues that arise.

Many larger courier networks route all communication through call centres, which adds delay and often means the person you're speaking to has no idea where your specific parcel is. Direct driver contact is one of the simplest indicators of a quality courier service.

4. What Proof of Delivery Do You Provide?

A signature on a handheld device is the industry minimum — but it doesn't tell you much. Was the item left in the right place? Was the packaging intact? Was it received by the correct person?

Photographic proof of delivery provides a visual record that answers all of these questions. It's particularly valuable for:

• High-value consignments where condition on arrival matters
• Deliveries to unattended premises or loading bays
• Medical and legal deliveries where chain of custody is important
• Resolving any disputes about whether goods were delivered

5. What Vehicles Do You Have Available?

The right vehicle for a small document delivery is very different from the right vehicle for a pallet of machine parts. A good courier service should have a range of options:

• Motorcycles — ideal for documents, small packages, and urgent city deliveries
• Small vans (SWB) — perfect for boxes, medical consignments, and multi-item loads
• Medium vans (MWB) — for larger consignments and bulkier items
• Large vans (XLWB) — for pallets, oversized items, and full commercial loads

Matching the vehicle to the job ensures your goods are transported safely and you're not overpaying for capacity you don't need. See our full fleet for details.

6. Do You Operate Out of Hours?

Business doesn't always run to a 9-to-5 schedule. Manufacturing plants run night shifts. Hospitals need deliveries at weekends. Legal deadlines don't pause for bank holidays.

If your business has any chance of needing deliveries outside standard hours, confirm this upfront. Some couriers charge significant premiums for out-of-hours work, while others — like Roebuck — offer out-of-hours delivery as a core part of the service.

7. Are Your Vehicles Branded or Unbranded?

This might seem like a minor detail, but for many businesses it matters. Unbranded vehicles offer discretion — particularly important for:

• Confidential legal and financial deliveries
• Medical consignments where patient privacy is a concern
• High-value goods where a branded courier van might attract unwanted attention
• Businesses that want deliveries to appear as if they came from their own fleet

All of our vehicles at Roebuck are unbranded, giving our customers an added layer of discretion and security.

The Bottom Line

A reliable courier is a genuine business asset — but finding one requires asking the right questions. Don't assume that every courier operates the same way, because the differences in service quality can be enormous.

Take five minutes to ask these seven questions before booking, and you'll have a much clearer picture of what you're actually getting for your money.

Get in Touch

At Roebuck Courier Service, we're always happy to answer questions — no obligation, no hard sell. We provide dedicated courier services across Derby, Nottingham, Leicester, and the wider East Midlands.

Call us on 07412 554169 or visit our Get a Quote page.