How to Accurately Price Your Courier Work

Over and under pricing are pitfalls that any courier company can fall into. There needs to be the right balance between your cost of operation and customer satisfaction.
By having a proper understanding of your customer's needs and the resources that you have available, calculating your quotes does not need to be guesswork.
Mileage. This may seem like the most obvious factor to take into consideration but it is surprising how often this can become your greatest pitfall. If your distance calculation is incorrect, this can easily add or subtract hundreds of pounds to your courier work price estimations. Always ensure that you use an accurate system to measure the route distance and the amount of fuel you will be using. Vehicle wear and tear also needs to be taken into consideration and factored into the overall mileage cost.
Size and type of delivery. No two loads are the same and having a good understanding of the items to be delivered will help to keep this cost factor accurate. Make sure your courier work has a set pricing structure for oversized items and stick to it. If the individual items are over the dimension size that you have specified, be sure to add in additional cost for the space lost which could have been used to store another package.
Discounts. It's a common practice to offer discounted prices for your courier work with repeat customers. This goes a long way to developing and sustaining long term relationships. Offering a discount may reduce your short term profit but will show benefit in the long term when your customers return for repeat business. It is also beneficial to inform new customers that you offer discounts if they choose to use your services on a regular basis.
Binding and packaging. It may not seem like you use many of these materials on an individual delivery basis, but over the course of several weeks the cost of securing and wrapping items can become quite substantial. Not all types of courier work need to offer this facility, but if your company offers this service be sure to add it to the total costing.
Airport surcharge. You will need to add this charge as airport deliveries and pickups are often subject to delays, custom checks and multiple security checkpoints. These delays can add up quickly and will result in idle time and lost revenue unless factored into the costing.
As you will always want your courier work quotations to be accurate and as competitive as possible, always try to adhere to a set list of pricing guidelines to make sure your customers will keep coming back to you time after time for a great value service.

Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day courier work in the express freight exchange industry. Over 2,500 transport exchange businesses are networked together through their website, trading jobs and capacity in a safe 'wholesale' environment.

Evacuations: 10 Logistics Tips for International Evacuations and Emergencies

Introduction

If you have international operations or business travellers, then you need to read this article. Following years of experience and numerous practical tests, here are the top 10 logistics issues associated with international evacuations that determine the success or failure of any evacuation plan due to international or transnational crisis.

This article will analyze and discuss the logistics considerations in order to assist planners and managers in developing the best possible and adaptive evacuation plans.

By the end of this article, you will immediately be able to add the priority logistics elements into existing plans or commence the process to create your own safety and security evacuation plan.

I have written, reviewed and implemented numerous evacuation plans over the years and have significant experience in what works and what invariably frustrates the evacuation operations unnecessarily.

Through this extensive theoretical and practical experience I will seek to distill the primary stages and priority tactile issues that must be considered or included in any plan to ensure a successful outcome.

Logistics relates to all the resources, cost, support and administration required to come together during an evacuation.

Accommodation

Accommodation requirements fall into three broad categories.

Private accommodation, as usually occupied by the traveller or expat in country.

Evacuation accommodation, such as the pre-identified and planned accommodation to be used in the event of an evacuation that may or may not be part of your existing/routine accommodation plan.

Ad-hoc accommodation, such as taking immediate refuge at a school, shelter, shopping complex or embassy as was necessitated by the sudden onset of events that forced personnel into non-planned accommodation options.

All required, and likely ad-hoc accommodation, needs to be both identified and documented in the plan.

These locations need to be independently documented in the appendices as a lift out guide/review and put into the continually updated evacuation mapping support tools.

Maps

By having each location as a lift out guide, they become more readily accessible in the event of an emergency, easily shared and updated between planners and traveler/expats and they may already be or become part of your routine accommodation plans within the area.

Muster areas, assembly points and channels for movement must be scripted where possible.

Emergency services and support must be evaluated and integrated into the plan.

Identification and mapping of relevant and proximal government and emergency services is required.

Ambulance, police, hospital, government shelters, embassies and the like constitute possible ad-hoc accommodation options, highly dependent on the nature of the threat, access, language and cultural elements.

Transport

Transportation choice for individual and group moves are required.

Private vehicles, buses, protected vehicles, government shuttles, military convoys and other options need to be considered during

the planning phase but also captured in the resources guide.

Redundant options, transfers, escorts, guides, drivers, spare parts, navigation, emergency stores, actions on, supplies, speed, traffic, road condition, luggage and first aid requirements should also be addressed in support of both static and mobile logistic options.

Much like the appropriateness of an evacuation plan, the logistics are dependent on planning and change management.

Providers

Vendors and support resources may appear to be ideal in isolation but fail on the day or time of activation because of poor planning, lack of understanding or over dependence on any one solution.

They may also fail because everyone wants to use them and they lack the surge or scale to accommodate everyone's demands.

Attempting to put together an alternate or ad-hoc solution in the midst of an emergency situation is always less effective than pre-developed "channels" for choice and activation.

Finances

Payment of services and even retainers are a matter for consideration.

Do you have a direct relationship or payment system in place?

Do you have the correct currency or cash reserves for payment of services?

How do you secure and manage such liquidable assets during unrest or emergency?

Is there likely to be profiteering or acts of piracy to increase prices significantly when demand significantly outstrips supply?

Ensure your financial management and response is measured and controlled but allows for change and circumstances beyond your control.

Financial compensation and insurance must also be addressed.

What are your limits, guidelines, standards and buying options that are pre-defined by your insurance policy or internal policies?

Some of these areas may be confidential (kidnap and ransom) but knowledge and access should be clearly identifiable to those charged with managing and implementing the resulting plan/s.

Location Specific

Resources are likely to be highly customized to each-and-every location.

No two countries, cities, suburbs or circumstances can be replicated nor will the choice of resources be the same either.

Cultural adaptations or simply making do with the best available options may end up being the order of the day.

Do not forget that logistic support and resources are not limited to the location of incident and point of departure but also the point of arrival, transit, diversion and end locations too.

While the plan and focus may be on the narrow concerns on the ground, much consideration and focus is also required for where your going to, where all or some of the evacuees will spend time, any counselling or administration that will need to be conducted before people arrive at the final stage of the evacuation.

Government facilitators, guides, translators, nannies, medical support personnel, specialists and administrators must be inclusive of this stage and clearly identifiable and contactable.

Tools

Tracking formats and criteria such as manifests, evacuee bio data, report lines, contact details, next of kin and other management tools need to be accessible and pre-formatted.

Mode of transport is optional but all points of contact, planning considerations/limitations, contingencies, owners, agents, brokers and captains need to be identified.

Fuel, load capacity, configurations, clearance, crew rest, back up crews, country of origin, civil or military, serviceability, cost, handling, range, weather conditions/limitations, runway/port access and the possibility of every affected individual swarming to your chosen means of evacuation in the absence of an alternate solution need to be considered and detailed as to how they will be managed, utilized or overcome.

Government Assisted Evacuations

Some governments offer support or free evacuation support.

This is highly dependent on high level relationships, events of the day, politics, economic sensitivities, official view of the situation and response/scale capacity of the responding government.

Despite these options or offerings, independent plans should always be in place or accessible should these "free" government options fail, be delayed or present greater threat than your own discreet alternatives.

Having been involved in government evacuation planning and operations I can assure you that they are not the well oiled machines that one might expect and they can/do fail outright.

Additionally, from experience, it may not be your best option to be transported on a military aircraft as you pass through hostile airspace in which ground forces see opportunity to target foreign military aircraft.

If you are to use such resources or end up on such a transport choice you also need to consider your supporting logistics to a location or destination that was never within your planning considerations but now the location in which evacuees disembark and you need to support.

Supporting Agencies

Medical, administration, safety and security all have a role to play but do they mix well or do they have competing agendas?

Beware circumstances which leave you with difficult or avoidable choices where a medical/security imperative splits your evacuee group/s because an insurance policy or support provider recommends to do one thing and your policy dictates another.

Know all the terms and conditions in advance and likely stressors that may occur and be prepared.

Never discount professional advice as all your planning may be for naught if your have made the wrong assumptions, chosen the wrong resources or even plan on heading in the wrong direction/country only to discover on the day that it all has to be abandoned and a new/ad-hoc plan developed on the spot due to such failings.

Formatting

All resources should be added to the appendices in a ready-to-remove and access format.

Elements or the entire section can then be quickly disseminated or updated without the need to read the entire plan from beginning to end.

Logistics forms a vital and major portion of any evacuation plan but it does not dominate the end product that must be both accessible and actionable by decision makers and evacuees alike.

I Guess I'll See The Pyramids In My Next Life - The Lady Said

As an accomplished traveler, I always enjoy talking to others who traveled around the world or throughout our own country, talking to them about the various sights and sounds. The other day I was at Starbucks and I got into a conversation with the lady who actually worked as a travel agent, had been to five continents, and over 50 countries. She had stories about each one, and it was too bad that we had to end our conversation because it was quite intriguing.

I told her that I'd always wanted to go see the Pyramids, but with all the chaos and controversy going on there after the Arab Spring, and now with the Muslim Brotherhood running the country, I don't think they want it Westerners traipsing around. Well, I'm sure they're going to want my money, so maybe they do want me to come and visit, and then leave right away. The reality is I don't feel safe there, and although there are periods of peace now and again in the Middle East, to me that just means they are reloading, and I'd hate to be in the crossfire when things re-erupt.

She agreed, and she said; I guess all see the Pyramids in my next life, because I have no intention on visiting that country right now. Who knows, maybe in a decade everything will have calmed down again?
Yes, she might be right, or she might not be, and remember she said; maybe. Which is about right, we just don't know. Luckily, there are plenty of digital pictures, Discovery Channel films, Google Earth, and information on the pyramids for a virtual tourist in that case, so there is certainly enough to quench my thirst, and "maybe" until such a future safe day arrives, that for now I should save my money and vote with my dollar and my feet to go visit some other country instead, there are lots of things to see on many other continents.
Tourism was obviously one of Egypt's largest industries, but now it's been severely hurt, and some wonder if it will ever recover. It probably will at some point however it might take quite a while, and that certainly won't help the economy much there. Indeed it appears that all of the political and civil unrest still has some dust flying around, and things haven't exactly settled down as of yet. Let's hope Egypt gets its act together and goes on to build other great things in the future, starting with re-building their economy. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Airline Travel Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

Napa - World Class Location For World Class Corporate Meetings

The focus is on Wine Country, but selecting the right hotel property for a small luxury corporate event applies to almost any company in the world. For this discussion, corporate events apply to off-site meetings such as: corporate planning meetings, board of director meetings, client entertaining, incentive/recognition programs, team building, and the list can go ad infinitum. However, the right location and hotel property is as critical as the content of the meeting. Just like a realtor tells everyone--it's all about location; now I also add ambience.
The definition of a hotel can also be misleading. In planning a luxury corporate outing to Napa Valley, realize you have choices: Guest Houses (the upscale category of a B&B), 4 and 5 star Resorts, "In Town" Hotels, and private Estates that come with private chef's and concierge's. We will look at all of these in more detail. Just remember, resort's and spa's are in the general discussion of hotels in Napa Valley.
An Aldo Gucci quote I often use holds true in selecting any property for a corporate event: "The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory," Aldo Gucci. So choose wisely relative to the objectives of the event because it pays dividends to expect and demand excellence.
In a moment we will look at some properties that can be used for luxury corporate gatherings (25 and fewer participants) where there is some level of 'business' will be conducted. But first go through a little bit of planning because that will drive the requirements of a facility/property. Never research properties or do a site visit, without a precise checklist of your requirements; take notes and log your impressions.
Here are some top-of-mind checklist items you will want to plan around regarding all aspects of hotel selections: (These will get your thought moving in the right direction.)

• Purpose of the meeting-is it a confidential planning meeting, is it vendor appreciation, etc.?
• How large will the attendee list be; will it include spouses/significant other? We only work with groups up to approximately 25 attendees, but when most are going to be couples then this makes a big difference.
• Focus on the desired tone of the anticipated meeting. For example, is it to be casual for its entirety? Are those invited and expected to attend used to formal elegance where a rustic environment would be frowned upon? (Obviously, there are 5 star properties that are a little rustic; based upon a countrified location for example.)
• Are there any security requirements that dictate confidentiality and smaller venues?
• Length of stay.
• Amenity requirements-24 hour room service, pool, exercise room, spa, gourmet restaurant(s).
• Access to appropriate activities for spouse/significant others.
• Assess the meeting facilities and equipment. Let me explain in more detail. Most mass production meeting rooms utilize narrow width tables or large round tables with some type of table covering and a very slightly padded chair. This is not acceptable for luxury corporate meeting. You will need caster/tilting and padded chairs; are these available? Meeting rooms are NOT a one size fits all.
• Accommodations need to be commensurate with socio-economic level of the attendees.

Now if you think I am being a little picky, let me tell you a quick story about a hotel chain where my wife once worked-The Ritz Carlton. The service requirements mandated by the corporation were often looked upon as minutia. However, a truly 5 star property, even in a sophisticated rural setting like Napa Valley, expects a demanding client. When you look at a room, comment if you see finger prints on a window or a dirty window; they will appreciate clients who know what they want and expect. Lint, stains, and even grout cleanliness should be noted in 5 star properties. Oh well, this is a subject I could go on about for quite some time; but won't.

This brings up the second point about selecting properties; it's the ratings we all read about, they are just like wine ratings-most are opinions only. Understand; most evaluations on the web are determined by reader/visitor evaluations. Simply put, there is no consistent science behind on-line evaluations of any property. The star ratings are really a misnomer unless you are using the Forbes Travel Guide (i.e. Mobil Travel Guide) or American Automobile Assoc. The star ratings for hotel you find on the internet are consumer reviews and the reviewer is assigning a rating based solely on their opinion. From these inputs the automated system averages the review rating to give a summary rating. The problem with this is that most readers of these reviews do not know the specific factors that lie behind the reviews. For example, was it a bachelorette party, honeymoon, family retreat, etc.
Here we're focused solely on senior management functions... mostly C Level management in small group sizes.
So who or what reviews can you trust? You can only trust your own. That is why you need a very concise and detailed set of criteria to judge each property you have discovered through: on-line research, references, and a good event planner. In any event, the final decision rest with the company. As had been noted in other of my posts, every company has a persona and event locations need to complement that persona.

In Napa County I think there are a handful of exclusive and luxury properties that are point-on for small corporate groups (25 and fewer participants that are "C" Level executive caliber). However, there are probably 12 that are considered 4 and 5 star properties, some of which easily handle events of 500 attendees. I would not consider facilities that accept pets, romantic getaways or family festivities to be appropriate for executive/corporate events.
Enough of the qualifiers, here is my short list of properties for small luxury "C" Level meetings in Napa Valley. Service levels and attention to detail delivered in a manner of "subdued anticipation"; something should be done and it was, that is 5 star service that works with the ambience of the property. (No particular ranking.) These are well suited for high-end meetings for 25 or fewer attendees.
Calistoga Ranch, Calistoga, CA
Ambience: Natural Luxury in country setting. Large property.
48 large square footage suites, 24 hour room service/concierge, restaurant (gentlemen coat required), and Spa. Provides 24 hour room service.
Extremely private with remarkable degree of security and confidentiality. Six years old.
Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford, CA
Ambience: natural contemporary/Formal French
50 rooms in a cottage format that is in a natural country setting.
Coat (for men) is required at restaurants.
Complimentary bar in room, 2 restaurants and on-site spa, fitness room and 24 hour room service.
North Block Hotel, Yountville, CA
Ambience: Modern. contemporary boutique-In-town setting. Positioned as 'familiar laid-back'.
20 rooms-approximately 400-500 sq. ft. Hotel is 3 years old.
Award winning restaurant, in-house spa, 24 hour fitness room, and 24 hour room service.

Others that are also highly rated but are large properties and provide a more universal approach to guest services:
Meritage Resort-400 plus rooms. Well suited for large meetings and conventions. Napa, CA
Meadowood Resort-Great resort with a heavy concentration on sports activities. They have a 9 hole golf course on property. Not private. St. Helena, CA
Bardessono Hotel-Modern with a commitment to sustainability. In-town property. Yountville, CA
62 rooms and accept pets.
Silverado Resort-geared for families, conventions, with a casual atmosphere. Reminds me of The Del Coronado in San Diego.
450 rooms, restaurant, spa, stellar golf experiences, nice service in a stately atmosphere. Napa, CA
Honorable mention is The Poetry Inn.-Napa, CA
With only 5 rooms they are not ideal for meetings, but only for that reason, they not the best in Napa Valley. This is a property that has a Villa atmosphere with rooms of 1,400 sq. ft. Meeting room accommodates only 8. They also have pool and spa rooms. They also have a luxury estate home on the property with 3 bedrooms and come with a personal chef. Be prepared for a 3 night minimum stay if you want this elegance.
Disclaimer: I have never received any financial consideration or complimentary stays from any of these properties. The information is from interviews and personal visits. There is absolutely no financial incentives in this information. Send me an e-mail if you want my personal favorite.

Steven S. Lay has been in the travel and corporate meetings business for 30 years and is now focused exclusively on small luxury corporate gatherings in Wine Country. More information about his company, Symtrek Partners, is available at: http://www.symtrekpartners.com
Mr. Lay has held "C" Level positions in large private and public companies. These companies, in addition to the travel corporate and leisure business, include the defense industry and e-commerce. Prior to launching Symtrek Partners, Mr. Lay was the Vice President of Exhibitor Sales for a major exposition company.