Monday Delivery Industry News Roundup, September 23, 2013

Happy Monday, all. OK – the day is half over. You will make it. But if you need a distraction (that’s full of industry news), we’ve got you covered. Here are some of the most interesting stories we’ve spotted on the web:

Sites set sights on same-day delivery via The Columbian

“Silicon Valley tech companies like to move fast. Now they are trying to bring that high-speed innovation to the retail world and break the tradition of failed same-day delivery services. Five months after Google Inc. unveiled an experiment delivering everything from Target bed sheets to American Eagle blue jeans to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, the company is preparing to expand same-day delivery to more shoppers across the region. Google Shopping Express will add pressure to companies like eBay Inc. that are growing their own same-day delivery programs in what has become a fierce race between tech giants.”

UPS Survey: Global Healthcare Logistics Executives Preparingfor Supply Chain Transformation via Upside Blog

 

“Today {last Tuesday}, we are releasing our 6th annual UPS Pain in the (Supply) Chain survey, conducted by the research firm TNS.  The survey reveals insights into the top challenges facing global healthcare logistics executives and highlights their future investment plans. This year we added new geographies to the survey and probed deeper to uncover strategies that successful healthcare executives are implementing to overcome their top supply chain challenges.”           

And some general business news: Employment law still catching up to social media via The Lawrence-Journal World

“The advent of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook have raised new questions about the separation between a person's personal and professional life. But experts in employment law say the case of a Kansas University professor who was suspended this week after posting what some considered to be offensive remarks on Twitter raises a whole host of new legal questions about how far employers can go in holding employees accountable for what they say or do in the realm of social media.”

Image credit: carterse (http://www.flickr.com/photos/australianshepherds/2089122314/sizes/m/in/photostream/)

Does Your Company have an Employee Handbook?

Image credit: edinburghcityofprint

Not every company does. But there are some benefits regarding company-wide rules and employee expectations.

“An employee handbook is an important legal document that – if drafted properly – can protect an employer from a number of employee problems. However, a poorly drafted handbook can wind up creating more problems than it solves. Adopting a handbook while avoiding the "pitfalls" will help keep employees happy and lawsuits to a minimum.” – Source: Avoiding Common Employee Handbook Mistakes, Joseph Gagnon and Stephen Roppolo

Some benefits of employee handbooks:

Handbooks keep everyone on the same page: A handbook typically lays out all the “must dos” at a company. Basically, handbooks outline what’s expected of employees (what normal working hours are), pay, benefits, substance and harassment policies, attendance, and discipline.

Handbooks are helpful to new employees: Having an employee handbook is a great way to get everyone on the same page.

Handbooks can help employees understand a company’s culture: Employees can get a feel for what a business “is all about” after reading its employee handbook.

Handbooks help prove that a company’s rules and regulations are current with employment laws.

Handbooks can help define the employee/employer relationship.

Sources: The Employee Handbook: the Good, the Bad, and the Absolutely Critical; Why You Should Create an Employee Handbook.

However, handbooks (and having rules that dictate everything that goes on at the office) can be overwhelming, too:

Everything is connected to a rule: If you want to discard rules, or change up the employee policy, you’ll have to change every handbook. And because a company is a constantly evolving entity, that means policies may be changing as the company evolves, too. Over time, making constant amendments is time consuming, costly and confusing.

Some situations merit individual responses: “Imagine if a senior business development executive created a set of policies outlining how they will execute a business deal that followed the process every time.  You can’t imagine it because it would never happen!  For years HR types have been complaining about having a seat at the table and being taken seriously by their executive teams, and I think this is one of the reasons why. They don’t think about what’s in the best interests of the business.” – Source: The One Sentence HR Handbook, Fistful of Talent, Andy Porter

Other issues can arise with handbooks when policies are overly vague, too detailed, outdated, and inconsistent.

Source: The Employee Handbook: The Good, the Bad, and the Absolutely Critical

Monday Delivery Industry News Roundup, September 9, 2013

Image credit: filipe ferreira

Monday is here again, folks. Here’s a short list of industry news articles we found over the weekend.

FedEx Express receives delivery of first 767-300 freighters via Canadian Transportation & Logistics

FedEx makes a few upgrades.

“FedEx Express has received delivery of its first 767-300 freighters, supporting the company strategy to modernise its fleet with more efficient freighters.

‘Today’s delivery of our first Boeing 767 Freighter is another step forward in our fleet modernisation strategy,” said James Parker, executive vice president of air operations, FedEx Express. ‘The 767 is approximately 30 per cent more fuel efficient and has unit operating costs that are more than 20 per cent lower than the aircraft they will replace. The net effect is an aircraft that is more affordable to operate and has lower carbon emissions because of better fuel efficiency.’

The 767 Freighter is an ideal upgrade for the fleet serving the FedEx Express domestic network, providing improved fuel, maintenance and cost savings over the MD-10 freighters it will replace.”

Google, eBay race to offer buyers same-day delivery via The Seattle Times

The same-day boom marches on.

“Five months after Google unveiled an experiment delivering everything from Target bed sheets to American Eagle bluejeans to parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, the company is preparing to expand same-day delivery to more shoppers across the region. Google Shopping Express will add pressure to companies like eBay that are expanding their own same-day delivery programs in what has become a fierce race between tech giants.

Google and eBay are jumping into the hypercompetitive brick-and-mortar retail industry to fend off Amazon.com, which is forging ahead with its own same-day delivery tests. By offering their services to struggling retailers and capturing shoppers who buy everything from cars to toilet paper online and want it delivered to their front door within hours, Google and eBay may corner one of the few retail markets Seattle-based Amazon hasn’t already taken.”

Fresh Coffee, Delivered Weekly to Your Doorstep (with a Moustache) via Tech Cocktail

 

A fresh, fun take of coffee delivery.

“The race for faster, fresher and on-demand continues. Amazon is entering the food delivery space with Amazon Fresh, subscription services like Birchbox bring shopping samples to your door, and on-demand services like Uber and Lyft provide rides with a single click. I had the chance recently to try a new subscription service named Moustache Coffee Club.

The Moustache Coffee Club selects a different coffee every week from a variety of top roasters, such as Intelligentsia and Handsome Coffee. Then the coffee is shipped free immediately after roasting, for optimal freshness (weekly or bi-weekly subscription depending on how much coffee you drink).”

Worker or contractor?

Image credit: groundswell

Many courier companies hire contract workers to fill a number office positions. For example, a delivery company may hire drivers, office assistants and marketing personnel on a contract project basis (you hire someone to update your website), or to help during busy times (you contract a few extra drivers during the holidays.)

But some companies just prefer hiring part-time employees, or temp workers (people who work a certain amount of hours per week and are hourly. These workers typically don’t work over 30 hours a week.)

What type of employee does your company prefer hiring? Is there a reason why you prefer hiring part-time workers rather than contractors? We’re covering this topic in our upcoming September/October issue, and want to get the conversation started early. Feel free to reach out on Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, or here, in the comment section.

Twitter Chats: Do You Participate? Are You a Host? We Want to Know What You Think!

Image credit: US Department of Labor

So, what do you all think about Twitter chats? These virtual chats are held on Twitter. Lots of companies hold these chats every so often to get customer feedback, answer client questions and to just generally get to know the people who are interested in the business’ products and services.

If you’re still a little murky on how your company can benefit from a Twitter chat we’ve gathered up a few ideas that may help you embrace the idea and get to chattin’:

1. Keep the chat name the same week after week, or month after month

When organizing the chat, make sure everyone knows what it’s going to be called. Pick a hashtaged name, such as #(your business twitter account)weeklychat and add the specific hashtag for the topic you plan on discussing, such as #samedaydelivery.

2. Select a trending topic

Chat about something that’s interesting and timely so people are excited to learn.

3. Use experts

If you know other people in the industry who know a lot about the topic you’re going to feature, make sure they’re involved with the chat.

“Brands and organizations have a slew of experts whose online and offline networks would flock to speak with them during Twitter chats. Employees, partners, celebrity spokespeople… these types of high-profile or knowledgeable people can be great assets for drawing in a large audience.” – “Hosting a Better Twitter Chat,” Lauren Dugan, Social Media Today

4. Promote the chat via other social media, email, etc.

Promote the heck out of this event via Facebook, Twitter and your blog, and don’t forget to include it in your weekly email blasts, too.

5. Try to respond to everyone’s questions: 

Pay attention and always try to respond to client questions or concerns. And don’t forget to favorite the tweets you really dig.

6. Follow up: 

After your chats are complete, don’t forget to write a blog post that details what went down.

Source: Social Media Today

HR Wednesday: The “Walk Around” Management Style

Image credit: quinn.anya

What’s your management style? Are you a hands-on boss, or do you like to stay in your office and let your employees come to you? There are benefits and negatives to every type of management style. But there are some management styles that are not as prevalent as they once were. Sure, some styles are outdated, but some management tactics aren’t so bad. We’re going to focus on one of those almost-forgotten, but still swell styles today.

“Management by walking around”

This style has almost gone defunct because of today’s busy office environment, telecommuting and flextime. But there are ways managers can still “walk around” the office, even if many of their workers aren’t located in the same physical building.

The article, “The Lost Are of Walking Around,” by Sharlyn Lauby suggests the following interesting, and easy-to-follow examples:

“Take the walk: Stepping away from your desk can be a good thing. It’s exercise. Use some of those moments when you need to take a break to visit employees.

Wander around virtually: Really can’t get away? Is your team thousands of miles away? Check in using email or the social collaboration tools your company provides.

There’s a reason Management by Walking Around became so popular. It works: Managers building relationships with their employees is essential for business. Now, I will admit, technology innovation may have changed the “walking around” concept. But the idea is still the same.

Companies shouldn’t put managers in the position where they have to choose between reports and employees: Managers should be able to do both. And managers shouldn’t use reports as an excuse not to spend time with their employees. It’s time to rediscover the lost art of walking around.” – Source: HR Bartender, Lauby

Industry News Recap: Fuel Savings, a New Logistics Service, and a Quirky Delivery Service

Image credit: DaveBleasdale

It’s Monday, which means you’re likely looking for easy-to-digest news bits. We totally get that! We’ve rounded up a few fun (and interesting) industry news stories for you to read while starting your custom-made, early-in-the-week intravenous coffee drip:

Get potential fuel savings for your fleet with Eco-flap:

The Eco-flap is marketed as a fuel-saving product for smaller fleet owners:

“This new spin on the traditional mud flap cuts down on wind resistance and lowers fuel costs, allowing owners to operate a more energy-efficient fleet. The team at Chattanooga, Tenn.–based Anderson Flaps didn't set out to create a greener mud flap. They actually set out to create a cleaner one. The company hoped to revamp mud-flap design to allow for better passage of air through the flaps. The freer passage of air would help reduce the accumulation of grime by allowing water or mud from tire spray to drain on the flap, as opposed to piling up on top of it.”

-- “These Mud Flaps can Help Trucks Slash Fuel Costs,” via Popular Mechanics

Sterman Masser Inc., a Penn. potato company, is getting into logistics:

“Sterman Masser Inc., an eighth-generation potato growing company, has launched Masser Logistics Services to provide delivery service to its customers as well as those of Keystone Potato Products and Fresh Solutions Network. Masser Logistics Services, like Sterman Masser Inc. and Masser Potato Farms, is based in Sacramento, Pa. The company owns 15 trucks, and all are equipped with auxiliary power units to reduce fuel consumption and extend engine life, according to the news release.” -- “Pennsylvania Potato Company Launches Logistics Firm,” via The Packer

 

And a bit of fun delivery news that’s local (at least to the Courier Magazine team):

The Birdfeeder LLC, a new small delivery business, will deliver almost any convenience store product to Lawrence, Kan., students:

“Birdfeeder is geared to students and the late-night crowd. For the moment, its delivery area is between Massachusetts and Iowa and Ninth and 19th streets. Hours are 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays. Customers place an order by calling, texting or tweeting. His info is available on the Birdfeeder LLC Facebook page.” -- “Late-night convenience store delivery service begins operations in student neighborhoods,”via The Lawrence-Journal World

How Small Businesses Benefit Communities (and why Small Business Collaboration is Great)

Image credit: Key Foster

Bill McKibben, environmentalist, broadcaster and environmental justice advocate, and Mike Brady, social entrepreneur, recently discussed how small businesses could help each other while revitalizing local communities.

The discussion occurred during a panel after the screening of the documentary Fixing the Future, by David Brancaccio. The documentary is about finding innovative strategies to create sustainable businesses and stable local economies. The following small-business-collaboration ideas were discussed during the panel and reported in the article “5 Steps For Small Businesses to Revitalize Local Economies,” by Alice Groesbeck, film and video production student at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, and visual communications intern for Ashoka USA.

Small businesses should discuss social responsibility (even with the competition)

Businesses in a similar, local marketplace should see each other as possible collaborators. “Partnering with other businesses offers you an opportunity to learn new ways to foster a sense of social responsibility within your community,” said Groesbeck.

Organizations, such as The Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, can help connect local businesses with each other and can help businesses create sustainable economies, said Groesbeck.

Businesses should develop accountability with customers

“According to a 2010 University of Toronto study published in Psychological Science, people aren’t just buying products based on how much they cost,” Groesbeck said. “Customers also consider how the things they buy reflect their personal beliefs and impact their environment. Since communities have been devastated by the economic downturn, Americans are now shifting away from being isolated consumers and coming together as contributors.”

Businesses should try to build accountability by building natural and respectful business interactions between people in the community.

Local businesses should have a global impact

When local businesses work toward having a global impact, the business can reap rich resources that can, ultimately, help the community.

Small victories are still victories

Work in increments and celebrate the small things. Trying to tackle everything at once can leave you tired and unable to help the community – or your business.

Easy Ways to Stay Fit at the Office

Image source: Fey IIyas

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle while keeping a 40-hour-a-week job is not an easy task. Every day, you get to work pretty darn early and many days you leave the office late. And whether you’re sitting behind a desk taking client calls, or sitting behind the wheel of one of your company’s trucks, you’re sitting. A lot.

Luckily, there are a few ways that you (the employee) can still maintain your health while working long hours. And manager: There are a few things you can change (and add) at the office to help your employees keep fit and healthy, too.

For employees

Invest in fit-boosting technology

While technologies, such as television and video games, can make a person more inclined to recline, some innovations (think fitness apps, health websites, etc.), can help people stay healthy.

Use technology to track your health

If your days are packed and you can only fit in random runs in your day (aka you don’t have a particular “running path,” and you just run whenever you can), you can track what you’ve done (and a lot more) by using technologies, such as the UP by Jawbone wristband, to store your activity.

Bring your fitness routine to your desk

Use a fitness ball instead of a chair to improve your balance and strengthen your core muscles. Also: Keep small weights at your desk, and stretch through the day when you can. And take time to go for a daily walk outside -- the sunshine will do you good!

For managers

Offer fitness classes during lunch (or at other times during the workday)

Small businesses often can hire an independent contractor who teaches an aerobics class, or a yoga class, to teach a class -- in the office -- once or twice. Employees can pay a small fee to participate in the class.

Keep healthy snacks in the office kitchen

You don’t need to go overboard or anything, but stocking the office kitchen with healthier options, such as whole-grain oatmeal, natural juice, organic coffee, and fresh fruit, can influence employees to eat healthier throughout the day.

 

Consider adding a standing desk

Granted, this may be a bit pricey, but it may be worth offering a standing desk to employees who are in the office a lot. Or just add a few standing desks throughout the office, and allow people to use them as an option throughout the workday.

Resources

Mashable.com, “Live: Chat About the BestTech for Health and Wellness,” by Dani Fankhauser

Mayo Clinic, "Workplace Exercises: How to Burn Calories at Work," by Mayo Clinic Staff

Forbes, "What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Standing Desks," by Steve Mullis

Blogging for Your Business Part 2: Make Your Blog Better

Image source: SEOPlanter

If you and your business started blogging a long while ago, you’ve probably built up a decent readership. Your readers dig your voice and you’re able to guess (with reasonable accuracy) what topics will garner likes, shares and comments. Or maybe you kinda tried to start a blog and maybe – just maybe -- attempted to forget the fact you began that blog out of frustration, etc.

No matter if you’ve an active blog, or merely an existing dead-as-a-door-knob blog, you can still wring success out of what you’ve already created.

Keep and entertain current readers:

Know your target audience: Don’t scare away current readers by changing all of your content. Add in new types of blog posts (photo, or gif-centric posts, or fun employee Q-and-As) along with your currently covered topics. If you think you’ve lost touch with your current audience, ask your readers what they want to see on the blog.

Use free keyword research tools:

Before you begin to write your next blog, stop and do keyword research. Most keyword research tools are free and all keyword sites are relatively easy to use. After you’ve searched for relevant keywords, make certain to pick keyword phrases that rank as a “low,” or “medium.”

 

“Once you have a few keywords chosen, make sure that at least one fits into your headline, as close to the first word as possible,” Verrill says. “Try to have it appear again in the first few sentences, and your other related terms somewhere else in the copy. Only do this if it seems natural within context of the blog.”

 

Take advantage of social media:

Promote your posts on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. If you mention a particular industry service, or person, make sure to tag the company, or person in your tweet. Including people in the conversation will help you get more clicks and shares.

Source: Improve Your Blogging and Increase Traffic: 3 Tips,Jonathan Payne from Social Media Today, and Ashley Verrill from Social Fresh

Blogging for Your Business Part 1: How to Build a Useful Blog for Your Delivery Company

Image source: futureshape

You have a slick business website and have taken the time to create a few social media accounts for your company. All of these things are marvelous! But do you have a business blog?

 

You may have never started a blog because you thought creating and writing posts would be too much work. And as a blogger I understand that -- blogging is difficult and at times it’s time consuming. Also: No matter how great of a blog manager you are it can take a long time to find your audience and for your blog to find its voice.

But there are many benefits of business blogging:

• Blogging allows your employees to discuss the aspects of the company they enjoy.
• If you’re blogging (and if you’re the president or owner of the company you should be), the research for future blog posts allows you to easily stay current with trends in the industry.
• The more true and fact-filled things you write the more authority you give your business.
• Blogging allows your customers to easily interact with you and your business associates.

-Source: “5 Reasons Your Business Should Be Blogging,” by Marcus Sheridan, from Social Media Examiner

So, just how do you successfully start your company’s blog? According to the article, “How to Plan Your Business Blog,” by Amanda DiSilvestro, it’s important to plan your blog before you begin writing or promoting your services via your new, shiny blog. To make an effective blog, consider the following:

• “Who is my target audience, and what do they want to read?
• Am I going to allow guest bloggers on the blog?
• How often should I post to the blog?
• How can I track its success? What will I consider success?”

-Source: DiSilvestro, Social Media Today

DiSilvestro also provides some easy-to-follow steps that will help new bloggers plan their blogs:

Know your readers: You need to know who your audience is before you start to create content. Attract new readers (aka customers) to your blog by conducting some simple SEO keyword research. “Utilize keyword research to determine what a lot of people are searching for on Google,” DiSilvestro said. Learn more about keyword research over atCopyblogger.

Choose a snappy name: Name your blog something that will make your current customers smile and also will attract new readers. Also: Make blog titles intriguing. Starting titles with, “5 Ways to…,” or “How to,” will make your blogs more clickable.

Easy communication: Link to related articles and to your company’s social media sites often. Also: Include an “opt-in offer that readers can fill out if they want to contact you about more information,” DiSilvestro said.

Update often: Recruit employees to write blogs and come up with blog topics. And if there’s no one at your company who wants to write, consider hiring a freelance writer, or asking guest bloggers to contribute to your content. “Generally you should try to produce most of your content in-house at the start so that readers can see you really know your stuff. When you do allow the occasional guest blogger,” DiSilvestro said.

Don’t push yourself too hard: Posting once a week is enough, but two to three posts per week is ideal. “The more content you have the easier it will be to promote that blog; not to mention the more chances you have to really ramp up your SEO (blogs are an excellent way to improve the SEO of your website),” DiSilvestro said.

Part 2 of this discussion will examine how people with existing business blogs can improve their blogs and attract more customers.

The Importance of Supporting Other Small Businesses

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I’m going to take a wild guess and say that most of Courier Magazine’s readers own or work at a small business. So, I don’t have to tell any of you how important small businesses are! But did you know that small businesses tend to thrive more and find continued success when they work together?

In the article, “6 Ways Small Businesses Can Band Togetherfor Better Results,” on Mashable.com, Nellie Akalp, CEO of CorpNet.com, a filing service, said that it’s becoming increasingly difficult for small businesses to access business capital and credit over the recently past years.

Akalp said it’s important for small businesses to work together to compete with larger companies. Although it might be difficult to see other small businesses as partners and not competitors it’s essential. According to Akalp, small business owners should: 

• Seek out symbiotic and collaborative relationships with other small businesses.
• Build a collective co-op of similar businesses and individuals.

Akalp said the business owners can easily meet other like-minded company owners by:

Joining a local meetup group for entrepreneurs: Finding new business is all about finding referrals and connections. Join local groups that meet weekly, or monthly at local cafés, or restaurants. Akalp suggests checking Meetup.com, or your local chamber of commerce for groups.

Organizing a social media meetup: Get all your social media followers together and organize an in-person meetup.

Getting online: I know I just suggested that’s it’s important to get out from behind the computer and meet your contacts in person, but connecting with other small business owners online can be helpful, too. Akalp suggests browsing online communities, such as Entrepreneur Connect.

Reaching out to other types of small businesses: Even though not all small businesses may be similar to your company, you can still help other companies learn how to increase exposure. “By giving business to others, you will get business in return,” Akalp said.

Supporting other small businesses at your own company: See if you can use other local businesses to help provide your marketing materials, or serve a local coffee blend in your break room.

Courier News Roundup

Image source: Lydia_shiningbrightly

Woo, boy. We’re super busy here at Courier Magazine, so this week’s post is going to be super short, but still packed with information.

Over the past week we’ve clicked across a few interesting stories that relate to the courier and delivery industry. Here are a couple of the stories that stood out:

"JumpTech adds mapping to automated proof-of-delivery system," via Fleet Owner

“Jump Technologies (JumpTech) recently announced that it has added mapping capability to JumpTrack, its cloud-based, automated proof-of-delivery (POD) solution that leverages standard smartphones and tablets to enable drivers to capture signatures while allowing customers to check delivery status. The POD function now also records the actual geo-location of where the signature was captured.” – to read more click to Fleet Owner

"Fleet maintenance: Cleanable and reusable filtration devices from Pure Power," via Utility Products

“Utility Vehicles and more: Pure Power! Incorporated (PPI), a provider of filtration technologies, announced the issuance of their 3rd patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office. Their most recent patent is for an O.E.M. Replacement Drop-in Cartridge Oil Filter for cars and trucks. PPI’s newest patent also includes Drop-in Cartridge Filters for Fuel, Hydraulics and other applications.” – to read more click to Utility Products

Get Prepared for the Future: Who Will Fill Your Shoes When You Retire

Image credit: hku rbr

Over the past few weeks, I’ve come across a few blogs that discuss how some family-owned businesses plan for a company owner's retirement. These companies are mulling over some pretty serious (and sometimes sensitive) stuff early on (initial succession planning should be done many years before you plan on retiring. The sooner you start to have the conversations, the better) to avoid more problems once the boss’ retirement occurs.

A business owner should know the answers to the following questions when deciding who her replacement should be:

Who will take the owner’s place: Will it be a friend, or a child? How do you choose between children? And will your choice be willing to take over?

Will you sell: If you don’t want to choose someone in the family, or a close friend to take over the company, you may want to sell the company.

Source: WeKnowNext.com

No matter what you choose to do, it’s essential that you choose someone who can do the following:

Make sure everything is in order: Feel secure and make certain that the correct person is in the right place and position to take over your job when you retire.

Keep the company dynamic the same: It’s important to make sure your successor will keep the same “feel” at the company. If a new leader goes in and changes everything, it can really upset employees, which can make transition even more difficult.

Still need help? It may be wise to seek outside council. Outside consultants can help you make sure you are doing everything correct and not letting personal bias get in the way.

Greening Your Warehouse: It May be Easier than You Think

Image credit: Steve Snodgrass

Sustainable business practices are all the rage these days. And although it may seem like an un-needed hassle to implement “green” practices at your delivery company’s warehouse, it’s not. In fact, embracing a few sustainable policies may, in fact, help you run your warehouse more efficiently and help your business save money. Here are just a few simple sustainable suggestions:

Layout counts:

Make sure you use every part of your facility effectively and that assets and resources are in a place that makes sense (all resources to do one type of job are all in one place; materials aren’t spread out across a facility in a way that doesn’t make sense.)

Recycle and reuse: 

The following are a few items that can typically be reused in warehouses:

Cardboard: Try to reuse incoming boxes.

Packaging: Try to reuse all the packaging you receive (such as bubble wrap). Also: consider eco-friendly packaging.

Reduce: 

Only light the part of the warehouse that is in use on any given business day. Also: use motion sensors to help lights turn on and off, and make sure everything is turned off before you lock up at night.

Clean green: 

Keep everything organized and clean with eco-friendly products. For example, you can use inexpensive, white distilled vinegar mixed with water to clean and disinfect almost anything.

Make it a group effort: 

Ask your employees to be enthusiastic about sustainable practices. Remind them that the more money you save on energy, the better off the company is.

-Source: How Stuff Works

Want to take sustainability a step further? Consider getting your company a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating and certification. The UPS blog recently listed a few reasons why businesses should consider securing the well-known certification and rating:

• LEED ratings and certifications can help a company owner identify opportunities to increase efficiency in her business’ operations, or make facility improvements.
• What if you are already performing green practices, but don’t know it? If you are, then you are missing out on an important opportunity to market your company’s sustainable aspects. Also, according to the blog: “You may be able to apply credit for these activities to green initiatives being driven by your customers, your company, or regulatory bodies. There are increasing levels of expectation around sustainability and you may be able to contribute to stakeholder goals simply by being a good operator.” – UPS Blog

Hot Weather and Your Workers: Protect Employees when the Temperatures Soar

Image source: Irargerich

If you’ve heard a few minutes of the evening news during the past seven days, you’ve most likely seen stories about western states in the United States that are facing deadly hot temperatures. Whether your delivery company is located in this area of the U.S. or not, hot weather is bound to come to your region eventually, and when it does, you need to make certain your employees are prepared for the extreme heat. People who are unprepared to work in hot conditions can fall ill quickly, or even die.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topics’ “Heat Stress” page, heat stress can cause heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, or heat rashes. In addition to heat exhaustion, workers also are at a greater risk for injury when temperatures rise. More injuries occur because of sweaty palms, people touching and getting burned by hot surfaces, and dizziness.

Workers who are at greater risk for falling ill because of extreme heat are people who are 65 years of age or older, overweight, have heart disease, or high blood pressure, or take medications that may be affected by extreme heat. Also according to the United States Department of Labor, new workers who are not used to working outdoors are, generally, more prone to experiencing heat-related illnesses. For a full list of symptoms and first aid advice for heat related illnesses, visit this link.

To effectively prepare your outdoor delivery employees for extreme heat, make certain you provide workers with the following protection tips:

• “Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable clothing such as cotton.
• Avoid non-breathing synthetic clothing.
• Gradually build up to heavy work.
• Schedule heavy work during the coolest parts of day.
• Take more breaks in extreme heat and humidity.
• Take breaks in the shade or a cool area when possible.
• Drink water frequently. Drink enough water that you never become thirsty. Approximately 1 cup every 15-20 minutes.
• Avoid alcohol, and drinks with large amounts of caffeine or sugar.
• Be aware that protective clothing or personal protective equipment may increase the risk of heat stress.
• Monitor your physical condition and that of your coworkers.”

- Source: CDC

Fourth of July: How to Celebrate the Holiday at Your Office if You’ve Got to Stay Open

Image source: JacobEnos

Everyone loves celebrating the Fourth of July and that’s completely understandable – the holiday is full of tasty food, relaxing picnics and amazing outdoor activities. Oh, and did I forget to mention explosives? Lots and lots of explosives.

While we all acknowledge the Fourth of July is a grand holiday that doesn’t always mean you – or your fellow employees – can always have the day off.

You’re a delivery company for goodness sakes, and just because many companies take a day off doesn’t mean you can afford to – especially if you’re a small, local delivery business.

Still on the fence about staying open or closed? We’ve come up with a few examples for each case:

Why you should stay closed:

Your employees would appreciate a few days of rest and relaxation. Also: many people don’t expect delivery companies to be open on the holiday. So, even if you do decide to stay open, you may not even get many requests for deliveries.

Why you should stay open:

If you are a niche, small delivery business and are up to deliver anything, you may have requests for party decorations, food and beverages. And if you’re a well-known local business that’s known for delivering odd stuff to locals at strange hours this may be a great day to stay open.

If you do stay open:

• Plan ahead: Take account of how many employees you need to have on staff and who you should keep “on-call” in the case of an unexpected rush.
• Have a bit of fun: If you do stay open and have a reason for keeping a lot of people who are on staff in the office, you may want to consider having a few, fun Fourth of July festivities.
• Have a picnic or cookout: Chances are you have a few grill masters on your crew. Provide the staples: burgers, brats and hot dogs. Ask employees to bring side dishes and beverages.
• Still give them a day off: Let people have an extra day of PTO for July. Let employees take the day whenever they please.
• Schedule short shifts: If you’re able to (and it makes sense for your company’s bottom line), try to schedule shorter-than-average shifts for employees. This way, everyone will still get to celebrate some part of the holiday.

Sources

Prepare Your Business for the Fourth of July

8 Affordable, Fun Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July

The Seasonal Spike: Why Fuel Prices Go Up in the Summer

Image source: Boegh

Summer is officially here and the sultry season brings many wonderful things: BBQs, pool parties and long, lazy days at the park. But summer also brings a few not-so-splendid things, too: sunburns, sweaty everything and high fuel prices.

Now, while you can easily prevent two of the previously mentioned summer bummers, you really can’t do much about high, summer fuel prices. While you may be irked about the high prices, there is a real reason why gas prices spike in the summer.

In the article “Why is summer fuel more expensive than winter fuel,” Jacob Silverman says there are four main reasons why fuel prices tend to go up after Memorial Day:

• More people travel in the summer, which increases fuel demand.
• In the spring, refineries run routine maintenance at facilities. The routine shut down typically limits fuel capacity until late May.
• Unknowns, such as natural disasters, can damage refineries and disrupt fuel transport routes.
• The fourth reason is not as well known: The summer-fuel blend is different (and more expensive to make) than the winter-fuel blend.

According to Silverman’s article:

“Depending on the time of year, gas stations switch between providing summer-grade fuel and winter-grade fuel. The switch started in 1995 as part of the Reformulated Gasoline Program (RFG), which was established through the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) started the RFG program in order to reduce pollution and smog during the summer ozone season, which occurs from June 1 to Sept. 15.” – How Stuff Works

Summer-blend fuels have different fuel additives (also known as oxygenates) that help reduce pollution. The summer blends burn cleaner, produce less smog and release less toxic air pollutants, and help compensate for the limited oil supply.

According to the article, summer-grade fuel has a different Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP -- the vapor pressure of gasoline measured at 100-degrees Fahrenheit) than winter-grade fuel. A fuel blend's RVP is based on the combined RVP of the ingredients that make the blend. Some regional and local regulations have stricter standards, though. This makes the summer-fuel blend marginally more eco-friendly because fuels that have higher RVP evaporate easier than fuels with lower RVP.

 

According to the Today In Energy article, “Date of switch to summer-grade gasoline approaches,” the federally mandated dates for summer-grade fuel and reformulated gasoline are May 1 to September 15 for refiners and terminals, and June 1 to September 15 for gasoline retailers (Note: “In California, switchover dates are earlier, and summer-grade gasoline must be in use for a longer period.” – Today in Energy, U.S. Energy Information Administration).

3 Unique Ways to Use Social Media at Your Delivery Company

Image credit: RosauraOchoa

Sure, you know social media is an inexpensive way to market your business to a large, diverse audience. But did you know social media also can be used for other purposes, too? Here are a few notable examples:

Use social media to control problems

The example: When a company called 1SaleADay.com started to sell a utility knife that can fold into the shape of a credit card, the company received negative feedback about the product listing from a police officer:

“As a Law Enforcement Officer, I do not appreciate you selling items that criminals can easily hide... As a result of you selling this product, I will no longer be your customer, and will be spreading the word, via word of mouth and social media, for people to stop buying from your website.”

The company decided to start a conversation with its customers on its company Facebook page. The company asked its clients to share their opinions about the product. The company posted the comment (without personal identifiers), and an organic conversation was sparked – the company got over 750 comments in 24 hours about the product. Most of the customer feedback was positive (customers were not upset by the product) and the negative feedback remained respectful and thoughtful. By addressing the situation head-on through social media, the company was able to get valuable customer feedback, while showing reasonable concern about the products the company sells.

The lesson: Using social media to communicate with customers about products, and learning how to accept positive and negative feedback on social media, can help a company stay ahead of a discussion, while remaining open and honest with its customer base.

Use social media to test new company features

The example: Almost a year ago, Burger King began testing out a new food delivery option at a few of its restaurant locations. To help gauge customers’ feelings about the campaign, the fast-food chain created various online features, including a delivery-centric Twitter page and a delivery information website customers could visit.

The lesson: Burger King’s customers responded positively to the campaign, and gave the chain a lot of feedback about the new service via the newly created, campaign-specific, social media sites.

Use social media to gain and increase customer support

The example: Sometimes social media can be used to rally support behind your brand. According to the article, “Will social media help save the Postal Service and Saturday delivery?” posted earlier this year, many post office enthusiasts gathered via various social media events and campaigns to support the mail institution.

The lesson: Your customers are more loyal than you think, and they really enjoy using social media to communicate with each other.

Here are just a few of the social media vehicles that were used:

• Supporters gathered via an online Facebook event, “Because We Love Snail Mail.” Others created various, supportive Facebook groups and pages.
• The American Housewife @WhatIDoAllDay, a Twitter user, sent out a plethora of tweets concerning the Post Office’s crisis. According to Social Media Today: “[She asked] if she might ‘single-handedly save the US Postal System’ by mailing letters to those who ask for them. She beseeched people that if they liked mail, they should provide ‘something to deliver’ by writing a love letter, a thank-you note, a postcard.”

So, have you ever used social media to help your business in the time of crisis? Or to get customer feedback, or rally support? Let us know!

How Will You Celebrate National Small Business Week?

Source: Victor 1558

Do you know it’s National Small Business Week? Well, yeah, of course you do! We know that many of our readers own or work for a small, delivery business. For those of you who didn’t know it's National Small Business Week (maybe you just started your business, or you are part of a large company), here’s a bit of information about the Week’s history:

“Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year. As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories.  Every day, they’re working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness.” – U.S. Small Business Administration

National Small Business Week is celebrated every year. This year’s event (June 17-21) was announced back in March and is the event’s fiftieth. Pretty impressive! This year’s week’s events will focus on topics that will help small businesses start, grow and succeed. Here’s the Week’s schedule by city:

Seattle - June 17

Dallas - June 18

St. Louis - June 19

Pittsburgh - June 20

Washington, D.C. - June 21

There will also be numerous online forums for people who can’t attend. You can watch some of the week’s events via a live stream at the SBA’s website. Click here for more information.

So, how are you going to celebrate this year's Small Business Week, and how are you plotting to make your business stronger? Here are some suggestions we’ve gleaned from a few articles:

• Add mobile options to improve your business. Manage your business using mobile management Apps, and mobile banking tools. Also: consider adding mobile payment options to increase customer convenience.
• Use free marketing tools, such as a business blog, or social media accounts to promote your business and spend little to no money.
• Use simple search engine optimization techniques (SEO) to make your website index better on search engines.
• Make sure you have all your business’ important documents (employee information locked away in a safe and secure place, tax information properly cared for) in order so you know where everything is at all times, and you can easily stay organized.
• You’re the boss, so what you say goes. But remember, making the office an extremely rigid environment can really make employees miserable. Once you hire on some help, you’ve got to work with people and listen to (reasonable) employee feedback.

Do you have any small business tips and tricks you’re willing to share? Any special plans for making the rest of 2013 profitable? Share with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or in the comment section.