Do you need to sign up with a same day courier service — one that you can trust with local delivery of important documents? Are there questions you should ask before choosing one?

Packages you send by courier service are usually a big deal — a contract that clinches the deal, photos for your local newspaper’s deadline or a product that should have been there yesterday for an important client. Not only do you need an immediate response from a courier, you need dependable service. The same day courier business, however, requires little capital or experience. As a result, urban areas are flooded with look-alike bike messengers.

Search on Google, or ask for referrals from friends and colleagues and narrow down the list to three names you recognize. Ask for references, and speak to current clients that have comparable needs. Does the courier company provide a consistent level of timely service? Is there a high turnover among employees? Ideally, you want to develop a relationship with only one courier service, which will make it easier to track lost packages.

Ask each service about their exact delivery guarantees. Does standard delivery mean the package will be picked up in four hours or delivered within four hours? The pickup/delivery distinction is more crucial with express and urgent orders. You want the guarantee to hinge upon how quickly the package is delivered. Some services are not clear about the difference between pick up from your office and delivery at the designated location.

Find out how many modes of transport they use. If you expect to courier a flat-screen TV to a training session or sales presentation, a courier that only offers a motorbike service isn’t going to work for you.

With a wide range of vehicles on standby throughout the UK, I'd suggest contacting Greg Paulson Same Day Couriers for all your delivery requirements.