How do I review a courier firm’s scanners, handhelds and driver apps?

Scanners and handhelds capture the proof that a parcel was delivered, which is what customers pay for. Ask for an inventory: how many devices, which models, how old, and which drivers hold them. Check for cracked screens, weak batteries and spares sitting in a drawer.

Then watch them work. Ride along or sit at the depot and see a driver scan a parcel at pickup, in the van and at the door. Note how long each step takes, whether the signal drops and how proof reaches the office. Drivers will tell you quickly if the system slows them down or if they work around it.

Ask about ownership. Do drivers use their own phones, or does the company supply devices? If drivers use personal phones, the app accounts, data and support arrangement need a closer look. Find out who administers the software and whether the licence is held by the company or by the owner personally. Finally, ask what a failure costs: how fast a device is replaced, who pays and what happens to scans in the meantime. Compare that with what upgrades would cost soon.

Key takeaways

• Take an inventory of devices with age, condition and who holds each.
• Watch a full scan cycle from pickup to proof of delivery.
• Check whether software accounts are held by the company or the owner.
• Ask how failures are handled and what replacement would involve.