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Posts Tagged ‘Houston Courier’
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
If you have ever had the pleasure of dining at a fine restaurant like the Palm or McCormick and Schmick’s, you may have wondered how they have such fresh seafood delivered that day for their special entrees of the evening. Now there are certainly many local food distribution companies, but I’m talking about the freshest lobsters, off the farm tomatoes and even beef. These restaurants have discovered the speed and effectiveness of using what is called the Last Mile Delivery option. Simply put, these restaurants can put the freshest food on their customers’ plates in a short amount of time because they ship this food “on-demand.”
 Everyday in markets across the country my nationwide logistics company, Hot Shot Logistics, ensures that these restaurant owners are getting the most time to place the order and still get their food in time for the dinner rush that evening. We manage and coordinate the final delivery to their restaurant door.
Here is how it works: As a restaurant approaches a sell-out of a particular item, they simply place the order and within a few hours, it has been flown in at the peak of freshness and Hot Shot Logistics handles it from there. Or, suppose the chef hears of a recent catch that had an abundance of a particular type of fish. The chef has a great recipe that would compliment this fish. That morning, the order is placed, the fish is flown in and today’s special is printed on the menu as the fish are being unloaded. Talk about Fresh! The Last Mile Solution definitely tastes good.
Restaurant owners like this process because it keeps their product at it’s freshest, keeps them from wasting food due to over-ordering and can keep them from running an unprofitable special.
I use the restaurant business as an example, but this Last Mile Delivery option can be utilized by many businesses in multiple industries. Expedited shipping does not have to be more costly than overnight shipping. In fact, a faster supply chain often means more profit and more time for everyone.
If you want to get more information on how this process may work for you, feel free to contact me or leave a comment below and I’ll respond.
Until Next Time,
Eric
Tags: courier service, Houston Courier, Last Mile Delivery, Logistics, Nationwide Logisitcs, Restaurant Delivery
Posted in Shipping & Delivery | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 19th, 2009
I recently had the pleasure of taking a few days off to head down to Galveston to spend some time with my family and a few days away from the hustle and bustle of my Houston Same Day Delivery Company, Hot Shot Delivery. I can’t stress enough the importance of taking a vacation – even a short one – several times a year. It boosts your economic well being along with your mental well being. It’s not something to be taken lightly – vacations are a must and here are 5 reasons why:
1. Stress Reliever – Sure, traveling with 3 young daughters can be seen by some as stressful, but, to me, it is a great time away from the courier service office. It’s a change of pace, a new scenery and the opportunity to take a deep breath and go with the flow. People often underestimate the importance of this time away and put it off until it is too late. The stress can pile up and with no release, you begin to jeopardize your health.
2. Physical Health – Getting outside, breathing the fresh air, soaking up some Vitamin D and moving around for a few days is going to be better than being hunched over behind a big monitor that is probably too close to your eyes. Juggling deadlines, customer service, human resource issues and the many areas related to running a business is a mental and physical drain on your body. You need to hit the reset button every few months.
3. Economic Health – Not only for the tourist economy, but for your own pocketbook. Sounds odd to some I’m sure, but there is proof behind this concept. Often, when taking the time to get away, you actually free your brain from being bogged down by the daily operations of your business and get back to the free-flowing ideas of the vacationing right side of your brain. You also take the time to read new articles or books and get in to discussions about business ideas without worrying about missing a deadline or dealing with a daily crisis. Some of my most profitable ideas have come when fishing with my dad in the middle of nowhere. You can’t always get that type of brainstorming in a room full of whiteboards and suits.
4. Family Time – I know that you are busy in your own life, but combine that with the lives of your spouse and your kids. My family alone is bouncing back and forth between schools, dancing, day care and tons of other extracurricular activities. I’m lucky to get dedicated time with one of my daughters at a time, much less all three and my wife. However, on a vacation, there is nothing else to do but spend time together. These are the memories that your children will have and think fondly of as they age. This should be a huge priority for you, if you want to maintain the sanity and love within your tight knit group.
 The Beauty of A Vacation 5. Fun – Not much to explain here. Getting away is fun. Trying new things, re-doing old things, catching up with friends, making new friends… whatever. Get out there and do it.
As I close, I think of the fond memories from my short trip to Galveston, fishing trips with my dad, our recent trip to Disney and the many more that are in our future. Be sure to cherish this time with your family and don’t deny yourself the chance to unwind, relax and recharge. You will thank yourself later.
Until Next Time,
Eric
Tags: Family, Houston Courier, kids, Life, vacation
Posted in Family, Theories | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 18th, 2009
After last week’s blog about Price Vs. Cost, I started thinking a bit more about my lawn service decision and I realized something important. In a world full of choices (and opportunity costs), the concept of cost, price and value tend to get a bit confused at times.
Let me explain…as I discussed last week, I decided a long time ago to hire a lawn service so that my weekends are spent with my family vs. doing the yard. However, it was not as simple as that. There are tons of lawn services that are available in my neighborhood. So, I had figured out the Price vs. Cost concept in my head, but was now on to Price Vs. Value.
Price Vs. Value At Home
I chose my lawn service for many reasons that had nothing to do with how much they cost. They were not the cheapest of the ones that I was considering, but I know that you get what you pay for in almost every walk of life. I needed a lawn service that would show up as scheduled, do a thorough and professional job with my yard, use updated equipment, friendly and trustworthy employees, have flexible payment methods and were prepared to make amends when problems occurred. I’m not naive to think that problems won’t occur at times, but a company that can make things right has value that can not be expressed in dollars and cents.
This is what I mean by Price vs. Value. Let’s say that I went for the cheapest option for lawn care. I have no guarantees that the company will be around in 6 months and then I’m right back looking for a new provider. Also, I have no idea if they can trust their employees, so how do I trust them when they are around my home and my family once a week? These are just a few concerns that I considered when looking for the best company, not the cheapest company. The VALUE of a good provider, outweighs the few additional dollars that I pay per month.
Price Vs. Value At Work
I see this concept all of the time with my Houston Courier Service. It seems like every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks they can start a courier service. In one year, I have witnessed the coming and going of over 20 different small Houston Courier Services. My courier company has been around for over 30 years and I still get pulled in to price wars with fly-by-night services that will likely shut their doors within a month.
Our business is very different than most Houston Couriers. We don’t sell on Price, we sell on Value. We have spent thousands of dollars to have the most updated technology that provides real time tracking of packages, online order entry and reporting. We are fully staffed to prevent long hold times on the phone and we train our customer service department to treat customers with the utmost respect. We have a 99% on-time delivery percentage and don’t over-promise to our customers. We can stock inventory in one of our several distribution warehouses across the city. We are not a company that wants to compete on Price. Surprisingly enough though, our bids are usually not very far off from the cheapest/unreliable provider’s bid.
In this economic climate, it makes sense to watch your spending and cut back in areas where possible. But, again, make sure you are watching the Price Vs. Cost and the Price Vs. Value. You could be stuck doing everything on your own or working with people you can’t rely on. That’s the last thing you need right now.
Until Next Time,
Eric
Tags: Business, courier, Decisions, Family, Houston Courier, Price Vs Cost, Price Vs Value
Posted in Business, Shipping & Delivery | No Comments »
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