We require customers to register to prevent spamming, and invalid or incorrect jobs being listed on boxby. When you register your address details can then be brought forward into the quote forms you complete, which saves you re-entering all of the data.
Why can’t you just give me a courier quote?
Because we are not simply one courier giving you one courier price. When you submit a get a quote form, we publish that job on our website under Open Jobs for all of our registered couriers to quote for. We also email notification of your job to all of the couriers that cover the UK areas that your item is either being collected from, or delivered to. This way you receive lots of different quotes from different independent courier companies.
We will require the name, address, telephone numbers & postcode of collection and delivery. We will also require the dimensions and approx weight of the item for delivery. In addition we will ask you if there is any glass in your item, or if there will be anyone to assist in loading and unloading at both ends.
I am not sure how much my item weighs?
We need to know this because we need to have an idea of how easy the item is it lift or load. Health and Safety have a general rule that if an item is over 30kg then two people should lift it. So have a look at your item, if you think that it needs two people to lift then choose over 30kg.
If your item does need two people to lift it, then it is important that you indicate whether or not someone will be there to assist with loading and unloading. And by this we mean to help with the lifting, not just hold the doors open. Many courier companies run their vans with just one driver. Therefore if there is no-one to help with the loading and unloading, they need to quote higher based on the fact that they will need to bring an assistant or co-driver. This information is important to the quote system.
Why do you need all of this information just to give me a quote?
The information we request is important to the couriers in setting their quotes. If we have for example, only the town of delivery, then this could cover a large area. The couriers are quoting based on the time/distance it takes them to add your job to routes and courier jobs they already have booked.
Similarly, the courier companies need to know whether or not they need to have an extra driver to load, and they need to know the dimensions so that they can work out how much room on the van your job will take up.
But most importantly, we ask for this information so that when you accept the quote, the courier company receive all of the information that they need, in one go, in one email. It does not help the courier, the customer, or ourselves to be chasing people for address, and telephone information when the courier is on the road to your job.
Are there any costs on top of the quote?
What you see is what you pay, and it includes VAT. The quote is for the items that you have included in your quotation request, to and from the addresses given in your request.
What happens after I accept a quote?
When you accept a quote that triggers the immediate release of the job information to the courier you have chosen. That courier is required to contact the people at both the collection and delivery ends within 24 hours to let them know when they anticipate delivering the item in question.
What are my obligations?
You are required to be available for access for collection or delivery of the item. And for arranging that the other party will similarly be available for collection or delivery. Couriers are quoting cheap prices on Boxby on the basis of fitting in your jobs around other scheduled work. Therefore if you, or the other party, set out restrictive periods for collection or delivery this increases costs dramatically for the courier. If you, or the other person that the item is being collected or delivered from, have only certain days and times for collection/delivery then we require you to state that in the information you provide when seeking quotes. As this will impact on the prices quoted. When the courier contacts you and you make arrangements for dates etc for pickup or delivery of your item, you are expected to be at the property at the dates/times in question you agree.
Who are your couriers?
Our couriers are independent firms of couriers, from self employed owner drivers, through to large ltd companies with over 50 employees and turnover of a couple of million pounds. They are not the parcel carriers, and are not franchises, who use hub distribution centres.
What checks do you do on them?
All new couriers are required to submit a copy of their goods in transit insurance, which shows their business name, and that they have appropriate cover for undertaking courier work obtained through boxby.
The terms and conditions also ask couriers to confirm that they are fit and proper people to undertake courier work, including being of an appropriate age, having no legal convictions etc.
What if I provide inaccurate or incomplete information in the quotation form?
If you provide incomplete or inaccurate information in the get a quote form this will result in extra expenses incurred by the couriers or time wasted. Please refer to section 10 of the customer terms and conditions for more information regarding this area.
How can I contact the courier to check some details?
Simply drop an email to admin@boxby.co.uk and we will provide you with all the information that you request, and get the courier to call you if you need so.
Who do I contact if I have any questions?
Contact admin@boxby.co.uk or phone 01465 715444 to speak to someone in our office.
