Christmas is coming, and we at Apollo Distribution are ready and at your service to help out during the festive period. We have asked our Director Mike Dyer to answer a few questions....
What are they key dates for getting our deliveries out?
We run a variety of services. We have same day to anywhere in the country, we have UK overnight, and we also run an international courier service. So the deadlines depend on the type of service you as the customer requires. We never close, so we’ll even be open on Christmas day – that means that for a same day delivery there isn’t really a key date; if a client needs something to be delivered on Christmas Day we will do it for them.
The overnight service is slightly different as we act as a parcel broker, and we are in one of the largest overnight networks in the UK. For this service, we tend to work on normal business working hours and days, so for parcels to arrive in time for Christmas 2020, it would need to be sent on Thursday 22nd to arrive on Friday 23rd . We always recommend though that customers leave as much time as possible to ensure their deliveries arrive on time.
For international deliveries more time is needed. Remember that Christmas in the Pacific starts 12 hours ahead of Christmas in the UK!
Do corporate companies send more at Christmas than any other time?
Most businesses shut down between Christmas and New Year, so if a business wants to get something delivered before the year end, they will generally have to send it out before Christmas. Apollo Distribution is open between Christmas and New Year, but a lot of companies to whom we need to deliver aren’t, of course!
Plus, there is a lot more being sent at Christmas anyway. Companies are sending out a lot of corporate Christmas gifts, individuals are sending personal gifts, often to other countries, so it’s all much, much busier than it usually is.
How will Apollo maintain their great level of customer service over the holidays?
The key thing is preparation and planning. For example, we make sure there are as many staff working in the three or four weeks before Christmas as possible. We also try to gear the fleet up before the busy period starts, making sure we’ve got enough vans and vehicles’, making sure everything is running the way it should.
Mainly, though, it’s down to the skill of our office staff. They know exactly how to keep the show on the road! They will know which types of packages are urgent, which ones are less so – they get a feel for it. They’re just experienced in making it work.
They are also highly experienced at liaising with clients, encouraging them to send their items in as early as possible, checking to see what really needs to be delivered by Christmas and what is better off waiting until the new year, which all helps with our logistics, and keeping everyone happy. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes.
What are your plans for Apollo Distribution going into 2021?
We’re expecting another busy year -we’re always on the acquisition trail, so we hope to be able to announce something exciting in the New Year! We are also investing in our marketing, so we’re hoping for a lot of organic growth in 2021 as well.
Book With Us
To book a delivery with Apollo Distribution, please give us a call on 02920 796100, or through our website contact page. We will be happy to talk you through our range of services, and help you to set up an account for easy, efficient package collection and delivery.
Get in touch today to arrange your Christmas deliveries and enjoy the festive period knowing that your delivery is in safe hands.