Uniform response

Consumers prefer couriers to wear a uniform when they are delivering parcels, according to a new survey from Endicia. Endicia canvassed the views of more than a thousand consumers and 59% of them said that they prefer that couriers wear a uniform. When asked why, 72% said that the uniform allowed them to quickly identify which company the courier was working for – and therefore establish that they had a bone fide reason to be on their doorstep.

City dwellers showed a significantly stronger preference for the uniform compared to people from rural communities. This might be partly because they liked the more “business like” appearance but, more importantly, it helped to allay their fears over security.

The statistic that will be most interesting to delivery companies is this: “57% of urban residents say their preference for uniformed vs non-uniformed delivery people impacts which delivery service provide they use”. This will be good news for postal operators and carriers like FedEx, UPS, DHL and others who adopt a uniform appearance – but not so good for those who opt for the “crowdsourcing” route.

Click here to see a blog from Endicia on the survey.