Confirm someone can accept it.
Check the recipient’s name, availability, and delivery address. A business may close its receiving desk before the rest of the building closes.
THE HALEN GUIDE / 10
SMALL-BUSINESS DELIVERY
Move the package.
Keep business moving.
A practical local-delivery playbook for independent shops, offices, and teams—from the first address check to the final receipt.
BEFORE THE HANDOFF
Make a delivery easy
for the person receiving it.
Describe the parcel accurately.
Know what is inside and how it is packed. Check the delivery service’s item, size, weight, and value limits before booking.
Prepare a complete address.
Include the business name, suite, entrance, and any relevant receiving instructions. A street address alone may lead to the wrong door.
A SIMPLE BUSINESS ROUTINE
One delivery. One clear record.
| Stage | Keep this information |
|---|---|
| Before dispatch | Internal reference, recipient contact, agreed receiving window, and a factual description of the item. |
| At handoff | Booking reference, handoff time, and the name of the person who released the package. |
| After delivery | Available completion information and the receipt. Match them to your own order or expense record. |
| If something changes | The updated instruction, who approved it, and any contact with the service about a return or failed handoff. |
GOOD INSTRUCTIONS
Be specific about the door.
Careful about the data.
A useful business delivery note
“Deliver to the staffed reception desk on the second floor. Ask for Jordan. Reception closes at 4:30 p.m.”
Confirm these details with the recipient before sending. Avoid putting private customer or business information on the outside of a parcel.
BEFORE YOU BOOK
Business delivery questions.
Can I send samples, documents, or a customer order?
Check the specific contents and the service’s eligibility rules. An item’s business purpose does not make it automatically acceptable. Give confidential, irreplaceable, temperature-sensitive, or high-value items additional consideration before choosing a carrier.
Does this include business billing, bulk dispatch, or integrations?
This guide is a practical workflow for local deliveries. Use business accounts, consolidated billing, tracking, proof of delivery, or integrations only when the service explicitly offers them.
What if the recipient has closed?
Follow the service’s failed-delivery and return rules. Do not assume the driver may leave the parcel outside or keep it until the next day. Confirm a fallback contact before dispatch.
KEEP EXPLORING