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Why can deliveries be delayed, and how do third-party agents or labelling mistakes affect this?

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Written by Ange
Updated this week

Understanding Delivery Delays and How to Resolve Them

Delivery delays can happen for a variety of reasons. Below are the most common causes, how they affect your package, and what steps can be taken to resolve them.

Common Causes of Delays

Third-party agents

  • Sometimes Urgent Couriers works with partner agents for parts of a delivery.

  • If there’s a delay, it may be due to miscommunication or operational issues with the third party.

  • Resolution: Communication with the agent or courier support team is required to get updated delivery times.

Labelling errors

  • Missing or incorrect shipping labels can prevent a package from being routed correctly.

  • Such packages may be held in storage until the issue is fixed.

  • Resolution: The sender and courier operations team usually need to work together to correct the label and re-route the package.

Resolving Delays

  • Third-party agent delays: Monitor updates, escalate via customer support if needed.

  • Labelling issues: Confirm label details with the sender. Packages may need to be retrieved and re-labelled before delivery continues.

Billing Implications

  • Charges usually apply only to successfully completed deliveries.

  • Undelivered or mislabelled items typically are not billed.

Preventing Future Issues

  • Ensure all packages have correct and clear labels before handover.

  • Communicate labelling requirements with your team/senders.

  • Track shipments regularly and address problems early.


✅ By understanding these causes, customers and agents can anticipate issues and work with Urgent Couriers to keep deliveries on track.


FAQ:

Why might my delivery be delayed?
Delays can happen due to third-party agents or incorrect/missing labels.

How do third-party agents cause delays?
If Urgent Couriers uses a partner agent, miscommunication or inefficiencies on their end may hold up delivery.

What happens if my package is mislabelled or missing a label?
The package may be held until corrected. The sender and operations team must update the label before it can be delivered.

How are delivery delays resolved?
For third-party delays, updates are provided or escalated through support. For labelling issues, the sender must confirm/correct labels so the package can be re-routed.

Will I be charged for delayed or undelivered packages?
Usually, only successfully delivered and correctly labelled packages are billed.

How can I prevent delays?
Always check labels before sending, clearly communicate requirements, and track shipments proactively.

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