All shipments are important, but some items are more valuable than others. Often these are expensive products such as luxury goods, but the financial cost doesn’t always tell the full story. There are plenty of shipments that, while they may not have a great deal of monetary value, are still irreplaceable to the sender or receiver.

What’s common among high-value goods – regardless of what form that value comes in – is that they require a greater level of care when shipping. Attention to detail is essential, as is having a close understanding of the specific requirements of each individual shipment.

So, how do you give high-value goods the level of consideration – and of service – they need? Follow this masterclass to learn more.

Value comes in many forms. Often that’s obvious, such as when shipping items that come with a high price tag. But sometimes value is less tangible.

Heirlooms and photographs are some examples of items that may not be costly but can still hold huge, sentimental value. Similarly, important documents are valuable because they may be highly confidential, or difficult or impossible to replace.

Realising the value of the goods to the recipient is key to understanding how they need to be treated and the level of service required.

Consumer expectations can vary depending on the goods being shipped. Customers buying luxury goods, for example, are paying for a premium product and so are likely to expect a premium service. That may mean anything from fast delivery options to excellent support communications.

Other customers may expect their items to be treated with extra special care to avoid damage, particularly if they are irreplaceable like artworks or antiques.

Whatever the expectations, it’s important to be aware of peak periods for your business and how they may affect your ability to achieve the standards you’re aiming for. Customer demands won’t dip because it’s a busy time – and they may get even more exacting close to key shopping or holiday dates. Take steps to mitigate any negative impacts as being able to deliver a consistent experience is vital for high-value goods.

All goods need to be protected during transport but, for many high-value goods, it’s even more important that the protection is robust. Breakages can be much more costly, in both financial and sentimental terms. And negative customer experiences can easily translate to a damaging hit on your reputation.

While individual items may have specific packaging needs, there are some useful guidelines to follow for many:

• Wrap items carefully in a thin sheet of bubble wrap
  
• Use rigid boxes that have enough room for extra padding – make sure the item fits tightly
  
• Put an additional address label in the box in case the outer one comes off or becomes illegible
  
• Tape the box using the H-taping method
  
• Label the box and, if necessary, mark it as fragile

It’s worth taking your time to pack items properly, and ensure you train staff well so they’re sure of the steps they need to take.

When shipping high-value goods, it’s important to consider any additional security measures you may need to take. These can help reassure customers that their goods are being treated as a priority and are being delivered carefully.

Offering secure transportation, GPS tracking and increased proof of delivery requirements are all ways of adding extra layers of reassurance.

You should also remember that nothing is foolproof, and accidents can happen. Standard liability limits from couriers are unlikely to cover the cost of high-value goods, so it could be worth investing in extra financial protection with either your carrier (if available) or a separate insurance company.

When people are sending or receiving high-value goods, the more confident you can make them feel the better. A good way to do this is to maintain high standards of reliability, which will help customers build trust in your business. Ensure product quality and customer service levels are consistent and choose delivery partners you can rely on to provide the level of service you require, whenever you require it.

Beyond that, you can also increase customer confidence by tracking and monitoring goods closely during the delivery, providing regular updates where necessary, and allowing customers to change delivery times and other details if they need to.

If customers are expecting a premium experience when receiving their high-value goods, it’s worth thinking about how that translates into the service level you offer, and whether you – and your shipping providers – are able to go above and beyond.

For instance, security can be strengthened with dedicated vehicles. Speed can be increased by sending shipments on the fastest possible routes and outside regular hours. You could even offer more of a ‘white glove’ service through dedicated couriers hand-delivering items to customers around the world.

These options won’t be right for all high-value shipments, but for a select few they could make all the difference.