Facts on Couriers
Couriers are an important part of the business world, making deliveries much more quickly and in some cases effeciently than traditional mailing services.
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Function
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Couriers are responsible for picking up and delivering messages, packages, letters, and even important documents such as legal papers and money in a much faster method than traditional mailing.
Types
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There are local and global courier services, as well as those that carry just messages or those that serve multiple functions such as carrying packages and mail as well. There are couriers that work on bicycles and scooters, as well as those that travel via van, truck or plane. There are also types of couriers that work as independent contractors for a firm, as well as those considered actual business employees.
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Size
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Some courier services will consist of a single person who owns and operates the company on a local level, while other services such as DHL, UPS, and Fedex will have thousands of couriers working in hundreds of different countries around the world who operate on a global level.
History
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Couriers have been around for thousands of years, serving as message carriers on foot or utilizing methods such as homing pigeons, and then moving on to carrying them via horseback such as in the days of Wells Fargo and the Pony Express.
Significance
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Many businesses need things to be picked up and delivered in a timely manner to clients, other businesses, and legal offices. Couriers are an important part of maintaining proper working relations for these businesses, as well as handling important services and deliveries for places such as hospitals that need organs or blood delivered as quickly as possible.
Misconceptions
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Though couriers handle many of the same duties as postal employees, they are not employees of the government and therefore do not have many of the same benefits as those workers.
Considerations
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Unless the courier service is a large global corporation such as UPS or Fedex, couriers employed by a service may only be considered independent contractors and so will work on-call or part time hours, not be eligible for benefits, and may be let go or laid off very suddenly if there is not work.
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