Proof of delivery: what a business should expect
Vanley Courier ·
Proof of delivery is the record that shows a package reached the right place and the right person. Here is what a useful record contains, and how to choose between a signature and a photo.
What proof of delivery is for
When a delivery is questioned, you need to be able to say when it arrived and who took it. Proof of delivery answers that without phone calls or guesswork. It protects you, the recipient and the courier.
What a useful record includes
- The time of pickup and the time of delivery.
- The name of the person who received it, and their signature where one is required.
- A photo of the drop-off spot, when you have agreed that an item can be left.
- A confirmation sent to you by email or text as each delivery is completed.
- A note of anything unusual, such as a recipient who was not available.
Signature or photo?
Ask for a signature when the item has to reach a person: prescriptions, original legal documents, anything valuable or confidential.
A photo suits a drop you have agreed in advance, such as supplies left at a staffed receiving area or an after-hours delivery to an agreed spot. The photo should show where the item was left, not what is inside it.
If you are unsure, choose a signature. You can always relax the rule for a particular stop later.
What should happen when nobody is there
A signed-for item should never be left unattended. The courier should contact you and follow the instruction you gave: wait briefly, hand it to an alternate contact you have named, or bring it back. Set that instruction before the first delivery, not during it.
Privacy
A delivery record holds personal information, usually a name and sometimes a signature. A courier should collect only what is needed to show the delivery happened, should not photograph the contents of a package, and should share the record only with you or the people you name.
Questions to ask a courier
- How do I receive confirmations, and how soon after each delivery?
- Do you capture the name of the person who signed?
- When do you take a photo, and what does it show?
- What do you do if nobody is there?
- Can I get a log of pickup and drop-off times for a past week or month?
How Vanley Courier does it
Every delivery is confirmed by email or text with the time and who signed for it, or a photo of the drop-off spot where you have agreed to a drop. We do not photograph contents, and a delivery log with pickup and drop-off times is available on request. If you are planning a regular route, see how to set up a scheduled courier route.
Need a courier in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge or Guelph?
Tell us where things go and how often. We reply with a route and a price, confirmed before the first pickup.
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