Home » Freight Shipping Blog » Freight How-To's » P.O.D. Proof of Delivery & Delivery Receipts

P.O.D. Proof of Delivery & Delivery Receipts

 

Hi, Samuel here – or Sam – I am an Account Manager here at FreightPros, which means I am your freight solutions master. Even with all the training and experience, the logistics industry is still able to throw you curveballs.

You can plan into the night, but things happen, and you need to be ready. I want to take the time to tell you about the P.O.D (Proof of Delivery), or Delivery Receipt if you want to get fancy with it.

Download the FREE Beginner’s Guide to Freight Shipping

A Delivery Receipt is exactly what you think it would be; paperwork that confirms what is being delivered is the right product from the right shipper. One thing commonly missed is the condition in which your freight gets delivered. Similar to how hotels confirm the state of the room before and after your stay, freight needs to inspected upon delivery.

On the delivery receipt, issues should be notated if you suspect that it will damage the value of the product. Make sure to notate are any damages to the packaging, and/or missing product.

When these notes are on the POD it makes it easier to file a freight claim with the carrier. Claims can take quite a long time so anything that you can do upfront saves time down the road. 

Another tactic you can take is to refuse the shipment upon delivery if damage is present. Refusing a shipment means that the consignee does not accept the freight in the condition presented – meaning you will eventually file a damage claim.

This will alert the carrier that something is wrong with the shipment and that they should get in touch with the appropriate party. Make sure you use this tactic responsibly, because if a shipment is not damaged the carrier can actually tack on a redelivery fee. Ouch!

Check out our collection of Freight Papers

Since all shipments don’t come inbound to you, it is important to let your customers know about this as well. That way nobody gets burned by a carrier not willing to pay for the damage they caused. Freight shipping is a beast but having a good freight broker will make roaring lion become a fluffy kitty. 

To summarize, the POD is your friend when it comes to protecting your goods. The delivery receipt should notate anything wrong when your freight is received, and if you do not feel comfortable accepting it, refuse it! Protecting yourself from the beast is a priority.

 

See how much time and money you'll save by having our pros help manage your freight.