How does a Midwest delivery company, headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin compete with the national delivery firms?
There’s “Brown”–UPS, which operates world-wide and along side is FedEx, another very successful, multi-billion dollar delivery company. Many other national and global companies have entered the fray (and some departed) and then, of course there is the US Postal Service offering numerous service choices including express and priority deliveries.
So the question is… how can a regional delivery service based in Wisconsin show tremendous growth and actually compete with these giants of the delivery industry?
“We do the things that the bigger companies cannot or choose not to do,” explains Mark McDonald, Owner of Dunham Express. “As and example, for one of our clients in Chicago, our trucks are departing their loading docks at close to midnight and we’re making the deliveries throughout the entire state of Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan all “NEXT DAY!” This is just one instance where we have worked with the shipping customer to design service programs that meet their needs, rather than make them change their internal processes and/or experience delivery delays.”
Founded as Dunham Mail Delivery in 1951 in Madison, Wisconsin, the company has grown into one of the Midwest’s largest regional delivery companies. The company’s service offerings over the years have included; on-demand services, scheduled delivery services, mail delivery, bank courier, overnight services, dedicated route services, distribution services, warehousing and parcel delivery. Having evolved throughout the 60-year history of the company, Dunham Express continues to listen to customers and creatively design delivery solutions. Launched as single person, one vehicle business, Dunham Express now values the service of over 600 associates.
Dunham Express currently handles 45,000 packages daily and, through alliances with carriers in neighboring states, handles closer to 70,000 daily packages. Dunham’s network of 11 operating facilities, 400+ drivers and 300+ vehicles, coupled with the resources of alliance partners, creates a far-reaching footprint to handle shipper’s delivery needs.
Today, Dunham Express offers a variety of services, with a focus on dedicated distribution, expedited overnight parcel delivery, scheduled/routed services and warehousing/sort services. What distinguishes Dunham Express from other carriers is our willingness to go the extra mile for our customers. Examples include; designing networks to facilitate late dock appointments while still achieving an expanded next day delivery range, managing specialized desk top deliveries services that need personalized attention and providing highly secure sort and delivery processes that include real-time proof-of-delivery technology.
Are you frustrated with unpredictable accessorial charges? Dunham Express’ customers know up-front what the charges will be and they can count on it! Aside from surcharges to allow for the volatile price of fuel, Dunham Express does not typically impose any other additional charges.
Mark McDonald, CEO of Dunham Express, relays another key difference between their firm and many other carriers. “If you have a problem on a delivery with some carriers, say your overnight package didn’t show up when it was supposed to, they may offer to refund the cost of shipping and might say that they’re sorry. Conversely, if something happens with one of our deliveries, we’ll assign the resources necessary to fix the problem, making sure it is corrected as soon as humanly possible. Yes, when that happens, we lose money big-time, but that is how we run our company.”
Dunham has also learned some things from the big boys. “I have the utmost respect for the national carriers – what they do is amazing. We know that to compete we have to emulate them to a great degree. Technology is paramount, as is security, integrity and professionalism. These things are not negotiable with shippers. We continue to invest in technology, our vehicles are clean and well maintained and our drivers are consummate professionals” claims Mr. McDonald.
In a world of bigger and bigger delivery companies, Dunham Express creates their niche competing on a local/regional basis providing cost-effective, reliable service that is FLEXIBLE to accommodate shipper’s needs.
There’s “Brown”–UPS, which operates world-wide and along side is FedEx, another very successful, multi-billion dollar delivery company. Many other national and global companies have entered the fray (and some departed) and then, of course there is the US Postal Service offering numerous service choices including express and priority deliveries.
So the question is… how can a regional delivery service based in Wisconsin show tremendous growth and actually compete with these giants of the delivery industry?
“We do the things that the bigger companies cannot or choose not to do,” explains Mark McDonald, Owner of Dunham Express. “As and example, for one of our clients in Chicago, our trucks are departing their loading docks at close to midnight and we’re making the deliveries throughout the entire state of Wisconsin and the upper peninsula of Michigan all “NEXT DAY!” This is just one instance where we have worked with the shipping customer to design service programs that meet their needs, rather than make them change their internal processes and/or experience delivery delays.”
Founded as Dunham Mail Delivery in 1951 in Madison, Wisconsin, the company has grown into one of the Midwest’s largest regional delivery companies. The company’s service offerings over the years have included; on-demand services, scheduled delivery services, mail delivery, bank courier, overnight services, dedicated route services, distribution services, warehousing and parcel delivery. Having evolved throughout the 60-year history of the company, Dunham Express continues to listen to customers and creatively design delivery solutions. Launched as single person, one vehicle business, Dunham Express now values the service of over 600 associates.
Dunham Express currently handles 45,000 packages daily and, through alliances with carriers in neighboring states, handles closer to 70,000 daily packages. Dunham’s network of 11 operating facilities, 400+ drivers and 300+ vehicles, coupled with the resources of alliance partners, creates a far-reaching footprint to handle shipper’s delivery needs.
Today, Dunham Express offers a variety of services, with a focus on dedicated distribution, expedited overnight parcel delivery, scheduled/routed services and warehousing/sort services. What distinguishes Dunham Express from other carriers is our willingness to go the extra mile for our customers. Examples include; designing networks to facilitate late dock appointments while still achieving an expanded next day delivery range, managing specialized desk top deliveries services that need personalized attention and providing highly secure sort and delivery processes that include real-time proof-of-delivery technology.
Are you frustrated with unpredictable accessorial charges? Dunham Express’ customers know up-front what the charges will be and they can count on it! Aside from surcharges to allow for the volatile price of fuel, Dunham Express does not typically impose any other additional charges.
Mark McDonald, CEO of Dunham Express, relays another key difference between their firm and many other carriers. “If you have a problem on a delivery with some carriers, say your overnight package didn’t show up when it was supposed to, they may offer to refund the cost of shipping and might say that they’re sorry. Conversely, if something happens with one of our deliveries, we’ll assign the resources necessary to fix the problem, making sure it is corrected as soon as humanly possible. Yes, when that happens, we lose money big-time, but that is how we run our company.”
Dunham has also learned some things from the big boys. “I have the utmost respect for the national carriers – what they do is amazing. We know that to compete we have to emulate them to a great degree. Technology is paramount, as is security, integrity and professionalism. These things are not negotiable with shippers. We continue to invest in technology, our vehicles are clean and well maintained and our drivers are consummate professionals” claims Mr. McDonald.
In a world of bigger and bigger delivery companies, Dunham Express creates their niche competing on a local/regional basis providing cost-effective, reliable service that is FLEXIBLE to accommodate shipper’s needs.
