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ogyakarta housewife Retno Aryani was excited to send a package to a relative in Jakarta. She dispatched jenang, the toffee-like snack made from glutinous rice, via a courier company.

The firm promised the delivery would reach its destination in two or three days, safely before its expiration date.

Instead, Retno, and her relative, were disappointed.

“The snack reached my relative’s office in Jakarta several days late and consequently it was spoiled. My relative told me the snack was damaged, moldy and inedible,” she said.

It was only one experience, but it has left a lasting impression. She switched to using another courier company for her delivery needs in the hope that it will be true to its delivery word in making sure goods arrive on time in the hands of the recipient.

The country’s booming middle class is getting into the habit of using delivery companies, especially with the ease of making online orders.

One of the favorites is to send gifts of food or snacks to another area, either for relatives wishing for a taste of home or for acquaintances to have a new culinary experience.

The service is also a boon for travelers who do not wish to be laden down with the expected oleh-oleh (gifts) when returning from a trip.

Agus is a regular user of delivery services through online purchases, and is satisfied with the service. His orders include online purchases of kripik tempe (fried soybean cake crackers) from Bandung.

“The crackers that I usually order reach me in good time or else they would have lost their crunch,” said the private company employee.

“The courier company that I rely on doesn’t give information on the exact date on when the goods reach a destination. Instead it gives information on the range of time, from three to five days for regular service. That’s why, for safety’s sake, I opt for dried snacks, because it isn’t as perishable.

With more companies offering online purchases, and more consumers with disposable income to use them, the delivery or expedition service business continues to thrive. But with snacks or foods having an expiration date, on-time delivery has become a crucial issue for consumers.

“If consumers want their food to reach the destination on the same day of the order placed, then they can choose our super fast service,” JNE’s executive director Zahari Zein said on the company’s website, www.jne.co.id.

If they want a more affordable delivery rate, they can choose other services, including Yes, or for the ordered items to arrive one day after the date of order, he said.

JNE has launched PESONA (Pesanan Oleh-oleh Nusantara), literally for placing an order of souvenirs from around the archipelago, which according to the company, is a new way of enjoying domestic products with the original taste from their area of origin.

“The product enables consumers to purchase foods or handicrafts typically produced by other regions without having to go out of town,” the company said.

Keeping track

Perishable foods are not the only item that customers are concerned about when it comes to deliveries. They also include documents, packages, motorized vehicles and cargo. Major courier and cargo companies, including ESL Express and Pandu Logistics, strive to provide their best services for customer satisfaction.

Pandu Logistics focuses on delivering documents and logistics that include warehouse management, domestic distribution airfreight, as well as land and sea-freight.

“Our domestic air express with same day service (SDS) is for those who require their document to be delivered on the same day,” said Pandu Logistics’ vice president for sales and marketing, Adnan Sadjar.

“Spare Part Management Service is now our iconic product because its outstanding and high quality performance is proven to customers. We have dedicated teams to take care of our clients and our operations are carefully synched to make sure we always offer the best possible service. We offer online tracking systems and other tools to make our clients’ experience pleasant when shipping with us.”

Pandu Logistics acknowledges that tracking for remote areas is sometimes a challenge.

 “We have a large force of customer service and many dedicated personnel to deal with specific customer complaints,” Adnan said. “We always listen to our customers and aim for zero errors at all times. In addition we are developing out tracking systems to better our service and expand to all areas of service areas.”

Availability of information at shipment delivery status checkpoints is crucial, and “our online live tracking systems allow our customers to track their own shipments online, and this creates more convenience and comfort when the customer knows where their shipment is at all times”.

The company is continually looking to expand its networks and improve its services.

“Pandu Logistics is an ever-growing company, and expanding our logistical services, our warehouse spaces and our branches around the country, and also increasing our international influence over the shipping world, are our aims for expansion,” he said.