The DHL AIR FIRST product was created in response to market signals, the most important of which were customer expectations for flexible and convenient solutions, strong price competition among forwarders, and a lack of offers combining delivery guarantees with compensation in case of delay or failure.
– Offering a service with a money-back guarantee is a common solution in other industries. The freight forwarding industry is, in this respect, completely uncharted territory that we have decided to conquer as pioneers. The current market situation is an excellent catalyst for all innovative solutions, non-standard behaviors, and a new approach to the customer and their expectations. That is why we created the DHL AIR FIRST service, in which we propose clearly defined and detailed terms for order fulfillment. In the event of delays, we refund the customer’s money. It is, therefore, a money-back guarantee solution known in other markets – says Piotr Iwaniuk, CEO of DHL Global Forwarding.
By offering DHL AIR FIRST, the company takes responsibility for freight delays resulting not only from the fault of DHL Global Forwarding but also from those caused by subcontractors working with the forwarder. Until now, freight forwarding offers were limited to standard delivery guarantees, in most cases without real coverage in the event of late delivery.
– Additionally, thanks to the “money-back guarantee” option, we are the only ones in the industry to offer compensation for each day of delay in the form of a refund proportional to the delay in delivery of the shipment – specifies Piotr Iwaniuk.
According to the DHL AIR FIRST service regulations, every customer whose shipment is delayed by one day will receive a 10% discount on transport costs from the forwarder. If the cargo does not arrive within two days of the deadline, the discount will be 15%. For further delays, the customer will receive additional discounts, and in the event of exceeding ten days in order fulfillment, DHL Global Forwarding will refund the full transport costs to the customer.
The DHL AIR FIRST offer is aimed at companies and entrepreneurs importing and exporting goods from Asia (China and Hong Kong) and exporting to North America (USA and Canada), South America, Africa, and Europe. The service does not cover the freight of dangerous goods, goods requiring temperature-controlled transport, or strategic goods within the meaning of relevant regulations.