It's easy to forgive somebody for assuming that postal and courier services are essentially the same thing. After all, a post office is an establishment that put in the mail, and a courier service is simply a commercial business that put in packages and other types of packages on demand. But they are not. A courier service is actually a premium, all-inclusive service that collects and delivers packages in the fastest possible time span, while a post-office is usually used for delivering letters and parcels that can in some cases take several days to arrive at their ultimate destination. The speed with which a package is delivered depends greatly on the type of service utilized. Couriers do not just deliver, they also collect, sort, and seal packages.

For example, say you want to send a shipment of machinery and equipment from one location to another. Instead of relying on your local post office to arrange for such shipments, what you would do instead is to call a courier service and have them prepare the shipment in advance and then have the drivers deliver it to the appropriate locations. You would also pay more than if you were to use postal services because you would need to cover the cost of insuring the equipment against theft or damage. Courier services would also require you to take extra precautionary measures such as double bagging or packaging materials to protect the items from damage. Courier companies charge more for their services because they have to pay a lot more to maintain a fleet of vehicles and employ security measures such as video surveillance, alarms, and 24-hour protection and surveillance for their employees.

On the other hand, when we talk about postal services, we consider sending letters, emails, and parcels. For many people, this task is much easier to accomplish than it would be if you were using courier services because everything is already pre-assigned and organized. With a postal service, there is no need to have any type of tracking or delivery confirmation for packages or letters because they are delivered on your doorstep automatically. Courier companies often charge extra for the extra delivery convenience but you can use your local post office to deliver your packages, so you are not losing anything by using a courier instead. Courier companies also provide tracking for all of your packages, so if there is a problem with your package, it will be easy to track it down and you can track delivery information for that particular package as well.

Courier companies are not solely focused on commercial shipments either. Small offices and residences often depend on courier services in order to expedite personal and business deliveries. Items such as computers and laptops, for example, often need to be delivered to businesses or homes in as timely a fashion as possible so they can get back to work or handle business-related activities without any hiccups. Courier companies have specially designed trucks to make the journey between your home or business and the delivery location as smooth as possible.

Another benefit of using courier services is the real-time tracking of packages that are provided. Courier companies can instantly tell you if your shipments are being delivered on time. If a package is being delivered to the wrong address or to the wrong person, you can immediately find out which way it should go and how to fix it. If you are shipping something that needs to be shipped overseas, real-time tracking is important in that you can monitor your shipment progress right from your computer. You can see where the package is in real time and you can also track its progress in the shipping world.

Most couriers offer international tracking for most of their shipments. There are fees involved for this service, but it is usually completely free for most shipments. International tracking can ensure that you know exactly where your shipment is at all times, making international shipments much easier to manage. Courier companies can also help you with any customs requirements or other specifics about your shipment.

Finally, one of the more common uses for courier services these days is to act as a sort of "personal shopper" for someone else. Some people like shopping online and would like the convenience of shopping online without having to leave the house. This is why many courier services offer international shipping options and allow people to order from overseas using their credit cards. Courier companies usually have stores set up locally near popular areas that allow customers to place their orders by paying in just minutes. After an item is purchased, the courier will deliver the item directly to the customer.