How To Pick The Perfect Pallet Network
Considering a new pallet network? Here's what to look out for so you can make sure they're the best choice for your business.
Updated: 20/08/2025
Selecting a Pallet Network
As is the case with any new business partnership, choosing a pallet network should be a considered and informed choice.
However, if you're new to the world of pallet deliveries, knowing what to look out for can be a little daunting. To help you out, we've put together a list of the top elements to consider so you can find a lasting and beneficial relationship.
1. Quality and Reliability
No matter what you’re sending, you should always feel confident that your freight is being well looked after. Therefore, it’s important to find out about the processes the network has in place to establish that you and your customers will receive an efficient and reliable service.
Find out if they hold any ISO accreditations, which act as a symbol of quality assurance. You should also ask about auditing systems to discover whether operations are constantly monitored and reviewed. A network with a focus on quality will have no issue providing you with details on things like scanning accuracy and service levels.
2. Technology
You and your customers will both have come to expect that delivery tracking information will be available at the click of a button, so checking whether your pallet network has these capabilities is vital.
Do they offer real-time tracking for both you and your customers? Do they provide ETAs? Will you be able to access shipping documentation online?
The best businesses will always be looking to improve and stay ahead of the curve, so asking about planned advancements and new technologies is a good way to find out whether they are looking to the future.
3. Value for money
The best value for money doesn’t necessarily mean choosing the cheapest option. You should consider exactly what you’re getting for your money, so ask to see some statistics on damages and on-time delivery rates.
Your collections and deliveries reflect your brand, so you’ll undoubtedly want to offer your customers the very best in terms of both value and quality. It’s about finding the right balance and remembering that the cheapest option can sometimes leave your customers feeling short-changed.
4. Customer service
Customer service is the backbone of every business partnership, so you deserve to know whether you’ll be taken care of should any issues arise. There’s nothing worse than trying to solve an issue via someone who’s juggling several jobs at once, so it’s important to find out whether the pallet network you’re considering has a dedicated customer service team who are on hand to answer your queries and solve any problems.
You should also find out whether you will have an assigned account manager to be your regular point of contact.
5. Connections
You may have read about how pallet networks operate here in the UK, but what about if you want to send your freight further afield? It’s worth finding out whether your pallet network operates overseas and how long you can expect deliveries to take outside of the UK.
Find out if they accept both standard and euro pallet sizes, what the process is like, and whether they have anyone who can help you with the paperwork if you aren’t familiar with how to do it.
6. Remote locations
Deliveries to major towns and cities should be simple for any major logistics provider, but what if your pallet needs to go somewhere a little harder to reach? It’s worth finding out the extent of network coverage and if making a delivery to the Outer Hebrides or Isle of Wight will be as straightforward as sending something to Leeds or London.
Don’t limit your enquiries to domestic deliveries either, ask about the rest of Europe too. You may not need it now, but it’s worth knowing that there’s a service available to support you if you expand overseas.
So, now you know what to look for, you can confidently go about finding a pallet network partner that won’t only support your needs now but be there to help facilitate your growth in years to come.
Don’t forget, if you’ve got any questions, we have a team here at Pall-Ex who will be more than happy to help.
