Canadian small businesses reveal keys to a successful carrier relationship

Let’s be real: Your customers expect a top-notch delivery experience every single time, which means your brand’s reputation pretty much depends on it. But how do you choose a delivery partner that supports your growth and keeps your customers happy?

To find out, we went straight to those who know best! We chatted with successful Canadian small business owners (and former Canada Post Tales of Triumph winners) to find out how they built strong delivery partnerships that truly support their brand and deliver real results.

Building a professional foundation

For Le Club, choosing the right carrier was essential for maintaining a premium customer experience as they expanded their ecommerce operations. The decision went beyond simply finding the cheapest option.

“Finding that perfect shipping partner was a necessity,” said Christophe Perreault, Retail General Manager and Co-owner. “From the beginning, we worked with Canada Post, not only for their reliability, but also for the broad coverage they offer. We knew it wouldn’t be an issue getting to people no matter how far they lived from city centres. Canada Post can get orders to every single address in Canada.”

In the early days, with fewer orders, the Le Club team personally transported packages to the local post office. As their business grew, the convenience of Canada Post’s pickup service became a welcome addition.

Beyond logistics, Le Club, chosen as the Canada’s Choice winner of the 2024 Canada Post Tales of Triumph contest, recognized the importance of clear communication and transparency in their shipping.

“Notification is a pain point for a lot of customers,” Perreault said. “When people buy from small shops online, they place the order, give their credit card number, and then they wait. Often, they don’t get notified as to what’s happening and they wonder, ‘What’s going on? Was that a scam?’ It was important to us that they get a notification and tracking number right away. That’s a big reason we like working with Canada Post.”

Le Club also understood that professional logistics were key to competing with larger, more established brands.

“As a small business, we wanted to make sure we not only looked professional on our operations and logistics side from the start, but that we were professional from day one. Too many small and medium businesses don’t prioritize logistics. They build a cool website and handle shipping afterwards.”

Perreault continued, “To us, if we wanted to compete with more established retailers, or even compete with the brands themselves that sell direct to customers, it was important we match their level of trust. That means focusing both on the front end (like a website that looks cool and functions well, simple checkout, shipping options, the whole thing) and the back end, where customers get their package on time in a reliable way, delivered by a well-known, trusted carrier. It is important the whole experience from the beginning to end is professional.”

This commitment to a seamless and trustworthy experience, powered by Canada Post’s reliable service and delivery network, has been instrumental in Le Club’s success.

Delivering on customer experience

Cedar Valley knows their reputation is on the line with every package.

What started as a high school project by mother-son co-founders Surria and Ameen Fadel, has blossomed into a national snacking sensation. Inspired by their Lebanese heritage, Cedar Valley crafts deliciously authentic pita chips. The team’s journey has taken them from a single farmers’ market stall to the shelves of more than 2,000 stores including Sobey’s, Whole Foods and Costco.

As part of that growth, Cedar Valley counts on Canada Post to deliver online orders directly to consumers. It’s a decision the company didn’t take lightly.

“With shipping, the biggest thing is reliability,” Ameen said. “Customers expect everything on time, every time. The choice of shipper is huge because they are a reflection on us. If we ship through someone and it arrives a week late, the blame gets on us. Customers don’t really care who’s shipping it; they just want it on time.”

For Cedar Valley, named the Staying Power category winner of the 2024 Canada Post Tales of Triumph contest, their delivery partner directly extends their brand and reflects their commitment to customer satisfaction.

“Nobody is looking at the shipping label when it arrives. It’s all Cedar Valley to them.”

That makes their carrier an invisible, yet critical, part of their brand experience.

“That means choosing the right partner to help us grow our brand is super important because it’s an extension of our brand,” Ameen said. “Our shipper is reflected in our customer journey and customer experience.”

There are other shipper factors to consider outside the direct view of customers. Surria, who manages the logistics team, highlights the importance of user-friendly systems that support this seamless brand experience.

“Convenience is important. Everything has got to be user friendly. The software and portals are important to us to make sure we can easily go and plug in our information and print out that shipping label. Ease of portal use allows us to do it as efficiently as possible, shipping packages out as efficiently and quickly as possible.”

This efficiency is crucial for managing the company’s growing volume of direct-to-consumer orders placed through the website, ensuring every customer interaction, from click to delivery, is smooth.

“Your carrier hauls your parcels and carries your reputation,” Surria said.

Rude Mama Hot Sauce on serving up peace of mind

For Viet Anh Nguyen, Founder and CEO of Rude Mama Hot Sauce, her choice of a carrier was never about price. Shipping heavy, fragile glass jars of hot sauce across Canada presented significant early challenges, both logistical and emotional.

“The heavy part of shipping isn’t just physical. There is a heavy mental part, too. I wanted to ship affordably, but some cheap companies, they don’t really care. So, every time I shipped a package out, I’d pray for the sauce not to break,” said Nguyen, who tried to reinforce packages with a dozen fragile stickers wrapped around the package.

“I wanted to make sure my package was treated like a princess!”

Early experiences with cheaper carriers often resulted in broken products and frustrated customers, directly impacting her Toronto-based women-led brand.

“When you ship your product out, it gets broken. It’s a fast way to lose a customer,” she said, highlighting the direct link between shipping quality and customer retention. Not only does a broken shipment annoy the customer, but it also forces the small business to ship another product, essentially giving “two for one,” which can be a significant financial strain for a company with a limited budget.

Nguyen’s decision to go with Canada Post was driven by its proven reliability, safety and care, along with extensive reach, ensuring her delicate products arrived intact and on time, even in remote areas.

“They handle my products like they were their own. Plus, Canada Post goes everywhere,” she said, noting she has customers in hard-to-reach locations where other carriers don’t deliver.

Nguyen emphasizes that for Rude Mama, named the Rising Stars award winner in the 2024 Canada Post Tales of Triumph small business contest, every partnership is a long-term investment.

“I think about what my business needs today, but I also think about what it will need one year, two years, five years into the future. That means every partner, every relationship, needs to be a good one. It’s a hassle to change and then build another relationship,” she said.

Nguyen says Canada Post gave her a chance when she was small, recalling how they supported her during the Tales of Triumph campaign when she was operating out of her home. This foundational support cemented her loyalty.

“For me, when I work with somebody, and they give me their word, I will remember that. As I was growing as a small business, Canada Post gave me a chance. I will remember that. And as I grow, I won’t forget that.”

She continued, “A good delivery company not only saves you a lot of headaches. Canada Post knows what it’s doing. They have been doing it for as long as you as you can remember. They build on that familiarity, credibility, consistency.”

Key takeaways

Brand reflection

A reliable delivery partner is crucial for customer satisfaction and reflects directly on your brand’s reputation.

Logistics priority

Prioritizing professional logistics from the start helps small businesses compete and build customer trust.

Strategic choice

Choosing a carrier based on long-term reliability, reach and care, rather than just price, minimizes issues and supports growth.