What is white glove transportation?

The term, white glove, refers to providing a high level of service with extra attention to detail. In shipping, white glove transportation means providing top-of-the-line premium logistics services to customers. It is mainly used in reference to the last-mile logistics solutions. It is applicable across most industries for warehouses, retailers, and drop shippers, among others. In the transportation industry, there are many modes of transportation.

Going beyond conventional, curbside shipping, white glove transportation includes a range of premium freight & logistics services. These include:

  • Custom packaging & labeling
  • Priority shipping
  • Distribution management
  • Shipment tracking
  • Real-time updates
  • Reverse logistics

Many carriers offer white glove transportation as a premium service with customized packaging for products requiring extra care and special handling. These include using high-end cushioning, wrapping, and supporting material to secure the cargo inside the pallet or container, un/loading the container first, and handling the freight carefully.

When a shipper opts for white glove transportation, the services begin right from the pick-up origin until the final destination of the freight — for example, the installation of furniture inside a customer’s office.

Who Uses White Glove Transportation?

While standard transportation provides a good level of service, white glove transportation is usually preferred for high-value cargo goods like jewelry, high-end cars, antique furniture, paintings, and so on — which require special care while shipping.

It is also used in the eCommerce domain, with customers demanding “done-for-them” services. Many moving companies and big furniture houses also offer white glove transportation as a value-added service, especially for assembly and disposal of old items.

White glove transportation is also used for fragile goods.

Cost of White Glove Transportation

Due to the extra level of service provided, white glove transportation costs more than standard shipping. Some factors affecting the costs are:

  • Size and dimensional weight (DIM) of the goods
  • Pickup & delivery locations and their accessibility
  • Special transportation or handling equipment
  • Inland transportation and distance
  • Product characteristics (fragile, high-value, over-dimensional, etc.)

Regardless of the added costs, white glove transportation is favored by shippers mainly for the convenience of services it provides and the safety of fragile or valuable freight. It also offers better customer service and experience, thus aiding customer retention and building brand recognition.

Terms related to White glove transportation

About Container xChange

Container xChange simplifies the logistics of global trade. We connect all logistics companies through our neutral online infrastructure that connects all logistics companies. Whether you’re in the business of leasing or trading equipment or want to be on top of all container movements, Container xChange supports simplifying and automating those processes. Want to learn more about leasing at xChange? Click here for more information. Interested in trading? Learn more here.