The last thing an online shopper wants to see when they finally receive their purchase is a fragile item that’s been crushed, cracked or otherwise damaged during the shipping process. It can really hurt the customer experience while also costing companies money to replace the broken items.

So just as companies need to test their products to make sure they work properly before sending them out, shipping companies need to test their processes. FedEx, which ships 25 million boxes daily during the holidays, recently offered a behind the scenes look at its testing process.

In short, the company tries to mimic real-world situations with its packages. FedEx intentionally drops packages from various heights to make sure they make it through the sorting process. It puts pressure on boxes to make sure they can handle being packed in under other items. And it even performs a vibration test to mimic what the package might go through on a plane or in the back of a truck.

If you’re lucky, none of items you ship to customers will have to go through all of these things. But the hope is that if they do, your items will still remain intact due to FedEx’s attempts to anticipate prolems before they occur. Its an important part of the shipping service that FedEx offers.

Real-World Testing Procedures are Best

And knowing that the packages you send customers are safe, here’s another thought. No matter what type of products or services your small business offers, you may want to do your own testing to make sure customers get what they expect too. Make sure your testing process mimics real-world situations so you can anticipate problems.

FedEx Photo via Shutterstock

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[“source-smallbiztrends”]