ParcelPedia Podcast

From Military Servers to Dental Practices: Extraordinary Shipping Tales

• James Banks • Episode 19

Share episode

Share A Memorable Story Of A Customer Or An Interesting Item You’ve Helped Ship 

What does it take to safely ship a military server to Afghanistan or relocate an entire dental practice overseas? In this captivating episode, ParcelPedia owner James Banks pulls back the curtain on the fascinating world of professional shipping, sharing remarkable stories from his decade of experience in Frisco, Texas.

James recounts two particularly memorable shipments: a massive server cabinet bound for U.S. military personnel in Afghanistan (one of his first major international challenges) and helping a beloved long-time customer relocate her dental practice overseas—complete with documenting and shipping over 10,000 specialized items. These stories reveal the meticulous care and expertise that goes into handling complex shipping situations.

The conversation delves into the science of protecting fragile and sentimental items, with James emphasizing that proper assessment is the foundation of successful shipping. He explains his methodical approach: evaluating each item's unique characteristics, selecting appropriate materials, and documenting everything throughout the process. For international shipments, James shares insider tips on how proper documentation prevents customs delays and rough handling. The episode also features the amusing tale of "Flat Sam," a school project cutout that one determined family paid nearly $80 to ship internationally to meet a deadline.

Ready to experience this level of shipping expertise? Visit ParcelPedia at 8992 Preston Road in Frisco and mention this podcast for 10% off select shipping services. Your precious items deserve nothing less than the James Banks guarantee!

To learn more about ParcelPedia visit:
https://www.ParcelPedia.com
ParcelPedia
8992 Preston Road, Suite 110
Frisco, Texas
972- 335-1450

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Parcelpedia podcast, the ultimate guide to all things shipping and business services in Frisco, texas, from US mail and FedEx to private mailboxes and packing supplies. We've got you covered. Stay tuned for a special discount code to save on your next order. And now delivering expert tips and insider insights with a smile, here's your host, james Banks. Owner of Parcelpedia.

Speaker 2:

Behind every package is a story, and James Banks has seen some good ones, from priceless family heirlooms to once in a lifetime surprises here, what shipping at Parcelpedia is really like. Welcome back everyone. I'm Sofia Yvette, co-host slash producer. Back in the studio with owner of Parcelpedia, james Banks. James, how's it going?

Speaker 3:

Hey Sofia, I'm doing great today. How are you?

Speaker 2:

I'm doing great also. Wonderful James, let us know, can you share a memorable story of a customer or an interesting item you've helped ship?

Speaker 3:

Memorable customer or item. Yeah, you know I will. I'll give you one of each. How about that? I'll start with the item actually Memorable item. This is actually from a while ago. This is like close to 10 years ago.

Speaker 3:

I had a customer come in new customer, never met him before and he just asked me, just real frank, hey, can you ship overseas? And I said, sure thing, yes, sir, we can. And then he kind of doubled down Can you ship to Afghanistan? I said, yes, sir, I can. You know I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure we can. So I did all my checks with my resources'm going to bring it in. And that's when I knew why he came in to kind of check first before he went out back to the car.

Speaker 3:

He brings in this humongous black cabinet, I guess, is the best way you can describe it. And what it was was a server cabinet, so a cabinet to hold all the different servers for the United States military and it was being sent directly to them on site. Yes, so that's why I want to keep it somewhat vague as far as the details. It was so long ago I'm sure it doesn't matter anymore. But yeah, I was like, oh, wow, yeah, we can do that and I was fairly new to the job at the time. For me it was just a really big moment. I could tell it was super important. He needed to get it there and it was going pretty far, you know. So I called everyone I could as far as my help, my resources, and we got it done. We made sure it happened. They got there safely, no issues. That was one of my very first successful international shipments. It happened to be to help out our troops, which I think is really cool. I'll always remember that shipment as far as customer.

Speaker 3:

This one's a very great customer. I mean, I love this customer but it's a little bit of a sad story. So for this customer, she's a long, long long time customer. She has been coming to us for years and years and years and where her professional was, she works in the dental industry with her husband. And one day she just kind of gave me some, you know, vague questions. So hey, you know, can y'all ship to overseas? And I was like, yeah, we can, can you ship to here? Lo and behold, it was like a week after that we're moving. I was like what do you mean? So they were picking up and moving overseas.

Speaker 3:

But they had a home dental practice and they had to move their practice as well. So they had a list of at least 10,000 items of just dental items, with all the different bits for the drills, all the different chemicals they use I mean everything. And with any international shipment all that stuff has to be documented. So it was about a two to three day process where I just said you know, send me everything you have. If you have an inventory sheet, just send it to me. And I did all the research that night, you know, plugging all the numbers for the harmonized codes. I was really super nervous because it's a customer I really really liked and we had been helping her out for a long time and I'd never shipped that amount of goods at once. But again, you know, it all worked out. She messaged me from the destination countries and, hey, we got here. Every single box got here perfectly safe and sound. So it was a good story. But sad because unless she visits, I won't see her anymore.

Speaker 2:

So yeah.

Speaker 3:

I know I was like it hurt my heart to see her go but at the same time you know people move and they have things they have to do. So I was glad that she trusted us to help her make that transition in her life. So that was cool that she put that faith in us.

Speaker 2:

Well, maybe she'll see this episode and give you a call.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, maybe I'm going to have to send her a postcard.

Speaker 2:

So, james, what steps do you usually take to protect fragile or sentimental items during shipping?

Speaker 3:

So as far as those steps, we always do an assessment. Step number one is assessment. Look at what you're shipping. Some things are not good under pressure. Some things are better under pressure.

Speaker 3:

Some things just need to have bubble wrap, like you know, bubble it until you can't bubble it anymore, and some things need to just have loose paper. So assessment is huge. You got to know what you're packing to really do a good job of it. And second, just the material knowing what material works for what items, whether it's paper, foam, bubble wrap, anything, so that nature spacers, blocks inside the box, a lot of different ways you can pack a box to secure the material, but you should know what it is you're packing to do it correctly. So we always assess the package. After that we take an inventory of what we're shipping when we document, document, document, whether you take insurance out or not. Honestly, it's just good practice to document your steps before, during and after, in case anything comes up. You have your proof right there. We do all those things for our customers, just to take that burden off of you, but to also offer that peace of mind that your package is going to get there nice and safe.

Speaker 2:

So, James, how do you help customers feel more confident about international shipments?

Speaker 3:

You know. I just like to explain the process, explain why we take certain steps. Sometimes people are confused. One of the things is why do you need to know what's in the box? Well, we don't want to. We're not going to take anything, we just need to document it because if we don't, or if we miss something, it's going to either cause a delay or you may even get a return, and no one wants to spend the time and the money to send something overseas just to one day come home from work and that box is sitting on your porch and you're like what I sent this out two weeks ago.

Speaker 3:

You know why is it here? Because then it's a whole headache. So we always try to make sure that your package is going to be easy to process for customs. You know, if it's easier for that employee, it's better for you and your recipient because your package is going to be more likely that it arrives on the estimated time of arrival, as well as getting there safely. You know, if they don't have to look around this box to try to find information, there's less chances of getting tossed around and thrown around. So I'd imagine if the driver has frustration the boxes that aren't scanning right or giving them issues are going to be the ones that he or she may take their frustrations out on, so we try to make it easy for them.

Speaker 2:

So, besides the story that you told, what is the most unique or unexpected thing that someone has brought to ship?

Speaker 3:

Oh man, we've talked about let's see on this, this podcast. We've had so many great stories. We talked about the live animals, right, we talked about the family heirlooms. I will give you one, and it was surprising because of the lengths they went to do it. So there's a. It's like a grade school thing. I didn't do in school but I've seen it time to time called I think it's flat sam or a flat jack. It's a little cutout character that kids make, and so we're like a laminated guy and they mail it around to family members and normally they will take a picture with them and then send it back so that they can kind of document his travel.

Speaker 3:

And unfortunately for this family, the last family member to handle this was not in the States, but they had a deadline for the project, so they had to like, expedite to another country I think it was in Europe and it would cost so much money, oh, my goodness. And I explained to them you know you have other options, you know you have this and that, but like no, you know, in order to get it in the deadline, we have to do this. So they're willing, which I, you know, applaud to their parents. You know you got to look out for your kids and help them out. I may have tried to find a different solution, but they did it. You know, they bit the bullet and they paid for it. I think it came out to probably around $70, almost $80. Just in a little, you know crayon colored plastic guy Halfway across the world.

Speaker 2:

So not a crazy thing, but just the nature behind the shipment was pretty funny. Well, it sounds like that little guy had quite the adventure.

Speaker 3:

Yeah, I know he may have won this contest right. Hopefully so.

Speaker 2:

Right. What role does custom packing play in safe delivery?

Speaker 3:

on that note, yeah, so custom packing like if we were to pack something exactly to the item I like to guarantee it's safe. If I'm going to take the time to make a custom box or custom inserts for your package, I will personally guarantee it's safe. If I'm going to take the time to make a custom box or custom inserts for your package, I will personally guarantee it's safe, because I shouldn't tell you that I can be a professional and take this off your hands and do it exactly how it needs to be done and not guarantee that it gets there safe. So in my opinion on custom packing, especially when I'm doing it, you can guarantee it's going to get there safe. So that's the jb guarantee amazing.

Speaker 2:

Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with us today, james. We'll catch you in the next episode. Have a fantastic rest of your day thank you, so much same to you thanks for joining us on the Parcelpedia Podcast.

Speaker 1:

Don't forget mention podcast at our store. To snag 10% off select shipping services, stop by at 8992 Preston Road, suite 110, frisco, texas, or give us a ring at 972-335-1450. We're here to make your shipping a breeze. Until next time, keep shipping and smiling.