Efficient delivery starts with a valid contact number and succeeds with the consignee’s full preparedness.

When placing orders for your trucking shipments, you'll find that many logistics providers offer an “Appointment for Delivery” service—meaning their dispatch team will proactively contact the consignee in advance to agree on a mutually suitable delivery date.

However, it’s crucial to understand: “Appointment for Delivery” does not mean the consignee can choose a specific time window for unloading. It simply allows both parties to align on a feasible delivery date ahead of time.

Despite this coordination, failed deliveries still occur frequently due to the following common issues:

Ⅰ. Invalid Contact Details or No Response from Consignee

This is the most frequent cause, often stemming from:

    Providing a landline that goes unanswered during some hours;

  Incorrect mobile number formatting (e.g., missing or duplicating country codes like +33 for France or +49 for Germany), rendering the number undialable;

    The phone being off, on silent mode, or in a poor signal area;

    Emails landing in spam folders—or being seen but not replied to promptly.

⚠️ Note: Carriers typically do not repeatedly call or email within a short timeframe. If they can’t reach the consignee or receive confirmation, they’ll notify the platform and may only reattempt contact on the next available route day—delaying your shipment.

Ⅱ. Unloading Conditions Are Not Ready

Even when successfully reached, the consignee might report: “No one will be available today/in recent days,” “Our forklift is out of service,” “Road construction blocks access,” or other unforeseen obstacles.

Ⅲ. Last-Minute Address Changes Require Formal Approval

If the consignee requests a new delivery address during the call/email, the driver faces a dilemma:

    Delivering to the new location without system authorization risks being flagged for “incorrect delivery”;

    Sticking to the original address leads to another missed attempt if no one is present.

European carriers only recognize addresses officially recorded in their system. Verbal changes are not valid. The carriers must first email the shipper for written confirmation before updating the address—causing avoidable delays while awaiting approval.

How to Maximize Your Delivery Success Rate?

✅ Provide a correct and reachable mobile number (a local European number is preferred) or a monitored email address.

✅ Ensure someone is on-site on the agreed delivery date with all necessary unloading resources (e.g., forklift & labor).

✅ Confirm the delivery address with the consignee well in advance—and if changes are needed, notify your carriers as early as possible, preferably before dispatch.

“Appointment for Delivery” is a coordination tool—not a guarantee. Only with accurate information, timely communication, and full on-site preparedness can you reliably avoid failed deliveries, returns, and unexpected surcharges.