White-Glove Delivery: What to Agree Before Booking
White-glove delivery usually describes a service with additional handling or care. The term is used differently by different providers, so the important step is to agree exactly what the booking includes.
Start with the actual handling requirement
Explain the goods, their dimensions, weight, packaging and value. State whether the item needs to remain upright, requires more than one person to move it, or must reach a particular room or floor.
Direct transport in a dedicated vehicle can reduce transfers between vehicles or hubs, but it does not automatically include a two-person crew, unpacking, installation or removal of packaging.
Confirm access at both addresses
Provide details of steps, door widths, lifts, loading bays and the distance between the vehicle and handover point. Check lift capacity and opening hours with the site. Photographs can help explain access, but they do not replace accurate measurements.
Tell the courier about appointment systems, security checks and parking restrictions before a vehicle or crew is allocated. If access changes, obtain confirmation that the booking still meets the requirements.
Put the included tasks in writing
- Collection and delivery point: kerbside, goods-in area or a named room.
- Number of people and the handling equipment required.
- Any unpacking, positioning or packaging-removal service.
- Whether installation or assembly is included, and who is responsible.
- Waiting time allowance and charges for unexpected access problems.
- The handover record and procedure for reporting visible damage.
Ask explicitly about services you need. A description such as “careful handling” is too vague to replace an agreed task list.
Packaging still matters
Extra care does not make unsuitable packaging safe. Protect vulnerable surfaces and moving components, and follow the manufacturer’s transport instructions where available. Tell the provider about unboxed items before accepting the quote.
Disclose the goods and value and check applicable cover, limits, exclusions and claim requirements. Do not assume a service name guarantees full replacement-value cover.
Choose the right service
A boxed item travelling between staffed loading areas may need a straightforward dedicated courier. A heavy or fragile item going upstairs may need a specialist crew and equipment. Assess the handling tasks as well as the journey.
For example, delivering a packed screen to a reception desk is a different job from unpacking and installing it in an upstairs meeting room. Quote requests should make that distinction clear.
Discuss your requirements with BHA
Send your addresses, dimensions, weight and the precise handling tasks you need. BHA will confirm whether a suitable arrangement is available before the booking is accepted; specialist handling should never be assumed.
Discuss a delivery, or explore light haulage and dedicated same-day courier services.