Systems and methods for providing personalized delivery services

A method of communicating a message regarding a delivery or pickup of a package to a portable computing device comprising the steps of:

• receiving data at a computing system comprising a database, the data comprising at least a first address and at least one personalized delivery or pickup preference associated with said first address for said package, wherein said at least one personalized delivery or pickup preference indicates a particular action to be taken by a carrier delivery person when handling said package;
• storing said data as package-independent data in said database;
• identifying a second address comprising either a consignee address or a consignor address, said second address associated with said package conveyed by a carrier;
• retrieving from said database said package-independent data, wherein said first address corresponds to said second address;
• communicating said package-independent data in said message to said portable computing device;
• and
• displaying said message in text form on said portable computing device, wherein said message comprises said at least one personalized delivery or pickup preference.

A method for communicating a message to a portable computing device regarding a pickup or delivery of at least one package comprising the steps of:

• maintaining a plurality of package-independent records in a database, wherein:
• each package-independent record is associated with a respective first address;
• and
• each package-independent record comprises package-independent data, said package-independent data comprising at least one personalized delivery or pickup preference associated with the respective first address and indicating a particular action to be taken by a carrier delivery person when handling said at least one package;
• receiving a route plan representing a route, said route plan comprising a plurality of second addresses corresponding to a plurality of pickup or delivery addresses associated with packages to be picked up or delivered along said route;
• retrieving from said database a corresponding package-independent record for each of said second addresses;
• communicating each of said package-independent records and said respective first addresses to said portable computing device in said message at a commencement of said route;
• and
• displaying said message on said portable computing device prior to said commencement of said route.

A system for communicating a message pertaining to the pickup of a package conveyed by a carrier, said system comprising:

• at least one carrier database, said database storing at least one package level detail record and at least one package-independent record, wherein:
• said at least one package level detail record comprises shipping-related information corresponding to said package;
• and
• said package-independent record comprises at least one personalized pickup preference associated with a first address, wherein said at least one personalized pickup preference is received by said system from a user and indicates a particular action to be taken by a carrier delivery person when picking up a package from said first address;
• a portable computing device for receiving said message, said portable computing device used by a carrier delivery person responsible for said pickup of said package, wherein said portable computing device has a display capable of displaying said message in a text form to said carrier delivery person;
• and
• one or more computer processors in communication with said carrier database and said portable computing device, wherein said one or more computer processors are configured to:
• determine a second address comprising either a consignor address or a consignee address of said package from said package level detail record;
• retrieve said personalized pickup preference associated with said first address, wherein said second address corresponds to said first address;
• and
• communicate said message to said portable computing device, wherein:
• the communication of said message occurs on the same day as the pickup of the package by said carrier delivery person;
• and
• said message comprises said personalized pickup preference associated with said first address.