When you are tasked with an important delivery, making sure you have the correct address is a top priority for avoiding a preventable blunder.

Remember, at times, sending a package can be time-sensitive. Even if not, you still don’t want to route things from one place to another because of inaccurate delivery details. It is simply inefficient and can incur an unnecessary expense. It may also increase the risk of the delivered item going missing or being snapped up by the wrong person.

And when a customer is at the receiving end, even the slightest delay can make you and your business look bad.

So, if you want to give a smoother customer experience or just get a package from point A to B with minimum hassle and worry, getting the delivery address right is an absolute must.

But what if you can’t reach the item receiver to verify the location information? Here are simple methods to help you out in those instances.

Look Up the Address on a People Search Platform

People search sites aggregate data linked to both individuals and businesses. This includes addresses, phone numbers, and emails, among other information collected from property documents, court cases, business websites, and other publicly available government and private sources.

So, let’s say someone gave you the wrong location details or made a typo when writing it down. In moments like these, you can find their address on a people search website and compare it against what you have.

One way to do this is with a reverse address lookup. This is when you enter an address and check whether it is linked to the relevant person.

Most people search platforms produce information about present and past owners and residents of an address. So, if the package receiver’s name pops up when you enter a property number, city, and state, you know you have the correct address.

Another option is to run a name search to see which address gets listed as someone’s current location. Certain platforms also allow reverse phone and email lookups. If you have these details, it would be worth cross-checking them too to make sure the address you have is accurate.

Use the USPS Address Verification Tool

The USPS web tool is a pretty useful resource, especially if you only have partial location details or want to verify the information in your possession to eliminate the possibility of a mistake.

For instance, let’s assume you have an incomplete zip code. By entering the property number, street, city, and state, you can get the USPS ZIP code lookup feature to produce the right five or nine digits associated with the address.

And if you want to check the locality a specific zip code represents, select the Cities by ZIP Code™ option to find the area it belongs to.

For those who deal with address databases, USPS also offers an API to integrate its address verification tool into an application or website. This makes it easier to clean up addresses in bulk in real-time directly from your own platform.

But note that this tool only helps verify the accuracy of an address. It does not generate any additional details to confirm its owners or residents.

Check What Turns Up on a Search Engine

Often, there could be plenty of references to an address online on various sites. For example, a business could mention its location on its website, social media profiles, local business directories, advertisements, and media releases.

But if you don’t know exactly where to look, discovering these address sources could be next to impossible. This is where a search engine like Google and Bing could help you.

These platforms crawl massive volumes of web pages to make information easily discoverable using advanced algorithms. This enables them to pull up relevant content (and display it on their SERPs with excerpts and links) once you enter an address on their search bars and hit enter.

And their search results are not just limited to location details. In addition to confirming an address, search engines can likely dig up other useful information related to those it belongs to.

But bear in mind that you might need to try different address formats before you find matching results on these platforms. If you know the name of the property owner or the business, add that too to refine the search further. Another option is using the name followed by the term “address” as the search query.

Find the Location on Google Maps

Many people know Google Maps as a navigation app. But did you realize that it can help you check whether an address is accurate?

The fact is, a large majority of businesses get their locations marked on this app to help customers find them. Even private residences are picked up by Google Maps fairly well (although they might not always be accurately indicated).

Plus, the app can find the optimum route to get to the location—a definite bonus when you need to deliver a package.

To confirm an address, open Google Maps, tap the search bar, and enter the property number, street, and city.

If it is related to a business, you can even search by business name. Then, tap the About button and check whether the business owner has listed an address there.

You can also go straight to the spot where the location icon pops up on “street view” to double-check the precise place.

Wrapping Up

Any delivery can go haywire if you don't have the right location data.

One simple mistake in the house number, street, or zip code could mean nasty delays, unwanted hassle, and extra expenses. But what if there’s no way of getting hold of the package receiver to verify the address?

An address search using people search sites, search engines, the USPS address lookup tool, and Google Maps can quickly help you clear out any doubts in such instances.

However, if you maintain an address database for a business, it is best to verify it for accuracy from time to time as a practice without waiting till the last minute.