Outlining the benefits of providing a personalized delivery experience, the importance of meeting customer expectations set by larger companies like Amazon, and practical tips for creating an exceptional delivery experience,
You’ve been in business for a while and things are going well, but you know there’s always room for improvement. You’re spending money on third-party delivery services to get your products to local customers, but it’s getting expensive and impersonal.
To get a competitive advantage, start your own home delivery service for your company. You may provide a better degree of personalized service to your consumers by offering in-house delivery. Customers who are happy are more likely to do business with you, which lowers costs and raises revenue. Even if you currently have an in-house delivery system, improving it from excellent to amazing is a quick way to boost income and improve client feedback.
The first step is to figure out what constitutes a fantastic delivery experience.
Your customers have high hopes for your business. The Amazons of the globe have set a very high bar, especially in terms of shipping and delivery. According to one poll, 89 percent of Americans prefer Amazon to other shopping platforms. Your company must satisfy these demands or risk going out of business in a world where customers want things to be delivered the same or next day.
You can compete with the “big guys” even if you have a small business budget. Aside from on-time delivery, the customer experience you generate by conducting your own local deliveries may persuade someone to buy from you instead of Amazon or your competitors.
While you may not be able to match Amazon’s speed perfectly, you may compensate by giving your customers a fantastic experience. A pleasant delivery experience hinges on excellent customer service.
According to Salesforce’s State of the Connected Customer study, customers expect the following from your company:
Several crucial factors make up a successful delivery experience:
Not only does automation save time and money, but it also boosts customer happiness! When you text crucial information to your clients, 77% of them will have a favorable view of your business. If you email or text them key delivery updates, they can better arrange how they wish to receive a delivery.
If they are unable to attend in person, they may need to arrange for a delivery to be picked up at their front door by a friend or family member. Your consumers will benefit from automated notifications as they go about their day.
Consumers now have new safety concerns while making purchasing decisions. For the safety of your personnel and consumers, as well as to stay competitive, your organization must now offer contactless delivery choices. The recipient can plan ahead for their delivery and pick it up as soon as the driver leaves when this is combined with automatic notifications.
If you use contactless delivery, your drivers may save time by not having to wait for someone to open the door and receive the item. They can simply photograph the parcel and go on to the next one. Customers can also use tools like delivery tracking to prepare for a contactless delivery. This is especially critical for valuable deliveries and food products that should not be left unattended for an extended period of time on a front porch.
You could collect orders, pack items, and schedule deliveries by hand, but this isn’t a sustainable strategy if you want to grow your business and generate more money. Make things easy for your employees and consumers. Provide your customers with a simple e-commerce platform where they can easily buy things, configure their delivery or pick-up options, and pay for their order.
The more order fulfillment and shipping can be automated, the more time you and your team can devote to product development, sales, and marketing. Your e-commerce platform may also be able to communicate directly with your delivery management system. Because the delivery component of your purchase lifecycle can account for up to 53% of overall delivery expenses, take advantage of technology to streamline this process as much as feasible.
Don’t be tempted to buy a cheap delivery van or truck. A professional image is necessary for establishing brand trust and creating a good client experience. It contributes to the overall delivering experience’s excellence.
Your delivery truck should be immaculate, branded (with your logo or company name on the outside), and consistent with the rest of your organization’s appearance. If you sell environmentally concerned products, consider employing an eco-friendly car instead than a Hummer or gas-guzzling SUV for delivery.
Shopify and your store’s orders are fully linked with EasyRoutes. This implies we can change the status of your orders so you can designate them as delivered.
While same-day delivery may be too much for your small business to handle right now, you may still optimize your route planning to have products delivered as soon as feasible. With superior route planning, your delivery drivers will spend less time driving (which is not a revenue-generating activity) and will be able to deliver more products (a revenue-generating activity).
It not only trains you to provide outstanding delivery service, but it also enables you to save money on gas and enhance profits by applying proper route planning.
Your customer will be aware that much of your order fulfillment and shipping process is generic and automated. When you add a personal touch to each order, such as a handwritten note thanking them for their purchase, you have the potential to offer something genuinely memorable as part of your wonderful delivery experience for the consumer.
Free or cheap shipping is one of the most essential aspects for customers when determining where to shop, according to 53% of customers. When you handle delivery in-house, you may better monitor your expenditures or incorporate delivery costs into your normal product pricing and offer free delivery to your consumers. Customers are willing to pay a greater price for speedier delivery in 60% of cases. Consider providing this service to increase earnings.
Ordering delivery is no longer a “nice-to-have” for local businesses. It’s becoming required as more customers seek speedy, home delivery of their products. To add an extra customer touchpoint and improve your clients’ overall experience, consider in-house delivery services.
Start one of EasyRoutes’ 14-day free trials if you’re ready to improve client satisfaction by creating or expanding your own in-house delivery business.
Learn more about EasyRoutes at Roundtrip.ai or click below to install EasyRoutes from the Shopify App Store:
Roundtrip.ai's mission is to equip every business with the software tools they need to deliver products to their customers in a delightful way. Thousands of worldwide choose EasyRoutes to power their local deliveries across dozens of product categories, from meal kits and groceries to coffee, cupcakes, kibble, and so much more. Our easy-to-use route planning and delivery optimization app is certified Built for Shopify, a two-time Shopify staff pick, and the top rated local delivery app on the Shopify App Store.
