We may not always see it, but drivers play an essential role in the delivery experience. They are the ones who interact with customers and ensure that orders are safely delivered to the correct people. They represent your company as the point of connection between you and your customers.
Therefore, if you want to enhance your delivery service and reduce bad experiences, you might want to look at the elements that are essential to improving your performance. Read on to learn the different ways you can help them and take full control of your operations.
Some customers live outside of the city, and a common problem that delivery drivers encounter is the lack of data when they drive to remote locations. The issue can prevent them from using their delivery app to enter essential information about the delivery.
This is why it is important to make sure the delivery software you use has an offline mode. This will allow your drivers to use the app in remote places, recording proof of delivery, taking photos of incidents, or texting you with important information.
This data will be recorded in the app, and as soon as the delivery driver has access to WiFi, you will receive all the notifications. That way, no information will be lost and you won’t miss anything important.
When some customers argue that your driver never delivered their order, you may wonder who’s telling the truth. This is never an easy situation, as you might have faith in your driver but don’t want to contradict your customer.
To avoid having to choose between losing a customer or an employee, some delivery software allows you to record proof of delivery once the driver has delivered the package. The customer will sign directly into your driver’s app on their phone and it will be recorded in their profile.
On your dashboard, you will be able to access the customer’s profile and download the proof of delivery. This will also allow the driver to mark the job as completed so that you can keep track of your deliveries.
In the case that the customer did not receive the package but argues that they were home, your driver could also take a photo of the customer’s door when no one is home. You can show this photo to the customer as proof that your driver went to their place.
Delivery drivers are trained to deliver and sometimes install goods, but they may not know how to deal with customers when an incident happens. This could include a damaged parcel, damage to the customer’s property, or the wrong item being delivered. No matter what the issue is, it is important to offer solutions to customers quickly.
But in order for you to know what to do for your customers, you must know precisely what happened. Thus, drivers should use delivery software that allows them to take photos of the damaged products and upload them to your chat.
You will be notified right away via SMS or email that a product has been damaged. When you open the platform, you will see the photos as well as all the delivery information, such as the customer contact information.
Your drivers could also let you know if the item sent to the customer was not the right one, as long as the customer informs them right away.
If customers have to wait all day for their parcel without knowing when the driver is coming, you may receive calls from angry customers asking where their package is. They will call either you or your driver directly; it is still a waste of time for your driver since they will have to answer customers or your team to let them know where they are.
With real-time delivery tracking, customers don’t have to call you because they have access to the same information you have. They are able to see how many stops are left before theirs and are given a time slot for when they should expect the delivery. When the driver completes the delivery before theirs, they will be notified and will be able to track him in real time.
If the driver is late, they will automatically be informed by a notification. Therefore, your driver can deliver the orders a lot faster since he won’t be interrupted, and you will be able to focus on important things without having to answer calls either.
In order to offer the best experience, your drivers should be aware of specific requirements from customers. Therefore, they have to be able to communicate with them. This is why some delivery management software allows drivers to chat with customers in real time.
For example, if the customer just put their baby to sleep, they could inform the driver that they shouldn’t ring the doorbell. If they have a dog, they could tell the driver to leave the package in front of the house.
They could also ask the driver to hide the package in a specific location if they know they are not going to be home when the delivery driver arrives. That way, the customers will feel reassured knowing that it won’t be stolen.
Those small details can make a delivery experience better, and they will most likely be appreciated by your customers.
Hiring delivery drivers is not easy during these times, especially if you want skilled drivers. Therefore, you need to make the offer most appealing to them and offer them a competitive salary.
Salary is what matters most to the majority of delivery drivers. Few of them are doing this job out of passion, as it can be very tiring, so the money is very important.
At CIGO, we know this shortage of workers can be a real challenge for companies. That is why we’ve created CIGO Pay, a new module that allows customers to tip your delivery drivers via a link sent to them. Earning tips can increase your drivers’ revenue by up to 30%, a significant increase that will attract more skilled drivers.
Many people don’t have cash anymore to tip drivers. With CIGO Pay, your customers will receive a review request upon delivery completion, as well as a prompt to tip the driver.
These features can greatly improve the way your drivers deliver orders. From full visibility of the order status to live communication, you will be able to offer a seamless delivery experience. You will also be able to keep track of your deliveries and record every detail.
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