While some companies have adopted new technology to optimize their delivery operations in the last few years, it is now a must-have, and businesses that do not embrace the change in the next five years may not survive.
In 2022, technology will play a more important role than ever in the customer delivery experience. If it used to be a way to stand out from the competition, it’s becoming a necessity for every business that doesn't want to be left behind.
In this blog, we will discuss the main tools that you will need to use in order to offer an outstanding delivery experience and stand out from your competitors.
Why is it important to enhance your customers’ delivery experience?
Let’s begin by talking about the importance of providing your customers with a seamless experience. You may have already invested a lot of effort in enticing people to purchase your products, but you shouldn’t neglect the post-purchase experience.
Why? Because when your customers buy products online, their experience is different from when they purchase something in-store, as they have to trust you twice as much. They are more likely to experience anxiety when they order online since they can’t see the product.
We conducted a survey to learn more about customers’ biggest fears when it comes to online shopping. More than 65% of the respondents said one of the things preventing them the most from ordering online is having to return an item if it doesn’t comply with their expectations.
Then, once they finally decide they trust you enough to think your products will meet their expectations, they also have to trust the delivery process. They may have had bad experiences with deliveries in the past, so now they are cautious. Our survey shows that 43% of respondents are worried that they won’t receive their parcels at all.
A term has even been created to refer to this feeling: ”pre-parcel anxiety.” We'll talk more about it in this blog.
You may now have a better idea of why the post-purchase experience, and mostly delivery, is so important in making customers happy and having them buy again from your brand.
Now let’s look at what you can do to improve your delivery operations with the right tools.
#1 Optimize your routes and plan ahead
If you’re still planning your deliveries manually, now is the time to switch to a delivery software with a powerful route builder in order to automate your operations and save time on planning. With the right delivery software, it will take you only a few seconds to build your routes and dispatch drivers efficiently.
This will also allow you to plan your deliveries ahead of time without any stress.
send another product for free and the delivery driver will have to deliver it again.
This is an example of how intuitive the Cigo’s delivery route planner is. You can plan as many deliveries as you want, and the most effective and punctual routes will be created in a few clicks. Those routes will also be optimized in real-time, avoiding traffic during your deliveries.
If you would like to see how you can use the platform, book a demo with our experts.
#2 Provide your customers with real-time delivery tracking
Customers often experience anxiety when they purchase something online; they feel like they own the product once they’ve paid for it, but they don’t have it in their hands yet.
In order to relieve this anxiety and make customers’ delivery experiences much more pleasant, many businesses have started to offer their customers the ability to track their parcels. While this is becoming the new norm, you should think ahead if you want to stand out from the competition by offering customers real-time delivery tracking.
More than just a status update. Most companies notify their customers about what day they should expect their package to be delivered. However, the delivery timeslot is often quite large, for example, between 1 and 5 pm.
Customers do not want to feel trapped at home while waiting for deliveries, but some items are important and they don’t want to miss the driver. Therefore, they will wait, but they might get annoyed as time goes by. If there is a delay, they may call your customer service line and ask when the driver will be there, but if your team can’t track the driver, they won’t be able to give the customer an accurate arrival time. This can look unprofessional and will displease the customer even more.
This is why some delivery software offers the option to track parcels in real-time. In fact, more than 65% of our survey’s respondents said it is important to be able to track orders in real time, and around 50% said they would use real-time tracking for all their packages if given the option.
Reduce anxiety, missed deliveries and inbound calls. Not only will real-time tracking reduce customers’ anxiety, but it will also allow them to plan their day, knowing precisely when the delivery driver will be there. It will also reduce the number of missed deliveries as customers will be more likely to be there if they know when the parcel will be delivered.
Also, your customer service will be able to breathe a bit easier as real-time delivery tracking can reduce the number of inbound calls you receive by up to 85%.
White-labeled experience. Some delivery software will let you white-label and customize your SMS and email content, allowing you to add logos and images of your choice. In the image above, you can get a better idea of what tracking will look like with Cigo Tracker.
Trust and care. Customers will appreciate your transparency and your consideration of their time. If the delivery driver is late, the customer will receive a notification of the delay. This may reduce their frustration of not knowing what’s happening to their parcel.
#3 Get proof of delivery and keep all information in one device
You’ve probably heard customers complain that they didn’t receive their parcel while your drivers affirmed to you that they did.
Now there is no need to try to figure out who is right. Delivery software will record proof of delivery every time an item is delivered.
Your drivers will ask for the customer’s signature, which will be stored directly in the delivery driver app. You and anyone else with a login can get access to it via the platform.
Thus, if a 3PL wants to share this information with their clients, they will be able to do so by creating an account on the delivery software.
Sometimes customers are not there when drivers arrive. To prove that they were actually at the customers’ place at a certain time, drivers can take a photo, which will be directly uploaded in the delivery app so that you can see it in the customers’ file and show it to them if they claim their package hasn’t been delivered.
#4 Record incidents and offer solutions quickly
Incidents are more likely to happen in certain industries. In the warehouse or during delivery, some fragile items might break. Heavy furniture is more likely to get damaged as drivers usually have to install it for the customers, and the customer’s home may not allow proper handling of the furniture.
Understandably, customers are not happy when the product they ordered is damaged during delivery. This is why it is important to react quickly, offer them solutions, and show them you care about them.
You will have to know exactly what happened and see the damaged product to determine what you can do for your customers. This is why some delivery software is equipped with quality cameras that allow drivers to take photos and snap them in the delivery app directly.
#5 Increase the number of reviews on social media
As more people use technology in their daily lives, more time is spent on social media. People spend, on average, 145 minutes a day on various platforms. When they are thinking of purchasing from your website, they will also look for reviews of your brand and your products on social media.
Many people rely on the advice of other customers who have no interest in promoting your brand. They want to know what other people have experienced with your products or services so that they can make an informed decision.
An important element in decision-making. With the rise of eCommerce sales, social media reviews are even more important as they are one of the factors that can reassure customers and incite them to buy a product they haven’t seen yet. However, finding the right time to request feedback is essential as people are doing you a favor by giving their opinion (unless you offer them a reward in exchange).
This is why some delivery software offers a review system that allows companies to send review requests to customers right after they receive their package. Why at this specific moment? Well, if you chose the right delivery software, your customers are very likely to have had a positive delivery experience and, as a result, will have a positive impression of your brand.
Good management of a bad review. Also, if a customer leaves a bad review, you will be informed right away via the review system and can take action to fix potential issues your customer may have experienced.
For example, if the parcel was delivered late, you could offer the customer a discount on their next purchase, or if an item was missing, you could send a replacement free of charge.
Meet CIGO Tracker
CIGO Tracker is a best-in-class, cloud-based platform to increase deliveries, service calls, and pick-ups for your business. It scales as you need it and provides a state-of-the-art, “last mile” delivery experience that will thrill your customers.
Driven by innovation, an unwavering commitment to customer service, honesty, and trust, CIGO delivers the best, most flexible delivery tracking software in the industry.
At CIGO, we are always on the lookout for new features that we can add to our delivery software to improve your daily operations. If you would like to learn more about our delivery software.
