How E-Commerce Sellers Can Boost Product Delivery Service
In an increasingly competitive market where online leaders like Amazon are offering same-day deliveries, it's more important than ever for online sellers to provide the best delivery service possible for customers. Running my own business taught me that top notch delivery doesn’t necessarily have to mean quick deliveries. Customers are usually willing to wait for a little while if they believe that the products they ordered are unique or specialized. However, when it comes to the delivery of your products, you should still aim to provide a winning mixture of speed, selection, and great customer service. Here are a few ways to boost your business delivery service.
Simplify Internal Operations
Make sure there's no room for error in your internal delivery operations. Consider using just one piece of software to have all orders unified and everyone working with the same, accurate information. Also, look at places in your delivery chain where responsibility for the order passes from one department to another – see if any processes can be improved. This is where your team might be making mistakes that cost your customers' time. I have first-hand experience with this one, because that's what happened in my business before I revamped the communication between employees responsible for packaging my products and the contractors hired to ship them off. I had no idea a simple shared calendar app could do so much for my business.
Get Addresses Right
Sometimes a staff error might lead to a mistake in the customer address. Other time, it's the customer who makes an error while filling their data. Either way, you can avoid sending parcels to incorrect addresses by running all of them through addressing software. The software will highlight all non-existent addresses and offer you the opportunity to correct them before dispatch.
Give Your Customers Choice
Customers like to have a range of shipping options. Finding the right one could be the difference between a customer abandoning the cart or making it through to payment. Offer next day delivery, as well as cheaper and slower options. If you can, allow for store pick up or locker drop off so people who can’t wait in for a delivery still have a convenient option to choose.
Keep Your Customers in the Loop
Fielding questions from customers about the progress of their order can take up too much of your valuable time. With an automated system, you'll be able to send order updates to your customers via text or email. They’ll know when their order has been logged, when it has been dispatched and when they can expect to receive it. Less work for you and more peace of mind for them.
Go the Extra Mile with Customer Service
Your drivers and delivery staff may be the only people from your company your customers get to meet face to face. Make sure they’re trained to deliver good customer service. This means apologizing if arriving later than expected, offering help carrying heavy items into the house and taking care with the parcels they’re delivering.
Use Bike Couriers
When you need a local speedy delivery, consider using bike couriers. Even when the traffic is at a standstill, they can weave and wind through it to get where they need to go. They’re perfect for same day deliveries in the city in which your stock is based.
Outsource Where Necessary
If you've got few clients in particular areas, outsource your delivery. It's better to do that than to underutilize your own resources in these regions. Make sure the delivery company you choose to work with will provide a standard of service similar to your own and determine how seamlessly your operations can work together.
Ask For Feedback
When asking your customers for feedback, remember to ask them not only about their opinions on your products, but also their experience of the delivery process. They could give you some really useful pointers for making your service more efficient and customer-friendly in the future. As an e-commerce company, you should always be working to improve your delivery service. Keep an eye on the competition and try to get ahead by offering your customers the delivery service they’re looking for. So tell us, what tips do you have to get your products in your customers' hands? Share them in the comments.