It is safe to say that delivery speed greatly affects the overall customer experience for both small businesses and big e-commerce companies. And while it might be challenging to meet customer expectations in today’s fast-paced world, providing an easy delivery process and fast shipping speed is not impossible.
Below, you will find several helpful strategies to consider when establishing effective delivery management within your organization. Apart from using route optimization software and tools for comparing courier services, they include scheduling deliveries in advance, prioritizing orders appropriately, offering track and trace, and notifying your customers of any changes, among other things.
Continue reading to learn how to keep your customers happy with the services you provide.
Schedule Deliveries in Advance
It goes without saying that scheduling deliveries in advance is one of the best ways to ensure fast shipping speed. For starters, it helps you create an accurate shipping schedule and figure out which courier services will be most suitable for your orders.
It also sets up expectations for your customers, as they will be able to track their orders easily if they know when they are expected to arrive. Finally, scheduling deliveries in advance makes shipping processes more efficient and reduces wait times for customers.
Compare Courier Services to Get the Best Deal
When it comes to delivery management, one of the best ways to be able to provide customers with fast shipping speed is by comparing courier services – for example, DHL and UPS parcel delivery. This allows you to choose courier services that offer the best prices and delivery speed for your orders.
Use Route Optimisation Software
Apart from using online comparison tools, you can also use route optimization software to improve delivery management. Currently, there are several companies that offer route optimization software, such as RouteXL and Cargolux Route Optimizer. What’s more, they provide free trials, so it is easy to see whether or not the software is useful for you.
However, if you don’t want to figure out how to use them, consider hiring a logistician – that is a person who’ll oversee the deliveries and use the necessary software.
Prioritize Orders Appropriately
Another great way to be able to provide customers with a high-quality customer experience is to prioritize their orders appropriately. For instance, you can add courier services that offer faster shipping speed to your standard shipping options.
Offer Track and Trace
A useful feature that many courier services offer is track and trace. This allows your customers to track their packages easily and see where they are in transit. It is especially important when it comes to international delivery, as it gives customers peace of mind.
Notify Customers of Any Changes
Unfortunately, things can go wrong while shipping packages. Sometimes the courier service might encounter traffic or experience issues while delivering orders, resulting in delays or other issues. In such cases, it is extremely important that you inform your clients about the situation immediately.
Also, if you’re using a courier service with track and trace technology, you can send your customers a notification with an estimated delivery time after the problem has been resolved.
Offer Free Shipping on Big Orders
Many customers are looking for ways to save money, so offering free shipping on big orders is one of the best strategies for attracting new customers. Not only does it take a burden from their shoulders, but it also encourages them to order more items from your store.
Free shipping can also help you increase your sales and profit margins. However, if you want to implement this strategy, make sure that your budget allows for that – or try to find a way to cut costs on delivery services – for example, by charging $0.01 for every dollar above the free shipping threshold.
Offer Return Pickup Services
Another great way of providing value to your customers is to offer return pick-up services. This gives them an option to return their items without having to worry about shipping fees or repackaging.
After receiving returns, your courier service can return them to your warehouse or ship them back to your suppliers using one of the most suitable courier services available on the market. By offering pickup services, you encourage your customers to buy from you again – or even recommend you to their friends or colleagues.
Conclusion
With all of these strategies in mind, you should be able to provide an enhanced customer experience and offer faster delivery speed for your clients. While some might be easier to implement than others, all of them will help you improve your business.
Additionally, if you’re looking for additional ways to provide value to your customers and improve their overall experience with your brand, consider using route optimization software and tools for comparing courier services. These can help you find out which courier services will be most suitable for your business.