Four ways technology can enhance your final mile deliveries
The empowered customer is demanding more than ever from businesses and these demands are putting an un-quantifiable pressure on brands to ‘deliver’ (pardon the pun) both exceptional products, but great service too.
One of the biggest challenges that brands face in relation to these pressures is with the final mile. Our last blog on final mile looked at why many brands are falling at the last hurdle, but today we’re looking at the real benefits that can be reaped – both for you and your customer – by implementing a tech-enabled logistics solution.
Okay, so here we go:
Delighted customers
We’re nosey people, humans, and this is no truer than when it comes to the final mile. We have a desire to know where and when our parcels are delivered and we want to know, NOW! As a result, businesses need to quench this thirst and by using real-time tracking technologies and multiple consignment touch-points you can help you customers track where their parcels are whenever they like – making them feel in control. Delighted customers mean greater levels of satisfaction, greater brand loyalty and a better chance that they’ll buy from you again.
Do it well more than once and they’ll buy again, and again and again… You get the picture…
Improved efficiencies
Following on neatly from above, you can quickly see how automated real-time updates to customers can help reduce your administration time which you can allocate to higher value activities. Without the need for customers to call up and check the status, you can spend that time getting on with other things.
And that’s not the only efficiency that can be sought. Automatic dispatching to the right delivery person, in the right area, at the right time can also maximise your efficiency and reduce delivery time too. Bingo!
More visibility of control
The real-time tracking and data collection however is not just for your nosey, impatient customers. These technologies give you a complete end to end view of your logistics solution and this empowers you to monitor for issues and keep things running smoothly. This means you can problem solve, monitor for bottle necks and update customers in advance should an inevitable delay happen. By taking a proactive approach, you’ll be able to keep maximising your efficiencies and keep those customers happy. Smiles all round.
Better deliveries
Sounds a bit vague doesn’t it? But 2017 is all about making your deliveries better. And what do customers love? They love the little extra touches that make them feel special and valued.
A smooth delivery is one that meets a customer’s expectations. A better delivery is one that exceeds it. So that means using technology to integrate your booking process with your final mile provider. Let customers have choice and options to opt for special requests like ‘Don’t leave with number 45’ or ‘don’t ring the doorbell’ or 10.30am rather than morning delivery, and share that communication with the delivery driver so they have full sight of the delivery requests. Not only a happy customer (which could be the difference between someone buying from you again or not) but also reduces repeat or delayed deliveries, complaints or missing items. It’s win, win.
Call us today for an informal chat to see how our innovation could enhance your final mile delivery solution and delight your customers. Our experts first look at your customer to establish what they want and then build a completely personalised solution around that.
It’s what better logistics is all about.