The Importance of Speedy Delivery Times

With a huge number of businesses currently using ecommerce as a route to market and others looking to add online shopping as part of their service, customers around the globe usually expect the process of ordering products online as standard practice.

Furthermore, following a purchase, these consumers assume their delivery will arrive as soon as possible. As a result, the importance of quick and reliable delivery times for ecommerce retailers is greater than ever.

Cutting down parcel delivery times

For some consumers, the day they receive their parcel or package is of little importance. They order a product and are happy if it turns up the next day or a week later.

However, this attitude towards ecommerce business is unacceptable. The majority of consumers expect their package to arrive as quickly as possible or on a day of their choosing – even happily paying a little extra to do so.

Therefore, why not offer them the option? Next day signed; arrival before noon; arrival before 9am and other options should all be standard delivery options in your service, sitting alongside traditional delivery times (such as the standard two-three business days).

Tracking via a consignment or reference number is also becoming an increasingly popular option as this helps consumers know when their parcel is arriving/leaving a depot or out on delivery. This is especially important for products that require a signature as consumers can monitor when their parcel will arrive and subsequently make sure they are present at the requested destination. It also helps the courier know the status of the parcel and confirm as and when the parcel has been delivered.

Consumers are happy to see flexible options when engaging in ecommerce and, consequently, it is these courier services that are growing in popularity.

Reliability is as important as speed

Reliability, as well as speed, is also becoming an integral factor when buying online. Receiving a parcel the next day is a good sign but what if this is in an unacceptable condition? Torn or inappropriate packaging and damage to the parcel’s structure can all turn-off consumers and, despite receiving their parcel in a prompt manner, it could encourage them to use a different ecommerce site in the future.

The cardinal sin is if the product has been damaged as a result of the aforementioned packaging mishaps. Consequently, this could prove harmful to the reputation of both the courier service and your business.

On the other side of the coin, maintaining the parcel’s integrity should help build customer and client loyalty. Positive feedback about a courier service is always welcome in a climate where ecommerce is becoming the norm so it is up to the delivery service to maintain an exceptional standard as normal.

A combination of both speed and reliability should form the backbone of any delivery firm worth its salt.

Your ordering system

In this day and age, you would have thought companies would have organised their ordering systems perfectly. Despite this, packages still get lost in the warehouse and some deliveries are treated as if they never took place.

Consequently, an electronic proof of delivery system (EPOD) is recommended to ensure that as much as possible happens automatically without the need for paper copies. This allows for secure record keeping while eliminating human error. As a result, your quality of customer service should improve.

Source: smallbusinesscan.com