Over 2.14 billion people will be expected to shop online in 2021 if the recent worldwide e-commerce acceptance rate continues. Unfortunately, this is a double-edged sword for businesses looking to survive in the highly competitive digital world. While it will be easy to attract and interact with customers, losing them to your competitors is equally possible.
In a marketplace where you offer similar products or services as your competitors, your customer experience will play a pivotal role in placing you on the favorable side of the competition spectrum. One aspect that will determine the success of your online business will be the convenience of your delivery services.
Here are the nitty-gritty details that can easily reinforce your service delivery:
What The Customer Expects
The modern-day customer will always expect to receive their orders fast and in the most convenient way, with most of them preferring same-day deliveries, according to NIParcels.com. For their peace of mind, they also desire to have the ability to track their orders in real time. Both requirements will typically need your company to have reliable communication systems for them to reach out to you whenever they need to.
Since inconveniences are sometimes inevitable in product delivery, consumers will prefer working with businesses that have a history of promptly handling unexpected bottlenecks. This means supporting the customers throughout the life cycle of the delivered products and services. An excellent delivery service should allow you to not only deliver the initial order but also facilitate the fulfillment of any future needs the customer might have.
The Unfortunate Reality
While the numbers of successful deliveries are quite high, there are a few instances of unsatisfactory shipment. There are cases where the customers receive their products late and others where they receive the wrong order. Some customers also complain about receiving damaged orders or malfunctioning products.
Some companies also use premium rate phone calls. This adds to the aggravation of the customers in that they have to pay for the same call through which they want to raise a complaint. In other cases, the retailer might fail to have a good support system for dealing with complaints, which makes customers feel duped.
What Should You Do to Improve This?
The aim is to offer superior delivery services that outshine your competitors while reducing inconveniencies. This will include having an excellent order tracking and management system. Additionally, offer free customer service calls to make it easy for customers to reach out to you or your third-party delivery service providers.
Perhaps the most important consideration should be hiring a reputable parcel delivery company. Since 65% of shoppers prefer home delivery, according to Nchannel.com, they ought to have the ability to cater for them all. Considering that these third party companies will be responsible for personal interactions with your customers, working with an established brand is advisable.
Make Use of Software
Simple CRM (customer relationship management) software will make it easier for you to collect customer data and use it in the future, according to Forbes. This will give you access to their information, like their delivery address, how they like their orders made and where exactly to leave the orders. Furthermore, such software will reduce instances where you have to ask customers about their delivery data consistently
On the other hand, having order tracking software can turn out to be quite helpful. However, not all software will work for your specific business. Since customers will typically need to know the whereabouts of their orders, you should consider using tracking software that offers real-time updates about the order delivery progress to keep them satisfied.
Conclusion
Quality services extend to every aspect of your business, including your order delivery services. Putting a lot of pressure on your staff and third-party delivery services, while using great delivery software, will ensure that the level of quality you deliver is standardized across all products. Use the tips mentioned above to improve your consumer gratification rates.
