Delivery has become the bread and butter for many businesses during this pandemic. Many small enterprises would not have survived had they not pivoted to E-commerce or had their own shipping and delivery system. This is why we must constantly employ best practices when it comes to delivering goods to ensure a smooth experience for our customers every time. Here are some best practices you can employ in your business to ensure a convenient experience for your consumers.
Constantly identify chinks in the armor
If something is not operating right in your delivery operations, or if for some reason your deliveries always seem to be late or inefficient, it might be indicative of a deeper business problem instead of just the shipping or delivery department. This is why it’s important that you identify areas of vulnerability in your day-to-day operations and that the right people are tasked to do certain activities in terms of having goods shipped or delivered.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to inspect for a problem in your shipping or delivery processes:
- Inspect how the marketing side of things is doing. Are the members of your marketing team able to efficiently communicate shipping details to your customers? How about shipping promotions and loyalty-building strategies like flat-rate shipping? These are valuable strategies that you need to employ to ensure that your business increases order value. Ask your marketing team if they can run promotions while maintaining margins, if your website needs a landing page, and if they need marketing automation software.
- The next side you need to investigate is your business’s website. You need to ensure that the right shipping options are constantly accessible and shown to the customers at the right time and that new promotional offers are always clear to the visitors. Some things you need to watch out for include less common shipping options and if they’re being communicated clearly, and the primary driver that appeals to your customers. Are they more driven by speed or discounts?
- Check your fulfillment team. These are the people tasked with ensuring that the right orders are being properly picked, packed, and shipped accurately and on time every single time. Make sure the members of this team are educated on the multiple shipping options and that their attention to detail is immaculate so that the labels are marked clearly.
- Last but not least, make sure that your customer service team is always ready and equipped to answer inquiries appropriately. Your relationship with your customer doesn’t end when the parcel arrives at their doorstep; it ends when you’re sure they are satisfied with their order.
Invest in quality transportation
All your best practices pre-delivery will mean nothing if your vehicles or motorcycles are not up to scratch. Investing in a reliable mode of transportation will ensure that your deliveries will always run smoothly and that your drivers or riders will have no trouble on the road. Consider investing in motorbikes instead of cars for delivery, especially if you’re not transporting heavier, bulkier, or larger packages. But even then, you might be able to find a motorbike that can carry bigger parcels. One example is the Can-Am Spyder F3, which is a 3-wheel motorcycle model that can provide excellent ergonomics for the rider, boasts of good performance, and is convenient and comfortable no matter the weather. There is also more storage, which means it’s a suitable alternative to a car.
Have clearly defined goals for your shipping strategy
Once you’ve ensured that the right people are in the right teams and that they are doing their part to execute the shipping strategy, make sure to reinforce the goals that you have for why you ship products the way you do. Here are some examples of key goals for your shipping strategy and how to achieve them:
- Increase conversions by providing the kinds of shipping rates and options your customers are expecting. It can have a significant impact on your conversion rate.
- Increase average order value by providing promos that encourage customers to buy more. This includes flat-rate shipping, free expedited shipping, and others.
- Expand market or target audience by offering shipping or delivery to new areas or new customers who couldn’t access the products before.
To prioritize and strengthen your shipping strategies is to ensure the growth of your business. Don’t neglect this aspect of your business, and watch as your customer base continues to grow not just in quality but also in loyalty and trust in your brand.