The Importance of Having a Good Delivery Experience

If you’re in the business of selling furniture and appliances, you already know that it can be a challenge to get the product from the warehouse to your customer’s house in one piece. If something breaks, it will cost you time and money, and your customer won’t be happy about it!

The phone is going to ring, you will argue with your delivery partners… and the customer service…and the customer…we know.

However, when customers have a positive delivery experience with you, they’re more likely to come back to buy from you again in the future and even recommend you to their friends. But what can you do to ensure that every customer has a good delivery experience?

Here are some tips to help improve your delivery process.

What makes for a good delivery?

COMMUNICATION

For a delivery experience to be truly great, your customer needs to be informed and kept in the loop at all times. They don’t want to wait at home all day only to learn that their delivery is pushed to the next day. Part of a great customer experience is being able, to be honest with your customers and provide them with regular updates on where their delivery is. Empowering your customers by giving them all the information they need will go a long way. Should a problem arise, they would be informed.

So how can you ensure that all your customers are kept updated?

With great technology of course!

If chosen well, your route management software should put less strain on your drivers (meaning less thinking) and fewer missed deliveries (meaning more satisfied customers). The upshot? Better logistics = better customer service = happier customers = more sales in the long run!

The tricky part of it all though is dealing with your third-party delivery partner and you need to understand that, in the end, they are the face of your company.

So how to choose the right delivery partner?

One of the many reasons for a customer to choose a store over another is the complete experience. Your delivery partners play a big role in delivering that experience.

Many furniture and appliances retailers choose to outsource their delivery and install teams but the most important thing to consider is choosing a partner that will give your customer’s an experience that fits your brand image.

Be very clear about what you want from your delivery partner and how they should deliver their service. Avoid long-term commitments and conduct regular performance checks.

But, do you really have time to do all of this…

How technology is saving the day

With the proper tools, it’s possible for companies to monitor and improve the delivery experience on a daily basis. Clear processes are required in any organization in order for you to expect any results, especially when dealing with third parties. As mentioned, the chosen delivery partner is the last person that your customers will interact with.

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