Businesses are used to creating products that meet customer needs. And now more than ever, customers are able to voice their opinions through social media and their buying habits in a way that has forced companies to shift more quickly to meet those expectations. One of the biggest shifts, thanks to technology, has been in the package delivery space.
Customers want their products, and they want them quickly and securely. This expectation is shifting how businesses handle everything from packaging to customer service to logistics and deliveries. The companies willing to change how they do things are the ones staying on top, and here’s what smart leaders need to know.
Smart Lockers Offer Customers the Convenience and Safety They Crave
One of the most important factors customers are looking for in package delivery is convenience. They want to get packages on their schedule when it works best for them. This critical factor ties into the next most important one, and that’s safety. People don’t just want a package to be dropped on their doorstep while they are at work to be easily swiped up by porch pirates. They also don’t want to wait around during a 4-hour delivery window.
Modern businesses are looking to solutions like outdoor lockers that offer a convenient spot for people to get their packages. These smart locker systems solve many problems that customers are having. Businesses can offer them as a perk to their employees or they can put them outside of their company to increase foot traffic to their location. People can have their deliveries dropped off at the smart locker and pick up their packages when it’s best for them.
Logistics Processes are Changing
Delivery processes are complex and have a lot of moving parts. Managing all of these pieces can create a lot of inefficiencies in a business if they don’t have the right systems in place. Nowadays logistics management helps to solve these problems. These systems and processes offer features like real-time updates to customers, more accurate delivery time estimates, and even better collaboration between the business and different contractors.
This might also include increased automation in warehouses, better packaging solutions, and integrating systems to improve accuracy. By changing logistics methods from order to delivery, businesses are better able to keep up with customer demands and stay competitive.
Customers Value Sustainability
You wouldn’t think that delivering packages can be more sustainable, but there are many parts of the process that businesses can optimize to improve sustainability. Because customers value going green, it makes sense that businesses would want to rise to the occasion to meet this need.
Companies can offer recycled packaging, single point pick-up locations, and also upgrade facilities to incorporate more eco-friendly lighting and even add solar panels to lower energy consumption. These little things all add up and improve customer perception of your company and the way you handle packages.
Streamlining the Returns Process
Being able to easily return products goes into the buying decisions that many customers make. Imagine buying a pair of shoes and they don’t fit well, so they need to get sent back. Or buying a shelf, but it’s not quite the right size. It’s important for companies to make it as simple as possible to return these products and for customers to quickly get their refunds.
Businesses now offer drop off locations, smart lockers for returns, and even after hours returns so that it’s as convenient as possible for the customer. These changing expectations mean that customers can feel confident that the company has their back if something goes wrong.
Data Analytics in the Delivery Process
Good data is quietly driving the ways that companies help their customers and keep them happy. Humming in the background are countless data points that help businesses make strategic decisions that impact the delivery process. Data analytics can reveal the best delivery times for a particular customer, delivery options, and even how frequently the customer buys and returns products.
These important pieces of information can then be used to help businesses select the best carriers in a specific region, when to offer coupons to a customer to increase sales, and even how to handle returns. Plus, data can even be used to predict supply chain issues and better predict demand. The outcome is happier customers and a thriving business.
