The digital revolution shows no signs of letting up. In the UK, 80% of the population makes e-commerce purchases – and this figure is only expected to increase over the coming years.
Facing increased competition online, businesses need to deliver an excellent service to establish and build customer loyalty. If a customer is dissatisfied after their experience with your company, they will take their custom elsewhere next time.
So what can you do to ensure you meet their expectations?
Understanding customer expectations
First of all, you need to make sure you fully understand your target market. Conducting customer surveys is essential to this. You’ll be able to gain insights specifically into the expectations of people who have used your service and others who may do so in the future. Once you have this information, you’ll be able to make any changes required to enhance loyalty and convert new customers.
The role of same-day delivery in customer satisfaction
One of the reasons some people may choose to make a purchase in-store rather than online is because they want to have possession of the product immediately. After all, the last thing you want when making a new purchase is a long wait for it to arrive.
Many businesses offer a range of delivery options, with speedier deliveries costing more. However, same-day delivery could be a game-changer. It takes away the one advantage physical shops have over online retailers and is sure to provide an enhanced customer experience.
Challenges and opportunities
Of course, while same-day delivery is ideal for customers and businesses, it’s by no means straightforward to implement. There may be long distances to cover between the distribution centre and the delivery address. Tracking systems will also need to be updated to provide a sufficient level of oversight on orders that will be delivered on the same day. Then there’s the cost issue.
But with an increasing number of shops and public lockers being used by delivery companies, there’s a chance of being able to limit the number of destinations and therefore reduce the cost of delivery.
The role of technology
Automation is essential to managing a same-day delivery system. Orders could be picked as soon as they’re made and then assigned to the most suitable delivery van.
Artificial intelligence (AI) can also be used to optimise travel routes so that drivers can deliver as many packages as efficiently as possible. It might not be long until those vehicles are sent out unmanned too, meaning that deliveries can be made at all times of day.
Sustainable practices in same-day delivery
According to a survey by Vanarama, 70% of customers would consider buying from a different company if they had more eco-friendly delivery options.
The easiest way to make same-day delivery more sustainable is to use electric vehicles. As that will be a significant initial outlay, it may instead be easier to focus on only sending out full vans and limiting the number of stops they can make and the distance they can cover.