Dr. Pradeep Salgaonkar jots down solutions for last mile delivery for e-commerce businesses

BEYOND CLASSROOM / DR. PRADEEP SALGAONKAR Serving the Last Mile

The writer jots down solutions for last mile delivery for e-commerce businesses Two interesting cases of issues involved in serving customers in the last mile were cited in my previous column, which showcased real life hardships faced by customers owing to failed The main objective of the last mile delivery is to ensure delivery of the package to the customer transaction from selection till they touch it. Thus, it is essential for the distributor to ensure that they do justice to this expectation of their customers, which most companies ignore. Most companies last mile delivery. Last mile delivery as soon as possible follow the out-dated technology of is the last stage of the delivery process tracking the parcels by customers, which in e-commerce, which starts from the same evening he comes to the same most of the times does not give correct distribution centre or hub and ends at locality to deliver another parcel to status. It is essential for distribution the customers’ doorsteps. The last mile the next door neighbour of the first companies to upgrade their technology delivery distance usually ranges from customer. Such things could be avoided so that customers can track continuously a few houses/buildings to about 15 to by better route planning and having prior the movement of their package. GPS 20 Kms or sometimes more. The main communication with customers about tracking system with use of IoT enables objective of the last mile delivery is to delivery time. It makes better sense to monitoring the entire journey of the ensure delivery of the package to the convince one or two customers and club parcel from hub to the doorstep of the customer as soon as possible. However, the timings together for the same locality. customer. inadvertently delays happen. All the c. Customer availability: Failed first f. Lack of willingness to act: Late problems and issues associated with this delivery is a common cause of increased deliveries and increased delivery cost final stage of distribution are called as Last cost of delivery and last mile delivery is many times the outcome of lack of Mile Delivery challenges. It would thus inefficiency. Many times the delivery willingness to act on part of the delivery be useful to understand these issues and person reaches the destination after team. Simple actions such as a phone call challenges and ways in which they can be overcoming all possible hurdles on the or message to the customer informing solved to gain a competitive advantage in way, only to find the door locked or the status of the package are sometimes the digital marketplace. there is no one to receive the parcel. This not done by delivery people. A request

Some of the most common challenges naturally would call for a second trip of from a customer for a slight adjustment faced in achieving last mile delivery and the delivery person which is additional in location or time of delivery are not ways to cope up with them are: cost and an undue delay in delivery. And entertained by delivery team and that a. Delivery address: One of the biggest of course the customer cannot be blamed results in undue delays in delivery or challenges that increases delivery cost for this disaster. Though this could have return of the package without even and reduces delivery efficiency is having been avoided by the delivery person, had reaching the customer. It is the Mindset inappropriate, incomplete, confusing he to communicate in advance with the of the delivery persons to be helpful to or wrong delivery address of customer. customer about the exact delivery time. customers or not. Slight thoughtfulness Many times the landmarks also cause a d. Customer preferences on delivery: Not and helping mindset on part of delivery problem. There may be similar named all customers are good and cooperative. team would make things better in the last landmarks at two different locations There are those difficult ones which may mile delivery. misguiding the delivery persons. Like add to the hurdles in last mile delivery. g. Unforeseen exigencies: At times the once it happened with my food delivery, There are customers who have certain proverbial Murphy’s Law will come into the landmark was ‘Naresh Wood preferences as regards the delivery of play and make things worse. This is Industry’ at Porvorim, the restaurant parcels to them. Delivery on working beyond anyone’s control and invariably is located at Porvorim, and the delivery days of week at office only, delivery at it happens 2/10 times. Things may person reached ‘Naresh Wood Industry’ home on Sundays and off days only as go wrong for delivery team. There situated at Pilerne, causing a delay of more both husband and wife are working, or may be traffic congestion, accidents, than an hour. An eye for minor details in delivery during certain hours of the day vehicle breakdown, worsened weather the address and telephonic confirmation only, or certain other conditions like no conditions etc., or the good ones like the with the customer before the onset of ringing of the doorbell, or leaving the holiday season or festive season surge delivery journey would be of great help parcel at door step with a phone call in sales, and the delivery team would in this case. In the first place, obtaining or message to the customer, etc. Such be under undue pressure, many times complete address with all possible details customers need to be handled with care missing the delivery deadlines. The only of the location and landmarks is essential, and sound communication plan. solution in these cases in having a robust because the devil lies in details. e. Lack of information to customer: communication plan with customers b. Route plan and scheduling: Transparency on the status, condition informing them about the real-time Inappropriate route plan and haphazard and visibility on the movement of the status and the problems that have delivery scheduling is another challenge parcel are very essential for customers in cropped up. Keep them informed about that plagues last mile delivery. It not only present times. Every customer is excited the delays and the next possible realistic increases delivery cost but also reduces about the purchase that s/he has made delivery time. the route efficiency. A delivery person and wants to know the exact status of h. Poor network connectivity: Internet comes in the morning to a particular the package till it reaches in their hands. connectivity in most parts of India is a big locality to deliver a parcel and on that They want to be engaged with the whole concern. Making UPI payments through

CABBAGES AND QUEEN / NANDINI VAIDYANATHAN The A to Z of customer seduction!

The writer is all praise for Amazon for its ‘customer delight’ attitude

Ithink the first two decades of the 21st century will be known as the Amazon decades and everything before will be BA (Before Amazon) and after will be AA (After Amazon)! It has been ages since I went to a shop to buy and thanks to corona, even window shopping has been epitaphed. Although I do buy stuff on e-commerce sites, my go-to is Amazon and only if I don’t find it there (which is very rare) do I head to other shopping portals.

I live in Jaipur and my partner and I decided to open an Indo-French eatery here about two months ago, just before lockdown was announced. Except for the property to house the eatery, every single item for the eatery has been bought on Amazon – furniture, interiors, lights, crockery, cutlery, even strings for baggage tags! It never ceases to amaze me that they are like Mahabharat. It is said that what is there in the world is there in Mahabharat and if something is not depicted in Mahabharat, it is because it does not exist in the world. I could say the same for Amazon, A to Z as their branding suggests!

As we went about setting up the eatery, we realized that without Amazon we could not have done it during lockdown when markets were shut and all access was cut off. It is unthinkable that we not only set up the eatery in record time without a hitch but we even managed to kick off home delivery operations during lockdown, thus protecting our investment.

There are three things about Amazon that in my books are a huge plus. One is their huge inventory. I understand inventory of regular fast-moving items. But they seem to have an inventory even of obscure products – the ones that Chris Anderson wrote about in his seminal book, The Long Tail.

The second reason why I find Amazon endearing is the brilliant way they have empowered their teams to solve customer problems. Unlike other call centers, the Amazon guys don’t parrot templatized scripts and annoy the hell out of you. They are trained to listen to you, understand your problem and redress it – all on one call. And then back it up with a mail. I don’t know how Amazon does it but the whole experience from ordertaking to fulfillment to after sales service is exemplary.

This is not to say they are six sigma flawless. I have had my share of skirmishes with them from time to time. But I no longer get into a tizzy when a problem occurs because my brain is wired by my previous experience to say: hey chill, this is Amazon, the problem will be sorted. I don’t know too many companies that have managed to give its customers that kind of confidence not once or twice or a few times, but literally every single time!

Like I said, it is not that they are perfect. For instance there was a phase when I had problems with 2 out of 10 deliveries. The problem was that the app would show a particular item as delivered and I would not have received it. I think the delivery teams were playing hookey. But when I’d call up customer service, nary did they argue, give me excuses, whitewash a lie. Nada. They’d cut to the chase saying, if you don’t receive the product in the next 24 hours, we will give you a refund!

It brings me to the third reason why I love Amazon. The ginormous convenience of returning a product. And I do believe this is where Amazon scores over everyone else. On another portal I once bought a book. I was delivered the wrong book. When I called up the call center, I was told to suck it up. Not literally but in intent pretty much. They said the seller has made a mistake, we can’t do anything about it! And I argued till the cows came home (and went back several times for grazing) that since I bought the book from the portal and not from the seller, the portal is responsible. And for some reason the girl at the other end refused to see the simple logic!

Like I said, I love the convenience of returns. Schedule pick-up within 24 hours, ask for replacement or refund, both follow excellent processes that leave no scope for any iffiness or lapses.

During lockdown I saw that the traders’ body complained that whilst they were asked to shut shop, Amazon was permitted to deliver even non-essentials. And I said to myself, there is a reason for it. We bought some baking equipment for our bakery from a vendor. We were told there were no warranties except for the motor, but there should not be any problem and if there is, we would get a replacement, no questions asked. As Murphy’s Law would have it, the very first day we operated the machine, there was a problem. When we approached the vendor to replace the machine he said he does not have any! And if I wanted a replacement I could buy the deluxe version, paying an arm and a leg! That’s when I realized why I love Amazon. They don’t waste time talking. They simply deliver.

Years ago, I read a beautiful definition of quality. Quality is when your customer comes back and not your product. I think Amazon has built its business model around this simple home-truth. That’s why they have my heart

The Columnist is about to commence her fourth professional avatar with her bakery and restaurant business in Jaipur (www.concoctions.fr) with her French Michelin-star chef life partner. Email: nandini@carmaconnect.in

apps in cases of COD transactions may become a cause of concern if the connectivity is poor. There may be cases of un-received payments or double payments and may become a reason for conflict between the customer and delivery team. Or simply the payments may get delayed causing undue waste of time for the delivery person as well as customer. Convincing the customer to make cash payments or giving an option of card payment on spot, which most delivery people don’t give, could work better in such instances.

It can be said that though there are number of issues and challenges the last mile delivery has to overcome, delivery team intervention with mindset for customer care, sound communication plan with customers aided with technological advancements and willingness to act in interest of the customers will make every last mile delivery a profitable delivery, with higher customer retention scores, higher number of orders and improved bottom line for the company