10 TIPS TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY EXPERIENCE IN 2020
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s recently as just a couple of years ago, the term “delivery experience” was little more than an industry buzzword, often prefaced by “the Amazon effect” or “the e-commerce boom.” However, delivery experience has rapidly become a strategic focal point for many companies, and with good reason. Consumers expect a consistent, transparent, and frictionless delivery experience, and companies that fail to meet these expectations risk losing customer loyalty and, ultimately, revenue. A recent report published by Project44 titled “The Delivery Economy & The New Customer Experience” had this to say regarding the growing importance of the delivery experience: “Consumers are no longer just buying a product, they’re buying an experience. Fast, inexpensive shipping that provides
28 PARCELindustry.com JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020
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Providing a positive delivery experience begins well before a package is shipped, let alone delivered. Whether presented as static content on a Shipping/FAQ page or dynamically displayed on PDPs, shipping options should be simple, clean, and easy to understand. The last thing you want is to have a customer become confused, frustrated, and abandon before even reaching checkout. Whether you offer a flat rate by shipping option or free with a threshold (or both), make sure the options are simply presented in a table or graphic that is easy to comprehend.
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Clearly communicate an estimated delivery date (EDD). It is no longer sufficient to provide the standard five-to-seven-day delivery window and show an EDD of seven business days (gasp) in checkout for all customers. EDDs calculated specific to a customer’s delivery address are table stakes. Present the EDD in line with delivery options in checkout to ensure the customer has a clear understanding of when she can
BY NATE SKIVER consumers precise visibility into the process is becoming more influential than core purchasing elements — like price, value, and customer service.” With this in mind, below are 10 tips to help build a winning 2020 delivery experience strategy. Re-assess your shipping strategy. Are the shipping options provided to your customers meeting their expectations? Are shipping options, including delivery time and cost, on par with your company’s competitive set? If the answer to either question is “No,” determine what changes are critical to improving the delivery experience and develop an implementation plan to address your customers’ needs. 2. Provide succinct, simply stated shipping options.
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