The customer experience is invaluable for companies to consider when shipping items online. A bad shipping experience can lead to frustration, refund requests, and shoppers avoiding your store. This is why it’s important to consistently reassess your current shipping situation and find opportunities for improvement.
Once you assess your current system, brainstorm using the information below to determine how to avoid delivery delays for your shipments. Sometimes, delays are out of your hands, but not always.
Streamline delivery with 3PL partners
Third-party logistics services (3PL) are essential to contact if you want to simplify shipping both internationally and domestically. For instance, one of the most helpful things to know about freight transportation services is that they can involve air, sea, and more modes of transportation.
The purpose of using these vehicles in tandem with specific packing solutions is to ensure the 3PL can always find the most productive shipping option for your goods. If you need more consistency in your customer’s delivery experience, take the time to find the right 3PL for your products.
Keep track of shipments
Working with a 3PL is a great first step toward making significant improvements, but you should come into the partnership with specific needs and preferences in mind. For example, if how your customers currently track shipments is critical to you, then speak with the 3PL about their current technology.
Tracking packages is essential for businesses; it allows them to keep an eye on employee practices, analyze points for improving productivity, and more. However, tracking is also a vital part of the user experience for any online shop.
The more details the customer has about their shipment, the more peace of mind they can have. Prioritizing your last-mile delivery software, including package tracking, provides more transparency for customers.
Prepare for busy months
A straightforward way of determining how to avoid delivery delays for your shipments includes taking a closer look at your calendar and considering your peak months. These peaks can vary depending on the products you ship, but the holiday season tends to be an incredibly busy time for shipments of all sorts. Whenever your surge in sales tends to occur throughout the year, take time in advance to prepare your equipment and employees.
For instance, will you need more employees during a specific period to keep the workflow efficient? If so, don’t leave your recruiting until the last minute; find who you need and provide them with the training necessary for keeping your workflow optimal and your customers happy. Implement these methods into your workflow to enhance your shipping experience substantially.
