Late deliveries are the bane of many companies, as so many different transactions and jobs rely on items being moved and delivered on time. Having items delivered late (or sometimes not at all) can be a costly business – both for the end receiver who cannot complete their transaction or job, and also for the delivery company who is liable for the failure.
Late delivery stats
- 65% of retailers class late deliveries as a significant cost – in fact, it has been estimated that for each retailer who suffers a late delivery, the cost is around £200,000 per year.
- 57% of consumers are very clear in that late deliveries are the “make or break” in deciding whether to use a retailer again – even if the late delivery is down to the courier.
- With this in mind, nearly 80% of consumers expect the retailer to step in and resolve the issue, instead of dealing with the courier directly.
Source: https://www.loqate.com/resources/blog/the-real-cost-of-failed-deliveries/
As you can see, preventing late deliveries is definitely preferable to dealing with the aftermath, so how can we ensure that deliveries arrive on time, every time?
The 7Ps
We all know the old adage, “Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents P*** Poor Performance” – originally coined by the British Army, this popular phrase promotes planning and preparation as key to stopping a situation going wrong.
In the logistics sector, proper planning and preparation can include:
- Making sure that the end customer has to fill in all necessary information on their shipment label, so there are no queries over addresses for pickup or drop off.
- Keeping a stock of good quality packaging materials to hand, so there are no delays waiting for packaging materials to arrive before sending the ordered goods.
- The same applies to actual stock – if you know there are shortages, either stop them being sold temporarily or set pre-orders up, with an estimated delivery date, to set customer expectation.
- There are always peak periods through the year – Christmas, Easter, Summer – a lot depends on what you’re selling, but if you know that these peaks can mean delays in delivery, communicate this with your customers.
Tracking
Keeping customers updated with what’s happening at all times is really important – so if you don’t have tracking in place, invest in it pronto. Here at GOfers, we offer full tracking and notification of delivery within 20 minutes after drop off.
Whilst tracking services can’t prevent late deliveries, keeping customers updated can certainly go a long way to managing their expectations properly, keeping them informed and also keeping them happy even if a late delivery happens.
Offer guaranteed direct deliveries
If possible, offering guaranteed direct deliveries can really help with preventing against late deliveries. This is because the courier picks up the item and takes it straight to the end recipient, thus meaning there are less chances for delays en-route as they do not have to stop off elsewhere unless really needed (such as a rest stop).
This option is not always viable or cost effective but we’ve found that offering it to our customers has meant we can offer effective same day deliveries every day of the week.
