Editor’s Note: Here at Dispatches, we are always looking for ways to help our readers do things. For some of our readers, that means helping navigate the working world, for others, it means assisting in the ever challenging question, “what’s for dinner?” For still others, it means figuring out how to balance family life with everything else. In an effort to aid in all of these endeavors, we have collaborated on this article written specifically for our readers.
There’s a lot of thought that goes into running an e-commerce business. You have to find the products you want to sell, follow the trends and know how to capitalize on the trends you want to follow and you have crafted a promotional strategy that resonates with your customer base. However, none of these aspects of running an online store mean much if you have delivery issues.
The Importance Of Delivery
Good, reliable delivery is at the heart of the success of every online store. From the moment that your customers submit their order, a clock begins to tick down– a clock that represents the patience of your customers. From the moment of order, your business is on notice: you have to deliver their item in good time, in good condition. If you don’t, you risk losing that customer and having that customer tell all their friends and family about their bad experience.
The most common complaint e-commerce businesses hear regarding delivery is that the item arrived damaged or in poor condition. It’s often assumed that the biggest delivery issue is lateness and items not arriving on time. This isn’t the case; customers are, for the most part, accustomed to the fact that sometimes there can be delivery hiccups that are nothing to do with the business where they purchased the item. They can be patient, provided they get their item eventually and you respond to requests for information. Customers can handle a delay, but customers can’t handle their item arriving damaged.
Tackling The Biggest Cause Of Customer Complains
If you only hear reports of the occasionally damaged parcel, it is something that comes with the nature of a business that relies on delivery, much like the airlines occasionally damage a piece of luggage. However, if you’re hearing this complaint consistently, you must implement changes.
It’s time to get sleuthing. The first aspect to consider is the company who transports your goods. You want a carrier that knows how to treat packages properly; a company who understands that the slightest jostle can cause a problem. If you’re sending items by normal mail, send a test parcel to yourself and see how it survives the journey. If you’re not happy, switch to another courier provider.
Furthermore, if you’re sending overseas, then research different carriers you could try as an alternative to your current provider. You want to find a carrier with a long history in the business, one who understands the complexities of transporting goods; who knows the importance of using heavy duty caster balls for loading and unloading into the hold if necessary; a carrier with a solid record in logistics. You need experts, so you can be confident your goods are treated well throughout the transport process.
If Switching Provider Doesn’t Work
It could be an indication the problem is closer to home. If it’s not the provider that’s causing the problem, the only conclusion is that your method of packaging items isn’t as robust as it needs to be. You have to ensure that you are packaging items so they can survive transit. That means lots of bubble wrap and appropriate protective cardboard; this is a circumstance in which less is definitely not more.
With this issue resolved, you can look forward to your e-commerce business continuing to go from strength to strength, and your customers feeling nothing but delight when they receive their order.
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