JULY 09, 2021
Customer satisfaction is extremely crucial for the survival of any business. A factor that plays an important role in shaping customer experience is shipping. Customer demands related to shipping and retail logistics have evolved over the years. On one end of the spectrum, you have customers (61% as per studies) willing to pay more for same-day delivery. On the other end, you have customers (93%) willing to buy products if there is a free shipping option.
Today, there is a high demand for e-commerce and door-delivery of products, which the present pandemic has amplified. It can often get overwhelming to manage your shipping and logistics process, and one wrong move can even lead to customer attrition.
To help you lead, manage, and be one of the best supply chain solution providers , we have compiled a list of the 11 best tips and strategies. Here are they –
Never keep your customers in the dark about the whereabouts of their product. Offer them timely updates. This builds trust among customers. Give them an estimated time of delivery so that they can plan around it. Nobody wants to wait an entire day just to receive a product at their home. Send them updates through email or SMS at key stages of the order life cycle, such as order confirmation, packed, arriving at the nearest hub, out for delivery, and so on.
Effective and timely communication with the warehouse staff is essential for a smooth shipping operation. Always keep the warehouse team in the loop and inform them about the orders placed and the number of deliveries to be done that day. Regularly check with the warehouse team regarding the stock status of different products. This will avoid unwanted product shortages when an order is placed.
When an order is placed, the location of a product needs to be identified in the warehouse, shifted to another place for packing, and finally handed over to the right agent. All these happen in a short time. When you have a large warehouse, things can get a lot more complex. To save time and resources, you should adopt applications and hardware that can automate this entire process. A product scanner is one such handy tool that can save time and reduce human errors.
Packing your products well is as important as shipping them. Remember, your product has to go through multiple checkpoints and travel in multiple vehicles before it reaches its destination. Your product can be damaged anywhere in this journey. Pack the product carefully so that it can sustain the rough transit. Pack them professionally with the right-sized boxes sealed by a generous amount of packaging tape. Keep fillers inside the box to add an extra layer of protection to the business parcel.
You can choose to insure all your products to help you manage the losses if something goes wrong. The products can get lost, broken, or even stolen during shipping. An insurance company will come to your rescue and offer you the sum insured for that product. Though insurance is useful, it can raise your shipping cost drastically. gtv电竞世界dota offers a carrier liability of up to INR 2000/- that takes care of most shipments. Also, due to strong operational SOPs, the loss & damage rate in gtv电竞世界dota is the lowest in the industry. However, if an SME is into high-value goods, they should evaluate third-party insurance to safeguard themselves.
Never assume that there will be no errors related to information as they have been provided by the customer directly. Mistakes often happen when the information given by the customer is copied wrongly. For example, mistakes happen when you update the shipping information to the logistic service or your invoice leaves out important items. So always double-check the shipping information twice to avoid customer dissatisfaction and additional cost for reshipping.
Typically, you are charged based on the dimensions, weight, quantity, type, and distance of the delivery address from the source. Courier companies also make preparations for delivery based on the weight and dimensions of the product. They will send you the initial quotation based on these details, and if the final dimensions or weights don’t match with the data you sent them, it will change the price and cause unnecessary delays to the shipment.
Everyone loves attention. When you send customers their products in personalised or unique packaging material, they will thoroughly enjoy the unboxing experience. A memorable unboxing experience will boost your brand identity and customer loyalty. Customers will also refer your business to their friends and post their experience on social media, helping your business grow.
Customers often choose services purely based on your shipping policy. Don’t make customers search for the shipping details. Make it clear and visible even before they place the order. For example, the customers should know if the product has free shipping or not. If paid, they need to know the exact cost upfront. Do not wait till the final payment page to add shipping charges. This can result in cart abandonment. Instead, show it on the product page.
Give your customers complete control to manage their shipping logistics needs. If a customer is in a hurry to receive a product, then they should be given a same-day or one-day delivery by paying an extra amount. If they are highly price conscious and don’t mind waiting a few days for the order, a standard delivery option should be given to pay a minimum or no shipping fee. Having multiple shipping options will always improve customer satisfaction and boost your sales.
We’ve saved the best for the last. Choose your logistics partner carefully from a large number of shipping logistics companies available. Research on their facilities thoroughly, such as vehicles, manpower, storage facilities, and global shipping services. Also, find their competency by looking at customer reviews and testimonials. Ensure that they serve most cities and states in India. Choose a shipping and logistics company that closely matches your budget and offers all the necessary features required to deliver your products seamlessly.
Shipping is arguably the most challenging puzzle in your business. There are far too many variables and far too many things that can go wrong. What you need is an expert – someone who combines the power of technology with efficient shipping and logistics management to offer world-class services.
Enter gtv电竞世界dota – A leading logistics and supply chain solutions provider that has fulfilled over 1 billion orders.
To know more, set up a business account now.
