One size does not fit all: how ePOD software can help meet a variety of customer delivery expectations

85.6% of respondents to the recent annual Paragon customer survey stated that their customers’ expectations have increased in the past 12 months. B2C customers now expect a choice of next day, nominated day or even same day delivery slots with timely and accurate communication from purchase through to the point of delivery. But it’s not only high street retailers and grocery stores that are under this amount of pressure. Customers used to this level of service in their personal life now expect the same standards from B2B providers when they are at work.

No matter what industry you operate in, balancing customer expectations with an efficient and profitable delivery operation is likely one of the biggest challenges you will face in 2018. Delivering a seamless customer experience is impossible without the right technology in place to simplify your delivery processes and empower customer service staff.

So how can electronic proof of delivery (ePOD) software help?

While customer expectations are bound to differ between industries – and even sometimes between products or services offered by one provider – it is possible to meet most delivery requirements by providing:

• Clear and accurate pre-delivery communication
• High quality and valuable on-site service
• Relevant and speedy post-delivery communication
• Quick and effective resolution if something goes wrong

By choosing a flexible and configurable ePOD solution, you can ensure that each of these touchpoints can be customised while streamlining and automating procedures to help you run a more efficient and profitable operation.

Clear and accurate pre-delivery communication

With an advanced electronic proof of delivery system, you can automate pre-delivery SMS messages to provide your customers with delivery slot reminders or estimated time of arrival updates.

Let’s take the example of a retail customer waiting in for a dining room table delivery. Accurate delivery notification means they can ensure someone is at home to receive the delivery and avoid the inconvenience of having to reschedule a delivery. Not only will this increase customer confidence in your brand’s reliability, but it will also help improve first time delivery success.

In addition to SMS updates, advanced ePOD software can provide your customers with access to a day of delivery tracking portal, allowing them to track their own order. For a construction manager who must plan contractors and activities around the arrival of supplies, an inaccurate or missing delivery notification could lead to costly downtime and project delays. Being able to access estimated time of arrival information as and when they need it will remove the need to ring for order updates, improving the delivery experience and reducing WISMO (where is my order) call volumes.

High quality and valuable on-site service

Replacing on-site paperwork with an a handheld device streamlines delivery tasks for your drivers, enabling them to work more quickly and efficiently while having access to all of the details they need, including special delivery instructions provided by the customer. For customers who require a fast on-site service, such as a busy restaurant manager who needs to spend as little time as possible away from their other duties, simplifying driver tasks can streamline the encounter and improve customer satisfaction.

With advanced ePOD software, you or your office-based staff are able to customise workflows for different delivery scenarios, customer contracts, products or services. Drivers are guided through these bespoke processes to ensure each customer receives the required level of service. If you are scheduling services such as boiler repairs, then it is useful to be able to prompt the technician to complete value-add tasks such as providing basic user instructions following completion of the repair.

Relevant and speedy post-delivery communication

Most retail customers have come to expect a confirmation email following completion of their delivery and many are applying this service level expectation to other industries. Using ePOD software you can automate delivery confirmation emails to ensure consistent and timely distribution without manual administration back at base. In addition, data collected in the field can be transmitted back to the central portal in real-time, including any completed forms or photos that have been recorded. This means that your office-based staff are able to quickly review data and send out any additional communications that are necessary.

If our construction manager is working on a large site with multiple possible delivery locations, he might find it useful if the driver takes a photo of the precise delivery location. This will remove any confusion about where building materials have been dropped off and reduce the risk of site staff waiting around while the delivery is located.

Quick and effective resolution if something goes wrong

Real-time transmission of data between the application and central portal means that your office-based teams can immediately address any delivery issues, providing a proactive service and reducing the likelihood of customer complaints. For example, if an item is missing, the driver can record details for immediate review by office-based teams, who can then contact the customer to arrange a return visit.

This functionality can even be used to solve issues before they affect the customer. For example, if there was a vehicle break down on the way to the retail customer, your office-based staff could immediately see the workload and location of available drivers and dispatch a replacement before the customer becomes aware of the problem. Quick notification or resolution of a problem can often prevent the customer turning to social media to vent their frustrations.

It is clear that customer expectations have evolved rapidly over recent years, but it is important to remember that one size certainly does not fit all.

Customers will have different expectations of your operation so it is important to choose a solution that is flexible enough to support the requirements for each of your different customers, or product types. Choosing a configurable system will also give you the agility to future-proof your business, ensuring that you can continue to provide a consistent level of customer service, irrespective of growth or changes in regulations.

To discuss how the Paragon fleXipod software can help you balance customer service and efficiency get in touch with one of our experienced team today.