As the rise of the internet and digital marketing platforms are reshaping the way consumers shop, E-commerce is no longer just considered a trend. Rather, it is already a fundamental part of the world of retailing. This, in turn, means that retail companies and their logistics partners are expected to deliver more parcels – and fast delivery is becoming a major element in the competition.
Battle for the Last Mile – Dealing with the Common Last Mile Challenges
The last mile delivery is usually one of the most challenging and problematic stages in logistics and delivery. Naturally, customers expect timely delivery along with exceptional products and services regardless of the circumstances and the conditions involved when they made their orders. Thus, the delivery company is faced with sometimes overwhelming challenges of the troubled last mile. Here are some of the most common last mile challenges:
- Customer Demands and Expectations
- The Need to Ensure Transparency
- Justifying the Costs Involved Including Fuel Costs
- External Factors such as the Road and Infrastructure Conditions
- Natural Factors Such as Weather Conditions
The Last Mile Delivery Best Practices
The competition among the companies offering last mile delivery services is increasing. Facing constant challenges and the ever growing customer demands, these companies should ensure they follow specific measures in order to gain the competitive advantage, control operational costs effectively and provide excellent service to the customers.
The following are some of the best practices that should help streamline and better manage last mile delivery startups:
- Communication is the Key
As in almost all scenarios, communication is the key to optimize the last mile delivery. For instance, the drivers should proactively communicate with the customers to help ensure customer availability during the delivery or even just to set up the customer’s expectations regarding the timeline of the delivery.
- Optimizing Before Hitting the Road
This can be achieved by careful planning. Putting a plan in place enables the delivery company to foresee any possible problems along the way, eventually curbing any problems resulting from delayed deliveries.
- CrowdSourcing
Crowdsourcing is rapidly gaining popularity particularly among companies offering same day delivery. It helps leverage local couriers to deliver goods faster to the customers’ doors.
- Implementing the Right Technology
Utilizing the right technology plays a vital role to boost productivity and enhance the efficiency of the delivery services. Some of the growing technology solutions involved in last mile delivery now include the use of robots and drones.
In the end, the last mile delivery experience has a huge impact towards the customer’s overall experience. It has become an important factor for companies to get positive customer reviews, gain desirable feedbacks in the social media and can even set the bar for the industry’s competition. As such, logistics companies should invest in enhancing the last mile experience. Aside from observing the best practices mentioned in this article, integrating delivery logistics platform, such as the Bringg Technology Platform, in your last mile system should help improve your logistical efficiency and keep you on top of the game.
