The customer experience isn’t something that retailers are always able to control. In an age where shoppers are spending more and more on delivery and their expectation for convenience keeps rising higher, many retailers have no choice but to rely on third party delivery providers to ensure that the customer’s expectations are met.
A recent survey by Brisqq found that 62 percent of Londoners are aware of the delivery providers that their preferred retailers use and a majority of them (89 percent) feel that the retailer’s choice of delivery provider can influence their decision on whether or not they will order a product from that retailer. It is clear that the delivery provider’s level of service has a strong impact on the customer experience.
During the same survey, respondents were asked to share details of negative delivery experiences. The answers provided a worrying insight into how the customer experience can be poorly affected at the point where it matters most. The responses included:
“One delivery driver threw a package over the back gate without knocking at the door. Unfortunately, our dogs ripped the package and its contents to pieces. On further inspection, it turned out that the packages were for a neighbour and the delivery driver had somehow mistaken our house number (26) for house number 23 on the other side of the road.”
“We had arranged for a large trunk to be delivered to our flat. The delivery company decided to leave the item (which measured 150 x 50 x 50 centimetres) under the doormat outside our door.”
“I lived at flat number 40 in a tower block. A parcel that I had ordered was left in a bin shed at house number 40 which was on the same road, but a five-minute walk away.”
“Items packaged in a cardboard box were left outside in the heavy rain. The box broke open and the products were water damaged.”
“A large box was jammed in front of my door. The delivery man didn’t knock or the ring the bell and I couldn’t get out of the house.”
With the right technology, these negative customer experiences can be easily avoided. Brisqq provides customers with a delivery experience that will not only protect the retailer’s reputation, but earn it kudos in the eyes of the consumer.
Through the Brisqq delivery platform, bricks and mortar retailers are connected with a pool of freelance couriers, with the most suitable courier for each delivery job selected through allocation and routing algorithms. This ensures that orders reach customers within any chosen time slot at their home, workplace, or any other chosen location, providing safe and secure delivery of the item directly into the customer’s hands.
Brisqq’s delivery platform is accessible from any device on any web browser, making it simple for staff in retail stores to schedule deliveries. This provides stores with an extra level of service that is traditionally unavailable in-store. The online channels have been thought about too, with eCommerce plugins enabling a quick and easy booking process for customers placing online orders.
For retailers, last impressions can matter just as much as first impressions. While current retail trends seem focused on in-store technologies designed to increase convenience, retailers should also focus on ensuring the level of service that customers receive in-store or online is extended into the delivery experience too. Clearly, a solution is required that offers customers a seamless experience with a high level of service and care.