Re-imagining retail: 5 tips for businesses to create memorable customer experiences

– By Nishith Rastogi

E-commerce, despite witnessing phenomenal growth across the globe, has been a tough nut to crack with the intense level of competition. As per industry estimates, global retail e-commerce is projected to become worth 7.4 trillion US dollars by 2025, and at present, there are already around 12 million e-commerce companies globally catering to an estimated 2 billion customers.

Therefore, it has become crucial for businesses to differentiate themselves from their competition to survive and ensure the sustainability of their business models. To that end, the impact of seamless and on-time deliveries of products and services on business is unparalleled. In today’s landscape where delivery timeframes have grown shorter and consumer expectations continue to rise, if a brand is unable to consistently meet customers’ delivery timelines, the consequences can be quite detrimental to not just their growth but also their brand image. Late deliveries negatively affect the customer retention rate, whereas on-time deliveries lead to customer delight, loyalty, and trust. One way to deliver memorable customer experiences at scale is by leveraging new-age technology such as AI/ML/analytics, etc., especially in the last mile. However, deploying a combination of technologies in silos would make it tedious for businesses to maintain clear sight of processes and analytics together, and that would result in a delay in overall decision-making.

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Few tips that can help businesses efficiently solve their last-mile challenges and enable more on-time deliveries, creating a seamless customer experience:

Optimize your tech stack to enable automation

Given the rising number of orders, it is not possible to manage the entire supply chain through human intervention alone. While it is important to reduce paperwork and guesswork, there is also a need to optimize the overall tech stack. As a customer-focused brand, you can do this by investing in dispatch management software. This software is platform-based and keeps track of orders from the time of initiation to the end-point when they reach the buyer.

Similarly, you can invest in advanced analytics tools to increase the efficiency of a business. There are several deep inefficiencies in logistics supply chains that can’t be identified and addressed manually. But it is possible, with the support of advanced analytics engines, to process billions of data points across multiple touch points. They uncover deep inefficiencies and hidden patterns while highlighting new growth opportunities through actionable insights. For example, predictive analytics capabilities enhance route efficiency and operations without impacting operation costs.

Minimise errors and wastage of space and time with advanced route planning capabilities

The need for speed in direct deliveries at customers’ doorsteps often leads to errors and delays. Such problems frequently occur when the point of delivery is in congested areas. But companies can’t afford to compromise on delivery times. For last-mile excellence, leveraging advanced route planning capabilities can help in minimizing timelines and chances of errors as well as reduce space wastage. 

Hundreds of real-life constraints like incorrect addresses, unexpected roadblocks, workforce shortages, traffic restrictions, and last-minute changes lead to delays. Advanced route planning software considers these dynamic constraints and supports fleet managers to quickly adapt to changing delivery plans while maintaining the overall efficiency of deliveries. This software also provides route summaries to trace violations and optimize costs to avoid repeating mistakes.

Place the customer in the center with timely updates

There is much to gain from implementing real-time visibility for end-customers on their orders, as the waiting game can go either way. When you see your order arriving at your doorstep in real-time, it creates a sense of fun and excitement when you finally receive it. This is why tracking pages are becoming the norm for last-mile deliveries. On the other hand, not having any visibility brings uncertainty around when the order will arrive. It turns to anger, frustration, and disappointment when it comes late and could lead to a loss of business and, if it is consistently late, a loss of brand image. To remain in the good books of customers, it has also become essential for businesses to be transparent. This can be done by providing prompt and honest reasons behind customer delays through multiple communication channels. These should be two-way channels, as customers provide essential feedback and concerns that can be resolved to elevate the post-purchase consumer experience.

Be transparent by enabling end-to-end visibility

Lastly, no brand can always be confident about 100 per cent on-time delivery. But they can minimize delays by having first-hand information about on-ground realities through control tower solutions. An end-to-end platform to track orders in real-time can also go a long way in improving customer experience.

The way ahead

Constantly changing consumer demands and preferences pose a huge challenge for brands. Ensuring last-mile excellence may be tricky, but comes with significant payoffs when done right. Thanks to technological innovation, a last-mile revolution is happening in e-commerce. As a customer-focused brand, you can do well for yourself, and help the entire ecosystem grow, by remaining on top of this revolution through timely deliveries.

(Nishith Rastogi is the CEO and founder of Locus)