For any business targeting the average consumer, there are few things more important for your long-term success than customer satisfaction. Even if you can secure a sale, if you can’t provide a great experience up until long after they have the product in their hands, you aren’t likely to secure another from them. For many online businesses nowadays, this makes the delivery process a key part of your sales strategy. So, what can you do to improve it?
Provide Different Options For Different Budgets
Let’s address the real issue that many customers have with online deliveries first and foremost: the cost of receiving the goods they’ve paid for. You might not be able to forgo shipping costs, not when your product margins are tight, but you can potentially offer different options to customers with different budgets. Offering multiple delivery options means that customers can prioritise what matters most to them. For some, they may be willing to pay to get their packages as soon as possible, but others might be willing to wait for a more economical option. Providing these options can help you prevent shopping cart abandonment, as high shipping fees are a very common reason for lost sales.
Consider Free Shipping On Certain Orders
While you may have to be selective on when you offer free shipping, having the option there can not only reward your most loyal customers, but it can serve as motivation for some to spend a little more. Free shipping for orders that cost over a certain amount, or on other specific conditions, can be a powerful incentive to get customers to spend more on larger purchases. Customers often add extra items to their cart just to qualify for free shipping, increasing your overall sales. Free shipping promotions during special events or holidays can also attract more buyers and give your business a competitive edge. Even if you can’t offer free shipping, perhaps you might be able to offer the occasional discount.
Offer Transparent Delivery Times
Once your customer has made their order, then the next most common frustration they face is uncertainty on when their order is going to arrive. Even if you’re not able to offer package tracking, being able to offer clear and accurate delivery time estimates at checkout can help you set helpful expectations for your shoppers. Rather than using vague statements such as “shipping may take several days”, displaying an estimated delivery window, such as “3-5 delivery days” can establish a degree of trust with your customers. Of course, potential delays can happen due to high demand, weather conditions, and other factors. When that is the case, do your best to proactively communicate these issues, especially for customers who have already made their orders.
Ensure Your Products Arrive Safely
Your dedication to customer satisfaction shouldn’t end the moment you send your product off. You need to consider how it makes the journey, and the condition in which your package arrives. If your goods are damaged, not only can it lead to returns, refunds, and dissatisfied customers, it can also establish a reputation that you don’t want. Ensure that your products are packaged securely with key material handling principles in mind, such as using the appropriate padding, reliable and sturdy boxes, and weatherproof materials. Of course, for any items that are perishable, you must invest in the necessary conditions, such as chilled transport vehicles. Test your packages under real shipping conditions so that you can identify weak points and address them, rather than leaving them for your customers to discover.
Let Customers Track Their Goods
Although it can require a little investment, package tracking has become a regular expectation for online shoppers. Even small businesses are expected to help customers locate their package in real-time, especially if 100% of your sales are carried out online. This allows customers to monitor their orders, which can reduce the natural anxiety of ordering something over the internet. By seeing where in the delivery process their package is, it also drastically reduces the chances of customers calling up, taking the time of your team, since the information is readily available to them. Integrating tracking links into confirmation emails or a dedicated tracking page on your website enhances customer experience and reduces the burden on your support team. Automated updates via SMS or email can also keep customers engaged and informed.
Offer Contactless Delivery Options
A lot of customers are becoming much more safety conscious, which means that they may prefer not to have to answer the door for their deliveries. Contactless delivery is becoming an essential feature for many online businesses for just that reason. It allows customers to receive their process without having to directly interact with the carrier. This has become even more prevalent post-Covid, where many have become a lot more sensitive about hygiene as a result. Contactless delivery can be as simple as leaving packages at the doorstep or providing designated pickup points. Giving customers the ability to specify their preferred delivery method in advance helps accommodate their comfort levels and needs.
Brand Every Delivery
If you manage to create a great delivery experience, it’s part of how your customer interfaces with your brand and should be treated as such. This goes right down even to your packaging, which isn’t just a box, but an opportunity to keep reinforcing your brand. Branded packaging, from custom boxes to tape with your logo on it, and even high-quality sticker printing, can make a lasting impression, giving your boxes a distinct visual pop. Most people look forward to receiving a product they have ordered, but making yours recognisable at a glance can heighten that excitement and make the experience much more memorable as a result. What’s more, investing in even just a little box branding establishes a certain level of professionalism and brand prestige.
Add A Personal Touch
Beyond your packaging, you can add a lot of personality and impact to your deliveries with even a small, yet unexpected extra. Whether it’s a handwritten thank-you note, a piece of candy with each delivery, or a sample of another product of yours, you can make a positive impression on your customers with a personal touch. Not only is it likely to provoke a smile, but it shows customers a certain level of dedication, care, and investment in them, which shows that your business values its customers and appreciates their support. This can make them more vocal advocates of your brand and more likely to shop with you again.
Address Customer Shipping Questions Promptly
No matter how simple and effective your shipping and delivery practices might be, there are going to be issues and some customers are going to be left with questions. When that’s the case, clear and accessible customer support is crucial. Whether it’s an FAQ section on your website, an online chatbot that can answer the most common questions, or real-time help from human beings with troubleshooting orders, customers appreciate being able to find help easily. Of course, you should provide some means for them to directly contact you, as well. Hiding your contact details is an immensely frustrating move and the larger companies only get away with it because of the convenience they offer in other ways.
Offer A Hassle-Free Return Policy
For some customers, the process of ordering from your store simply isn’t going to run out. Carefully as you might operate, some customers are going to need to return or exchange their order. While you might be loathe to reverse a sale, if your return policy is too complex or restrictive, it’s going to create frustrating experiences that can ensure that a lost sale becomes a lost customer for good. What’s more, it can turn people away from making a purchase in the first place. Being able to declare that you have a no-hassle return policy is a good selling point for an online business. Remember, customers aren’t able to tell whether they can trust your products’ quality until its in their hands, so you should offer good faith to offer them a little peace-of-mind.
Provide Space For Special Requests
You shouldn’t expect deliveries to be a one-size-fits-all solution for every customer. Allowing your customers the space for delivery instructions or special requests, whether it’s leaving the package at a specific location at the delivery address or calling them when the package arrives, can ensure peace of mind that the package will be delivered in a way that meets their needs. Some customers may require discreet packaging, alternative pickup options, or specific delivery timeframes. Giving them the ability to communicate their preferences helps improve satisfaction and reduces missed deliveries or returned packages.
Your relationship with your customers, the reputation of your brand, and the profitability of your online business may well depend on how you handle your orders. The tips above can offer you a host of ways to improve it, so take the time to implement those you might be currently missing.