Improving customer experience with a great delivery strategy

Offering excellent customer experience through on-time deliveries is an important strategy all companies have to prioritise. Here’s how you can improve customer satisfaction. 

The importance of an excellent customer experience cannot be understated, as it can sway their decision to either continue coming back to you, or to look for an alternative. Notable companies have identified its importance in business retention, as consumers in recent times care more than just the goods or services you provide.  

Perplexed about how to increase customer satisfaction? For e-commerce businesses, having a good delivery strategy from start to finish is a great way to provide your consumers with a quality experience, and in doing so helps to continue attracting their interest. If you’re an e-commerce business looking to improve your delivery strategy and your customers’ experience, learn more about DHL’s best examples of effective delivery strategies. 

1. Ensure you have a reliable delivery network

Delivery delays are frustrating to deal with, whether they’re foreseen or not. Additionally, further delays due to COVID-19 can impact both the time, date and quality of your deliveries, with supply chain issues becoming increasingly common nowadays.  

Therefore, a key strategy businesses should employ is to partner with a reliable delivery network that effectively oversees all aspects of transportation, such as our team at DHL Express, to provide your consumers with on-time deliveries. With a global network tapping on numerous flights worldwide daily, there will be a place on board an aircraft for your goods, minimising lull waiting periods in our warehouses. With same day delivery and delivery by the next working day for urgent or time-sensitive shipments, DHL Express’ reliable logistics network makes sure that your products will reach your customers promptly.

2. Simplify the shipping experience

One of the best ways to improve customer experience is to simplify the shipping experience by offering clear and succinct information about the delivery of your products. For example, having a well thought out delivery page on your website and integrating free shipping not only helps to boost your order cart values, but also helps to streamline the whole process for your consumers. 

Other useful information that should be listed includes expected delivery times after taking into account the fulfilment period and information regarding COVID-19 delays. Having this knowledge on hand equips customers to plan their purchases and provides them with complete clarity about the time and costs involved in the shipping process. 

Technology is also crucial to delivering service excellence. With new platforms such as DHL Express’ MyDHL+, consumers are even able to manage their e-commerce shipments, payments and tracking all through our one-stop dashboard created just for them. In doing so, this helps to simplify the shipping experience not just for your customers, but for you too. A speedy and efficient delivery is especially important for customers who are in a rush, and who keep an eye out for the names of your logistic partners to better gauge the delivery dates.

3. Offer customised solutions

Providing your consumers with customised solutions shows them that you’re able to cater to their personalised needs. In doing so, this strengthens your rapport with them, and goes beyond just providing them with a product or service but with a tailor-made experience.

Similarly, our team at DHL is extremely well-trained to provide you with solutions in any areas of the delivery process that you require. Understanding that every customer has differing needs and shipping specifications, we have different teams trained in customs clearance, IT, and other commonly experienced scenarios to provide tailored solutions for our customers. Beyond that, the overall logistics journey is split into specific aspects with a dedicated team to formulate a solution unique to your company’s requirements.

4. Put customers at the forefront of your business

At the end of the day, regardless of what product or service you offer, your customers will always be the most important thing for your e-commerce business. Invest in developing your network capabilities, processes, and staff to enhance your customers’ overall shipping journey. Grow, innovate, and stretch the boundaries of your delivery strategy by adhering to the golden rules of e-commerce, implementing fresh digitalisation initiatives and improving your infrastructure. Not only does building rapport with them help to create a strong and sustained demand for your products, but it also helps you reap a significantly higher profit margin compared to companies that don’t make that extra effort. 

5. Communicate clearly with your customers

Lastly, having clear and concise communication with your consumers helps to reduce any unwanted problems and is key to a good delivery strategy. Simple updates such as the countries you ship to (or don’t), disclaimers on import duties and taxes, and in-depth information on delivery processes gives your consumers a clearer understanding of your e-commerce operations. Trust and confidence is built in your brand when a customer is given prompt and clear information without delay. Communication of delays and schedule changes to customers is also a good business practice because it allows them to alter their schedules.

In doing so, it helps them to make an informed decision on their purchases, reducing the possibility for returned goods or miscommunication. 

Deliver smiles with your delivery strategy

While these tips help in improving your customers' experience with your business, ultimately it’s important to work with an experienced logistics provider such as DHL Express, to truly create an organised and efficient delivery system you can rely on.