Whilst we may all be used to working from home, and receiving home deliveries, there can often still be an element of concern when ordering online. When we’re waiting for an online delivery, we want to know that it’s going to reach us safely, and, essentially, that we’re in control. We asked customers about the most common concerns they had, regarding the delivery process, in order to find out exactly what it was that they were most worried about, so that this way, we could find out how best to reassure them.
If orders have not been delivered to your expectation, what have been the most common reasons?
(Source: Maru, nShift and IMRG Home Delivery Report)
When asking what the most common reason for delivery expectations falling short might be, we found that the most popular answer was that no one was home to receive the item, and it either wouldn’t fit through the door, or it needed a signature on arrival. Whilst the percentage of people answering that no one was home has decreased during the pandemic (2020-2021), it still remains the most common answer. In order to best reassure your customers of exactly when their delivery will be arriving, so they can ensure someone is home, then SMS texts, or emails specifying the delivery slot, within the hour, are often a simple and effective way to communicate with them. This way, they’re reassured that their parcel will arrive at a specified time, and can successfully plan to be at home to receive it, without wasting their day waiting.
Notification of a time slot may be an excellent solution, however, this is only so long as it works. 24.3% of people said that the reasoning for an unsatisfactory delivery was due to the order not arriving at the time they were told it would. To further the customer experience, and reassure them of the whereabouts of their order if it’s running early, or late, then allowing them a GPS tracker so they can follow their package’s journey is a brilliant solution.
Finally, other common concerns included the delivery failing entirely, or the parcel arriving at a local depot or post office instead, which can be frustrating for the customer. To avoid these problems, it can be useful to use a trusted and reputable courier, so that delivery is most likely to be successful on the first attempt.
Customers may be concerned with the whereabouts of their delivery, however, if you can reassure them by creating a trustworthy and effective system, then you’re sure to see the rewards of happy shoppers.
