Thanks to our culture of instant gratification, the 2017 consumer has high expectations. They’re looking for smarter experiences, whether they’re shopping online, in store or on their phones. But they’re also on the hunt for exceptional – and swift – service between that click of the ‘buy now’ button and the knock on their front door.
Whether you’re in retail or logistics, the order-to-receive experience has the power to build or break the relationship between you and your customers. Here I explore the role of data in this process – and discuss how retailers and logistics companies can work together to deliver a seamless customer experience.
The devil’s in the (delivery) detail
The failure to provide the right delivery option for your customers is costly for your business. In fact – as demonstrated by these compelling statistics from a study commissioned by e-commerce delivery company MetaPack – it can even be a deal breaker:
- Almost two-thirds of shoppers would choose to buy from one online retailer over another because the delivery options were better
- A huge 87% of shoppers said they’d shop again with an online merchant following a successful delivery experience
- 45% had simply abandoned a shopping session when they realised they could not get things delivered when they wanted
The message is clear: you need to understand your customers to give them what they’re looking for when it comes to that crucial (and hopefully short) order-to-delivery timeframe.
Leverage data in the world of deliveries
Ecommerce is the fastest-growing retail market in Europe, with growth expected to reach £215.38 billion in by the end of the year.What’s more, thanks to giant strides in cross-channel communication, both retailers and logistics companies hold vast swathes of valuable data about their customers.
Given that, you might be interested to learn that:
- 72% of consumers are concerned about the safety of the personal data they share with organisations online
- 70% of businesses said staying abreast of technology advancements is their biggest challenge
- 28% of businesses said they lacked the in-house skill to utilise the data they hold
Communication is essential to consumer confidence. And there’s nothing more likely to decrease customers’ faith in your ability to look after their data than evidence that their preferences are being ignored. However, with every new channel you add, you’re creating the potential for a new data silo, increasing the likelihood for a communication to strike a false note.
When retailers and logistics businesses work together to leverage their combined data in a centralised hub, the cohesive experience reassures your customers that they’re in safe hands. With this approach, you’ll say goodbye to disparate communications that alienate your customers. Instead, you’ll have the power to deliver a consistent communication experience, keeping your business ahead of the curve.
Keep your customers happy with data-driven delivery
Back to the pressing matter of that delivery that your customer just can’t wait for.
Missed deliveries cost UK retailers around £780 million in lost business during 2016 alone, according to IMRG. Add to that the revelation that nearly 1 in 4 British consumers stated that poor communication from their delivery company had caused them to miss a delivery in the past 12 months – and it’s clear that you need to arm your business with the right technology to keep your customers happy.
To stay competitive in the 21st century, both retailers and logistics businesses need to embrace a data-driven culture and disruptive new technologies. For example, Engage Hub’s Synapse technology gives you the power to send the right message to the right customer at precisely the right time.
With this approach, you’ll ensure that your connected – and highly visible – supply chain streamlines the customer experience, reducing the chances of a missed delivery and a dissatisfied customer.
Remember, by using a platform that can integrate all channels into a single system, you’re able to automate sophisticated cross-channel messaging based on your customer’s behaviour, preferences, location and much more. That way, not only will you reduce the chance of a missed delivery but you’ll deliver a seamless experience across the entire customer journey.
Find out more about how we use data to drive a seamless delivery experience, get in touch.
