Master Customer-Driven Home Delivery Using the 7Cs

The tides have turned. The clock has struck midnight. The caterpillar has become a butterfly.

What do all of these metaphors have in common? They indicate change.

Change has remained the only constant in the distribution and logistics industry. Consumers want what they want when they want it. And in an ever-expanding digital world, consumers now expect near-instant gratification.

And the only way you’re going to remain successful is if you change alongside the industry. To keep up with evolving expectations, you must empower your consumers and give them the option to manage their own delivery experience. They want the freedom to choose the delivery methods and times that work best for their lifestyle—with the option to make quick changes and adjustments when necessary. Your ability to give them that freedom influences their buying decisions in a big way.

So, how can you do that? How can you give your buyers the flexibility and freedom that they demand? It’s simple: the right technology. The right software enables you to create a consumer-driven delivery option. One where buyers choose their delivery slots and manage their own delivery experiences. And one where you don’t sacrifice operational control.

The best home delivery software strikes a balance between a superior customer experience and cost-efficient delivery. We’ve created a comprehensive list of processes and systems you need to master customer-driven home delivery. We call them the 7 Cs.

1.      Choice

A customer-driven home delivery operation starts and ends with choice. Customers should be able to choose their preferred delivery method and then easily pick the date and time of the delivery when they place their order.   For fleet operators, a robust route optimization engine can help. It should continually update route plans as new orders are placed, ensuring you only offer customers delivery slots that are actually doable. From there, the system can score these slots based on how cost-effective or CO2-friendly they are. It’s a win-win.

2.      Certainty

We’ve said it once, and we’ll say it again: consumers want what they want when they want it. But now we’ll add a little something to that: they want confirmation that they are, in fact, getting it. So you’ve got to provide them with that kind of certainty. By confirming the consumer’s order slot, you give them a sense of freedom—they can now schedule errands and appointments around the agreed-upon delivery window. For fleet operators, providing that certainty is only possible with a sophisticated home delivery system—a system that’s powered by algorithms to parse through reams of data instantaneously to identify only accurate, achievable delivery slots. They don’t batch orders and then create a plan. They continuously optimize routes as orders are taken, looking at already scheduled routes and a range of factors that determine feasible time windows.

3.      Control

Consumers prefer to buy from brands nimble enough to respond to changes in their schedules immediately. And if your systems currently enable this level of control, that’s a differentiating advantage.

With our advanced home delivery software, there’s a self-service module that can become your 24/7 virtual customer service center, giving consumers what they want—more control—whenever they want it. Companies that use sophisticated software to empower consumers to manage their own delivery experiences still maintain ultimate control of the schedule. This software truly creates a win-win opportunity for customers and operators alike. For the customer, the self-service options give them the control they want and expect. For the operator, the software enables you to positively influence customer decisions. You can present delivery choices to the customer that are also efficient for operations. You shape the demand on the operation rather than the operation reacting to demand.

4.      Communication

Clear and honest communication is critical if you plan to keep your consumers happy and coming back for more. If an in-home delivery is delayed, communicate that. Provide your customers with the end-to-end view of the delivery process that they deserve. And for fleet operators, providing this kind of visibility isn’t hard—it’s already built-in if your system is integrated with your other supply chain systems. Occasionally, changes may occur after a route is planned. It happens. Customer service needs to be involved to communicate the potential delay with the customer. With the right home delivery system, you’re able to track every customer interaction during an order’s lifecycle to ensure that inquiries and issues are resolved quickly and efficiently.

5.      Convenience

Consumers value convenience. It’s as simple as that. A MetaPack survey of global consumers on ecommerce delivery found that 66% had bought goods from one retailer over another because of better delivery options, and 49% said they’d pay extra for a more convenient delivery option. Fleet operators can meet their consumer convenience demands with the functionality built into their advanced home delivery software. The system provides consumers with real-time updates as the delivery unfolds to allow them to continue going about their daily activities rather than waiting all day for a delivery that may or may not arrive.  

6.      Confidence

A positive delivery experience leads 61% of consumers to buy again from the same retailer. When you have the right software in place, you’re giving your consumers the confidence they need to be a faithful and continuous shopper. Similarly, with an advanced home delivery system, fleet operators can confidently operate on the backend. You’re able to get a level of precision and visibility that’s just not possible in a more manual route planning environment—giving operators the confidence they need to invest in and trust the process.

7.      Cost

Cost control is necessary for making consumer-driven home delivery a practical business strategy. When you use powerful home delivery software to optimize routes and offer up only the most efficient delivery options, you can make more deliveries with fewer trucks. You’re utilizing and harnessing the power of the resources and tools you already have. And when you allow consumers to manage their own deliveries, you decrease the customer service resources required and improve the customer experience in the process. Once again, everybody wins.

If you’re not ready for this new consumer-driven, in-home delivery landscape, one of two things is likely to happen. You’ll either lose customers to competitors that offer a stronger, superior after-sales experience. Or you’ll decimate margins as you try to meet enhanced service demands using systems ill-equipped for the job.

Advanced home delivery software matters and allows you to flip the script—you can drive up service levels and customer confidence while simultaneously reducing the cost of delivery operations.

Interested to see how our home delivery software, Aptean Home Delivery, can improve your transportation operation? Find out how, now. This post is the first in a series on the 7 Cs. Download a more detailed resource on the 7 Cs of home delivery or follow over the next few months as we’ll delve deeper into how you can master customer-driven home delivery.