If you own a delivery, logistics or supply chain business then your number one goal is to deliver the goods to the client at the right time and in good condition. Seems simple, right? And if you can achieve those goals then theoretically, you’ll have happy clients. But customer satisfaction goes much deeper than that. Something as simple as unprofessionalism from the delivery driver or failure to provide an ETA can change a happy, referring customer into an unwanted Facebook rant which costs your reputation and your business.

So how can you increase customer satisfaction for your delivery business?

First, let’s look at why customer satisfaction is so important. This may seem obvious, but we’re constantly surprised how many clients don’t have their customer’s satisfaction front of mind. When your customers are satisfied they are:

• More likely to use you again, increasing their lifetime value

• Pay their bills on time, keeping your cashflow under control

• Refer your services to friends or colleagues, increasing your business exponentially

With this in mind, let’s look at 3 quick ways to improve customer satisfaction for your delivery business.

1. Don’t keep customers or staff in the dark

Shipping delays are an inevitable part of life. But research has shown that customers were still satisfied with a delay, so long as they were kept in the loop along the way. Even when shipping delays are outside of your hands, let your client know that you’re doing everything possible to get the goods to them.

Similarly, make sure that you have the systems in place for your sales or service staff to be able to answer any questions from your customer quickly and efficiently. There’s nothing worse for an already disgruntled customer than being bounced through a phone system or told “we don’t know where your package is”.

2. Leverage GPS Vehicle Tracking Technology

The biggest challenge in ensuring that goods are delivered on time is knowing where your delivery drivers are at any given moment. Installing GPS tracking technology in your delivery vehicles is a simple, cost effective method of tracking drivers and alerting customers when their parcel is on its way. Using an online tacking portal, you can see your drivers in real time, calculate the most economical routes, dispatch efficiently and provide up to date ETAs to your customers.

GPS vehicle trackers make your drivers’ days easier since they won’t need to complete complicated log books or time sheets. This will free up time and allow them to manage more jobs each day. GPS technology can also reduce vehicle expenses by eliminating fuel theft and unauthorised vehicle use, keep track of vehicle maintenance and create more efficient routes.

There’s lot of other technology that you can leverage including:

• Giving your customer access to their order information via an online login

• Send automated text or email alerts when shipping status changes

• Automate invoicing as soon as goods have been received
  

3. Ask for feedback

When was the last time you asked your clients for honest feedback on your service? This should be an integral part of your customer satisfaction plan. After all, if you don’t know what you’re doing wrong, how can you improve it?

You might wish to add a brief customer satisfaction survey to your delivery driver’s hand-held devices, or email a selection of clients each month to ask for feedback. Just make sure your feedback is quantitative so that you can measure results. When you take action to improve your customer service based off a client’s recommendation, be sure to contact that client to let them know that their advice was listened to and implemented.

We hope that these three quick tips will help you deliver ongoing customer satisfaction. If you’d like any more information about how GPS Technology can help your delivery business, contact Fleetdynamics today.