British summertime has finally arrived, which means that online shoppers are already busy looking for new garden furniture, BBQs and tools to revitalise their outdoor spaces. With the rate of these orders and deliveries beginning to rise, it is vital that retailers and logistics partners consider how to provide a positive customer experience from the point-of-sale all the way to the delivery arriving at the customer’s desired location.
Heavy expectations
For garden furniture in particular, it’s important to make sure that customers understand exactly what the delivery process will involve and how different options will affect the service they receive and the final price they pay. For example, it is normally the default (and cheapest) option for most deliveries to end at the customer’s doorstep – rather than inside the house or in the garden – but that is not always the best choice.
In this scenario, it’s the customer’s responsibility to transfer the item to wherever it needs to go, regardless of how heavy or cumbersome it is. Many customers will baulk at having to take on such a mammoth task of moving a heavy garden sofa or BBQ through their house, but the problem is that delivery specifications like these are often not explained very clearly at the point of checkout – and sometimes not displayed at all. As a result, many customers tend to go for the cheapest delivery option, only to be left frustrated, confused and disappointed when their courier simply drops the item on the doorstep and leaves.
A 2-man job?
To avoid this poor customer experience, garden and hardware retailers need to offer a range of delivery options at the checkout, and ensure that these are closely tied with the services available from their logistics partners. As well as different date and time options, customers should be given the choice between 1-man and 2-man deliveries, and provided with a clear specification and cost options for each.
Customers tend to opt for 1-man delivery in cases where an item isn’t particularly heavy or cumbersome, such as a table or light garden equipment, but 2-man deliveries will be a much better choice in some cases, even if it means paying slightly more. With two couriers on hand to deal with heavy or more fragile items, the risk of damage is reduced due to the additional manpower.
Not only that, but with the 2-man service, couriers are typically able (and insured) to deliver the furniture to the customer’s place of choice – such as the back garden, in this instance. Retailers and couriers should therefore work together to explain these differences to customers and make it clear where deliveries would benefit from some extra help with manoeuvring or assembling certain items.
Seasonal strategy
Sharing this kind of knowledge with customers is important – but retailers need to educate themselves as well. High-volume sales periods and popular shopping dates like bank holidays need to be carefully planned between retailers and couriers to ensure sufficient capacity. To guarantee customer expectations are fulfilled and delivery standards maintained, careful orchestration of these busy shopping periods is vital, especially if retailers want to safeguard their brand reputation and encourage consumer loyalty.
To avoid tarnishing perceptions, retailers must work closely with their logistics teams to ensure their strategies are aligned and customers are receiving the service they require. Consumers will traditionally look for the cheapest option at the checkout, without fully understanding the small print, so retailers need to explain to their customers that the cheapest may not necessarily be the best. Of course, no one likes to pay above the odds if they can avoid it, but it’s often worth paying a little extra to get the exact service that’s needed – and the BBQ in place while the summer lasts!
