April 1, 2024 The Before, During, and After of a Parcel’s Journey

For small businesses, shipping can be a game-changer for customer satisfaction. This three-phased approach guarantees successful shipments.

For eCommerce businesses, shipping can be a  game-changer for customer satisfaction. Small businesses are eager to get it right, make a positive impression and maintain a positive brand reputation among their customers – but this can be challenging in navigating supply chain delays, like inclement weather, or in the pressures to Amazon-ify your delivery speeds or offering fair return policies. Embracing a comprehensive, end-to-end perspective of a package’s  journey is critical for small businesses, not just as a strategy but to ensure smooth sailing through supply chain challenges and surpass customer expectations. This three-phased approach not only guarantees secure and efficient shipments but also contributes to keeping customers happy, and to have a thriving bottom line.

I. The Before: The Planning Phase

Shipping success requires meticulous planning, where the devil’s in the details. Small businesses should always start mapping their strategies by engaging with customers early and often, understanding their purchasing habits and preferences. An example of this is seen in how you map your distribution network. Think of the areas where it’s realistic to meet one or two day shipping requirements, or the areas where you may need to think of other offerings like free returns or upleveled tracking. These can make a difference in customer success when you have the diversified model that’s able to meet these parameters.

Creating a diversified model involves considerations for sources of goods, fulfillment facilities, shipping carriers, and delivery options. Achieving harmony requires finding trusted partners who can create an end-to-end solution that prevents a single point of failure. Shipping carrier diversification can specifically help a small business avoid potential snags in service during high-volume periods. Having a diverse carrier network can help small businesses plan ahead in where they can be prioritizing efficiencies, streamlining processes, and adding layers of transparency to make these stretches even more successful.

Diversifying networks of partners, vendors, and collaborators becomes a harmonious symphony, preventing a single note of failure and ensuring a resilient, successful parcel journey. The goal is not just establishing certainty, transparency, and affordability during the early phases but also keeping the rhythm alive as customers transition into the next phase.

II. The During: Be Willing to Bend, But Don’t Break

There’s lots that can go awry in the shipping process, and various points of entry in the supply chain where mayhem can grow. However, this is where a business can showcase its flair for reliability and flexibility, showing that they can move along with those “mayhem” moments to meet customer needs and demands. Small businesses should take the fundamentals of customer engagement and transparency, established in “the before” phase, and take it to another level. Create a lane for more reliable communication – through human-centered customer service, 24/7 access to support via web, chat and calls, and transparent channels that provide as much real-time insight as possible into a parcel’s journey. Stress-testing delivery networks ensures preparedness for logistical hurdles, such as the ability to meet two-day shipping and offering shipment tracking. If things don’t work out as planned – don’t be afraid to make those last-minute adjustments.

The groundwork laid in the planning phase transforms into execution during this phase. Businesses can confidently move through their preparations, providing support to customers to ensure their purchases pirouette into their hands safely and securely. Flexibility is what becomes the difference maker, and the ability to adapt to customer needs and demands distinguishes business success in the midst of the shipping process. Successful navigation through this phase isn’t just a journey; it’s a performance that leaves customers delighted.

III. The After: Reflect and Re-engage

The journey doesn’t conclude when a package arrives at the doorstep. The days and weeks after delivery are an encore, an opportunity to engage customers and positively reinforce a repeat customer. Implementing loyalty programs and incentive frameworks is like rewarding them for being part of the journey with you. Creating a positive post-purchase experience is not just a finale; it’s a promise for an encore from a loyal customer base.

In cases where mishaps take an unexpected turn, such as delays in on-time delivery (OTD) rates or, in worst-case scenarios, damage or theft, tapping into insurance protections and transparently communicating with customers lets them feel heard and protects your bottom line as much as possible. Acknowledging issues, addressing concerns, and protecting the bottom line ensures that even in challenging situations, businesses maintain a positive relationship with their customers.

Finding shipping success in 2024 means being prepared to modify your strategy in response to customer demands. Armed with a sound shipping strategy encompassing the before, during, and after, small businesses can find success and stand out in a dynamic, often volatile market. New opportunities will come from unexpected places so make sure you have systems and strategies in place to take advantage of them.

About the Author
Tac Anderson is VP of Sales and Marketing at Sendle, digital courier for small businesses and the most affordable carrier in the US, offering lower prices than USPS, UPS and FedEx with its own dynamic multi-carrier network. He has experience working in B2C and B2B marketing at both enterprise companies and startups and is passionate about marketing analytics and metrics with a focus on testing and experimentation.

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