Real-time tracking: ‘Out for Delivery’ isn’t good enough anymore

You run a furniture store, and it’s a busy day on your showroom floor. Customers are streaming in to check out the latest trendy furniture. You don’t have real-time tracking, so you can’t see where your delivery is. 

There are a couple of empty spaces where delivered stock is supposed to be displayed. You get an alert on your phone: Out for delivery. 

You ask yourself: When exactly is this inventory going to arrive, is it in half an hour, two hours, or at the end of the day? 

I know this feeling too well. Customers don’t just want an alert that says their order is “on the way.” 

Let’s take a look at how real-time tracking is far better than an “Out for Delivery” notification. 

How does real-time tracking give me visibility over deliveries? 

In my logistics days, we handled imports and exports, bringing goods in through the port, offloading them, storing them in a warehouse, and then transporting them to retailers across the region. 

One of our biggest customers was a major furniture retailer. Our logistics team would send the “Out for Delivery” message, but what good does this do? The customer was just kept in limbo, waiting. 

They also faced the challenge of managing their own customers’ expectations. What if the retailer said, “Your furniture will arrive on the showroom floor at 9 a.m.?” But the time came and went, and finally, by midday, the item pulled up into the delivery bay. 

These uncertainties could hurt your business. Let’s look further. 

The furniture company’s scenario

So, your furniture business invests in real-time tracking software. You notice the difference in the first few days: 

• You can keep customers informed about their delivery. 
• A live tracking link lets them physically see where a truck is located. 
• Your company can plan accordingly and schedule staff to be on hand. 

Real-time tracking: Where is my food order?  

In addition to my logistics experience, our family ran a successful restaurant for over five years. I would watch deliveries fly out of the kitchen, and a delivery driver would dash off to deliver a customer’s latest craving. 

Twenty-five minutes later, the driver returns. His face says it all: The customer was not impressed. I asked what happened: “The customer said the food was ice cold and wanted a refund.” 

There are two things you decide to do: 

1. Invest in special delivery bags to keep food warm in transit. 
2. Real-time tracking will keep your customers updated on an order. 

Armed with your real-time tracking software, you start to receive fewer returns on your delicious creations, and customers even start rating you five-stars for speedy delivery. 

Get ahead of your competitors in the industry

If you were a customer waiting for an order, would you want a notification that says “Out for delivery.” Or would you prefer to follow the path of your delivery to your doorstep? 

In my logistics experience, customers always wanted to know where their cargo was. Your competition is still using lengthy phone calls to provide updates.

You’re not doing that anymore. 

Your courier service, restaurant, or furniture delivery business gives a real-time tracking link. 

How to stop sending “Out for delivery notifications 

Invest in real-time tracking software is your answer. 

• Allow customers to have control over their orders. 
• Enhance the customer experience by letting them follow their order through live tracking.

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