Concerns over a looming recession have been brewing for years now, soon after the crippling effect of COVID-19 that gripped economies across the world. Bloomberg is reporting that the investment chief for the Teacher Retirement System of Texas is now warning that America will tip into recession in the first half of 2024. Experts and entrepreneurs are now encouraging businesses not to panic and use technology available to put measures in place that can help grow profits.
Ways to improve delivery experience with technology
Live-chat, chat bot, analytic tools, customer feedback and other real-time data are just a few ways technology can give a company a competitive edge. A Voxware survey found that nearly 70% of consumers are likely to move their purchase to another retailer if the 2-day delivery commitment is not met. Even more so during peak seasons like Christmas. Last-mile delivery is important. By using software for route optimization, retailers can ensure fast and effective deliveries.
Route optimization using the retrieved data from customers, can improve delivery time significantly. GPS-tracking devices like Locate2u’s range of products, can also help with monitoring fleet operations, to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
But what is route optimization? It’s the fastest way to get a parcel from a warehouse or pick-up-point, to the customer. Software is used to plan not necessarily the shortest route, but the best cost-effective way. Drivers spend less time on the road, avoid traffic and better even, a customer can follow the parcel during the transport process.
How can better technology increase customer satisfaction?
Steve Orenstein is the CEO of Locate2u and believes the top focus of any business owner should be is to get that repeat purchase. “You want to acquire that customer. You spend that money to acquire them, but then get them to keep buying from you and have a decent basket size. If you are just having one-off purchases, and the products are not that expensive, it is going to be difficult to make your business profitable.”
If customers are not happy with the delivery of the product, they won’t be returning for more any time soon. “Delivery is a way that you can make sure you’re going to get that repeat purchase.”
Is technology always reliable in delivery?
Artificial Intelligence is constantly improving and evolving. It can help with mundane tasks to ensure companies can expand their business much faster. Last-mile delivery can have a huge impact on an online store’s performance. With route optimization, feeding technology with the right information from the get-go, is almost just as important as the last interaction with the customer.
This is how it works. First the right address will be obtained from a customer. Ensure it’s spelled correctly and the suburb is included. Without accurate address information, route optimization won’t be effective as it should be. That will result in manual corrections of the address, slowing down the process.
Drivers response to using tech
A decade ago drivers were resistant to work side-by-side with new technology. Drivers knew how to travel from point A to point B, but it was not always the best route for that particular time of the day, given the changing circumstances. Weather conditions, traffic, protests, and road hazards form part of the unforeseen circumstances drivers were unable to detect en route to a delivery.
Orenstein explains how effortless it can be for a driver: “They thought they knew the routes best, but actually the computers don’t lie. Computers have done thousands and thousands of calculations. They have figured out what is the most efficient route and they have been able to deliver it to the driver and the driver just has to follow it.” He says in the early days of his business Zoom2u drivers weren’t following the optimized routes generated by technology. “We couldn’t figure out why the drivers weren’t completing the deliveries based on the timeline given by the route optimization engine. We found that they just didn’t believe it. They just didn’t want to follow it.” Once drivers gave it a go, only then they realized that technology is more effective in planning the routes.
Technology a game-changer in delivery
With technology a driver with no experience in a particular area can work in the most efficient and time consuming way, simply by using route optimization technology.
Technology also improves the safety of customers and drivers, with live-location sharing options. It also gives business owners the choice to monitor the fleet of vehicles used by drivers, and ensure that no package goes missing en route to its destination.
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About the author
Mia is a multi-award-winning journalist. She has more than 14 years of experience in mainstream media. She's covered many historic moments that happened in Africa and internationally. She has a strong focus on human interest stories, to bring her readers and viewers closer to the topics at hand.
