It’s easy for business to think that once their product has left their property (or fulfillment house) that they do not need to worry about it anymore. As results from consumer surveys, it has been acknowledge that that isn’t the case. Product delivery is an important component of direct-to-consumer sales. Consumer expectations have increased due to the new delivery precedent which many big companies (like Amazon) have set. A customers’ first impression on a business can be tarnished, if their first delivery doesn’t arrive on time. The importance of a good delivery rate is measured as the percent of shipments that are delivered on the first delivery attempt. It is a score, the higher the percent, the better.
The Big Delivery Problem — Failed Delivery Attempts
The adult signature requirement for wine packages compromises delivery rates. Recipients usually aren’t home during the day when the common carriers (FedEx and UPS) attempt to deliver packages to their house or apartment. Of the almost six million packages that go through Ship Compliant Direct each year, 62 percent (and climbing) are shipped to residential addresses. Only 78 percent of those packages are successfully delivered on the first attempt. If you refer to the math problem above, that’s a C+. I’m sure you’ll agree that’s not good enough.
The Risks of Failed Delivery Attempts
One of the last things you want is for your wine to go back and forth on last-mile delivery trucks. Failed delivery attempts can lead to a host of problems:
- Extended exposure to temperatures that are too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter
- Customer anxiety around where and when they will receive their order
- Customer dissatisfaction due to the effort of trying to coordinate the delivery
- Staff time dedicated to managing the customer experience
- Additional risks to the package health
- Lost time and money
