There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to business and the delivery of purchased goods.
Delivery management is an incredibly important part of the business that can make or break it.
Inefficient or non-existent delivery management strategies can either lead to lost sales or a negative reputation for your business.
In this article, we’ll dive deep into delivery management.
What is delivery management?
Delivery management is the practice of managing the entire delivery process from beginning to end.
It is an integral part of the business sales process, and it has a significant impact on customer experience.
Choosing the right delivery operations is essential for your business because it will affect your customers’ experience and result in either increased sales or lost revenue.
5 benefits of a delivery management system
Consistency of delivery affects your overall business. Without adequate distribution systems and systems, you will not offer the choice of shipping method customers expect and that will likely lead to an increase in cart abandonment rates.
Poor delivery management software can result in more shipping costs and longer delivery times and lower customer retention.
On the other hand, a good delivery management system will improve customer service and reduce costs, you can enhance the quality and productivity of your business. This is why you need an effective delivery management solution.
Here are 5 benefits.
Faster delivery options for customers
The factors for fast delivery include the location of your stock or the geographic location in which you order items.
Even looking at delivery routes or optimizing route planning can speed up delivery. The faster the packages can reach their door and be delivered at a cheaper price.
Reduced operational costs
Shipping management aims to limit shipping costs for better profitability in a company. Shipping prices depend on several different factors. It is important to monitor the various carriers’ options.
One example is you must be careful to avoid typical packing errors causing additional costs, such as the usage of oversized boxes (with more dimensional weight).
Higher customer retention rate
Once a client purchases something, their experience does not end there.
Many clients expect the order to be delivered 5-7 days following purchase and have options for reliable delivery methods that can increase customer retention — if the promised goods are delivered.
For customers who need a reliable shipping solution to meet shipping needs, an adequate delivery monitoring system can provide accurate tracking for delivery and estimate shipping time.
Increased supply chain communication
There are many data requirements that are required across the supply chain. These are records that need analyzing and sharing in a timely fashion.
A delivery management system can improve supply chain communication within the shipment process. With the right technologies and the right way, you can optimize the supply chain and make the delivery process more efficient for the customer
Access to real-time data
Real-time order tracking allows you to monitor your order delivery process to share updates on the arrival of the order automatically.
Many delivery systems also offer shipping information, which allows for the tracking of your shipment and view the estimated shipment date. With the best available information on hand, you’ll be capable of making a wise decision on shipping.
Limiting factor for delivery management
There are a few limiting factors that you need to take into consideration when thinking about shipment. The main factors are time and distance. If you are trying to get your product to the customer in a certain time frame, you will have to plan the logistics of shipping around it.
And the farther away your customer is, the longer the product will take to get there. These factors are important to keep in mind when you are choosing a delivery management strategy.
You want to make sure that you are using the most efficient strategy for your customers’ location and the amount of time it will take for them to receive their product.
How to improve your delivery management practices?
Before you dive into improving your delivery practices, you need to first assess your current practices. A good way to do this is with a logistics audit.
A logistics audit is a comprehensive analysis of your current shipping practices. It can include an assessment of current shipping rates, inventory management practices, and customer service issues.
Delivery tools should also be looked at for improvement. This monitoring process enables easy transporting of goods. Automate delivery and assign drivers tasks while monitoring their availability.
This will help the customer track their orders by providing complete transparency to the delivery process by providing automated notifications to clients.
These are just some of the great features the right delivery management software can help with. The delivery process can get complicated and the software is there to increase efficiency and provide a better overall experience that translates to your customers.
Once you have a good idea of the problems that exist in your current delivery management practices, you can begin to come up with solutions.
Here are some tips for improving your delivery management practices:
- Always have a back-up plan
- Keep track of inventory and sales
- Take advantage of partnerships with other businesses
- Make sure your customers are aware of shipping rates
- Use technology to your advantage
- Notify customers of shipping changes
Summing up delivery management
Delivery management is an essential part of the business. The delivery process includes choosing a shipping method and packaging products. Choosing the right delivery strategy is essential for your business.
Poor delivery management can lead to lost sales, and a positive delivery experience can help lead to increased sales and customer satisfaction.
Having a good delivery strategy can help you become more efficient and save money. You can also make your customers happier by ensuring they receive their products in a timely manner.
Breadstack can help optimize your delivery management so you can continue to improve efficiency and allow yourself to scale. Contact us today to get started!