Improving the customer experience in logistics

Analysing the customer journey is an important, tried-and-tested process. Nevertheless, it too often focuses on only one point. Logistics are often neglected, yet these touch points are also important.

The idea behind the customer experience is to convince customers and to pay greater attention to their emotions and experiences. In e-commerce, analysis of the customer experience is all too often limited to the early phases of the customer journey. Great efforts are devoted to improving the user-friendliness of the online shop and the conversion rate. A perfect example of this mindset is an article by Shopify, which mainly discusses digital channels such as social media, Google search and the online shop.

We know from experience that many retailers underestimate the impact on the customer experience of the phases that follow the purchasing process. The logistics phases are also of utmost importance.

Our advice is to focus on three key factors:

• Transparency: End customers appreciate being given the clearest possible information concerning delivery times on the online shop (on the product pages, at check-out, in the General Terms and Conditions). What is the latest date an order can be placed to receive the goods the next day, or the following day? On which day or, preferably, at what time will I receive my order? If the product is no longer in stock, how long is the restocking time? Transparent information helps to reassure customers who absolutely need to receive a product by a particular date. Every year, the Swiss e-commerce trend indicator shows that accurate delivery times are more important to end customers than speed.
• Flexibility: Just as end customers use different digital channels to search for products, they also have different requirements when receiving a consignment. Ideally, you should offer customers a choice of different shipping options with different speeds and prices. The customers can then decide if they prefer next-day delivery or a slower delivery – in the evening, on Saturday or at a pick-up point.
• Reliability: There is nothing worse than disappointing a customer. And promising a delivery date that is not respected is very disappointing. Ensure that you have reliable picking processes that are well coordinated with inventory management and your logistics provider’s lead times. This should apply even at peak times. This cannot be achieved at short notice, but it should be addressed so that you can build a relationship with your customers based on trust.

Improving the customer experience in logistics offers you advantages: you save time by reducing customer enquiries and complaints to customer service. By optimizing the accuracy of delivery times, you increase the satisfaction of end customers and reduce the likelihood that parcels will be returned. Finally, the customer experience with logistics is a key factor in customer retention.

In an increasingly competitive market, successful online retailers are those who take good care of their customers even after a purchase is made.