The success of any business depends on how well it is represented in front of real human beings. Ecommerce has indeed revolutionized the way we consumed things.
However, common human emotions of purchase still define our Ecommerce experiences.
We want great experiences, faster delivery times, and smiling delivery executives every time we place an order on an online platform.
For millions, the only human contact that they will ever have with a brand will be through the delivery experience!
The final delivery is a vital cog in your Ecommerce business operations. Even if you get everything right and the delivery partner screws up, you will be left with a poor picture of your brand in the eyes of your customers.
The question then is- how do you choose the best delivery service company for your business?
In this article, we are going to list down one way that we think can help you answer the above question. In simple words, we are going to share a list of seven questions and their answers that will help you with your delivery partner selection.
List of 7 Questions to Ask a Delivery Service Company Before You Hire Them
Question 1: How many years of experience do you have in the industry?
If leading experts are to be believed, experience in the delivery business is directly proportional to the type of troubleshooting you have done.
The better the experience, the more are the chances that they will be adept at handling any and every problem that comes their way. They would also be familiar with helping young start-ups understand the ropes of the industry.
This means that an experienced delivery service company can offer education, information, and awareness to new Ecommerce start-ups looking to be successful in a competitive ecosystem.
Question 2: What is the strength of your delivery fleet?
Successful delivery service companies have a vast fleet of vehicles and personnel. You might think that for a small business like you, it does not matter how many delivery vehicles a company has.
But in reality, it does. If the number of vehicles is low, chances are that your orders to the customers will get delayed. In other words, other businesses that are giving the delivery company larger volumes in terms of orders will take priority.
This is why asking this question is important as it will end up directly influencing the outcome of your business.
Question 3: Are your drivers and delivery executives trained in customer handling?
If you do not want your business to get featured on a YouTube video with the title ‘Deliveries Gone Wrong’, you need to clear the air on this question.
We have already mentioned how it is important for delivery drivers and executives to be trained in customer handling. This means being polite, having patience, and showcasing the ability to handle even the toughest of customer challenges.
The last thing you want is unreliable delivery drivers and executives that are ruining the reputation of your business on the streets and in front of the customers.
Question 4: What kind of safety measures are taken by the delivery service company?
Delivery service companies handle the goods that are sold by you directly and indirectly. For example, they pick up the deliveries from your warehouse and put them in their vehicles.
They then store the same in the transport vehicle to the customer’s delivery address. There they unload the same and hand it over to the customer. This means that if they are not doing their work properly, your goods stand a good chance of getting damaged.
You need to be direct and upfront about the safety aspects. Insurance can be a great topic, to begin with in this regard.
Question 5: Is there a standard operating procedure in place for problems and obstacles?
There are multiple things that can go wrong as far as deliveries are concerned. The best Phoenix courier service company has an excellent standard operating procedure that makes it easy to troubleshoot problems.
Effective communication between the business, the delivery partner, and the customer might be required to sort problems. From weather problems to vehicle breakdowns to incorrect addresses, a lot can go wrong.
If there is a process that is already in place to handle these issues, it can get easy to get on top of the situation quickly.
Question 6: Do you offer different types of services as far as delivery goes?
Ecommerce is not just fashion and tech retail. It can be food, medicine, grocery, and much more. In other words, you need to ask the delivery service company whether or not they have experience in handling different industries and niches.
If you are an ecommerce start-up that ships meats to customers, you would want a delivery partner that has refrigerated vehicles.
Additionally, you need to look at other integrations like one channel partner for both packaging and delivery. If you are exploring expanding to different cities, you can look at that as well.
Question 7: How are your pricing strategies and payment methods?
Delivery service companies need to compete as far as pricing strategies go, else they won’t be in business for a very long time.
However, as a business, it is probably best that you should look to avoid the cheapest quotation. When it comes to delivery business, cheap prices are more often than not indicative of the kind of quality you can expect.
While you do not have to go for the most expensive option, evaluating a delivery partner that is moderately priced is a safer option. You need to check out issues of returns, payment schedules and more with the partner.
The Final Word
Choosing the right delivery partner might just be the most important decision that you might end up taking on behalf of your business. This is surely one of those decisions that can make or break your business.
The list of questions mentioned in the article can help you find out a lot about the delivery service company. The questions shed light on almost all the important aspects of product delivery that hold value and meaning for a business organization.
If you think you can add to the list of questions, you are more than welcome to do so in the comments section below. Can you help our audiences by listing down some tips that can help businesses choose the best delivery service companies for themselves?
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