Page 25 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 7_2023

Travel
Business
bumps in the road and keep customers if they are not satisfied with the shipping
informed as to the whereabouts of their service.
parcels.”
IT'S THE
“It is an integral part, and arguably the
Delivery Experience “Here’s an example: This customer most important part, of the entire online
recently placed an order for some
shopping experience. Once the money
has left the consumer’s wallet, the next
cosmetics offered by a leading local
step is the receipt of the item. If that
online store. The order value was for a
receipt takes too long, and/or is too
few hundred Rand and the customer
expensive, it erodes the experience and
understandably wanted her delivery as
THAT COUNTS soon as possible,” he explains. could lead to a loss of repeat business,”
she adds.
“Notwithstanding the additional fee
incurred to get the products to the
Notwithstanding, Ahlfeldt points out that
customer, the delivery time was advised
is one such example that often delivers
to be two weeks – following which an some brands have got it right. Superbalist
email was sent extending the waiting
the next day even when the customer has
period even longer! This created great been informed of a two or three day wait
frustration for the customer, and has period, while others, even established
soured the entire experience.” brands, can take weeks to deliver.
Bruni says while this extra-long wait “It’s important to note that the consumer
period is highly unusual for any brand, sees the delivery service provider as an ** Freedom House was
let alone a leading online store, it goes to extension of the brand they bought from, founded in 1973 on the core
show that even the top guys still get the and if they have a negative experience conviction that freedom
customer experience wrong. during the delivery, this tarnishes the flourishes in democratic
original brand that they purchased from. nations where governments
“These delivery hazards can be So it’s clear that the future of online are accountable to their
eradicated when using the right type of shopping lies in the hands of the logistics people. Every year, its
data-driven logistics software solutions solutions that brands choose to use.” research assesses the
and by having decentralised ‘hubs’ in conditions of political rights
city centres that reduce the wait time of and civil liberties around the
getting stock from warehouses located on In conclusion, Ahlfeldt says consumers world.
the urban peripheries,” he adds. compare the last best delivery experience
to their next delivery experience, and if Large sections of this article
Julia Ahlfeldt, a Certified Customer they are not up to par, they will find fault. have been taken verbatim
Experience Professional, says shoppers “They expect instant gratification. Living from the Freedom of the World
are often inclined to avoid a brand in a digital world has sped up everything, Reports.
that got the ‘last-mile’ delivery wrong. and the same goes for last-mile delivery
In fact, reports suggest that 56% of expectations, where faster has become
shoppers won’t buy from a brand again better.” Image: Eric Mclean, Unsplash

Image: Rosebox, Unsplash

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