Retailers must juggle multiple delivery services for Christmas success

DeliveryX

Retailers should look at juggling multiple delivery services to guarantee success at Christmas, according to delivery management expert Centiro.
The company says that the range of delivery and fulfilment options has increased dramatically over the last year, leading to an ever increasing portfolio of services that retailers must offer – from companies using cycles, motorbikes, drones, robots and even London buses to deliver items, through to one-hour delivery slots and drop-off lockers where items can be dropped off.

Centiro says that with the UK market leading the way and consumers growing to expect delivery within a much shorter timescale here than in other markets around the world retailers must be sure of what they can manage.

“Online shoppers in the UK have never had it so good when it comes to the variety of delivery options available to them,” said Bobby Shome, business development director EMEA at Centiro.

“Consumer expectations could rocket past current levels if the market continues its shift to provide innovative delivery services that are available in the UK as well increasingly granular detail to consumers, such as delivery driver name, location and exact time of arrival. This means the successful retailer of the future will be the ones that continue to focus on customer service, with a seamless customer experience across all the delivery services they offer. In Christmas party terms, they have invited the guests, but must get to work wrapping the presents, cooking the dinner and laying the table,” he said.

The extra emotions around Christmas means a good delivery is even more important, he said. “People are intolerant of problems with deliveries, especially over the Christmas period. They’re also increasingly demanding around the introduction of new delivery options, such as same-day one hour delivery windows and locker pick-ups. Retailers can’t rest on their laurels as wave after wave of innovation rolls in – if they don’t keep up with the times, customers will head elsewhere. This means it’s crucial to have a central ’hub’ from which they can easily manage a variety of fulfilment services and providers, whether that’s shipping items from overseas, or getting them to a specific location within a set time frame.”

Image credit: Fotolia

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