Last week’s InternetRetailing Conference provided interesting food for thought when it comes to delivery – one of the key points being that done correctly delivery is the new loyalty.
It was a claim made by MetaPack in their presentation at the show and it’s a key point. Retailers that exploit their delivery options and deliver a great customer experience can not only attract customers but can build customer trust and therefore longer-term loyalty as a result.
Whilst many retailers are actually running full-on delivery loyalty subscription programmes driving loyalty through delivery doesn’t have to go this far. Instead it can simply be about delivering on the promise and delighting the consumer.
Whether you delight or disappoint the consumer retailers and their partners need to learn from what they are doing right or wrong. Also speaking at IRC was Yodel’s Neil Ashworth who revealed that customer insight was helping to shape a new seven-day service which the company will launch in the Spring. Yodel has also this week announced the launch of its Inflight service following a pilot over the summer.
UPS meanwhile has announced the expansion of its My Choice service as it seeks, like Yodel, to improve delivery communications for customers. The company is expanding to a further 98 locations – half of which were added over the summer and the other half which will be added by the end of the year.
Of course with good service is the need for great availability. Retailers and carriers have begun the recruitment to handle peak with Sainsbury’s and Argos announcing 11,500 new roles. At Argos that includes 1,000 delivery drivers.
Finally in our opinion piece this week we hear from Bis Henderson Consulting’s Sid Holian who asks how agile a supply chain can you afford?
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