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We live in a world where it people seem to have lost all patience – they want what they want immediately, if not sooner! However, this doesn’t necessarily apply to the courier industry. As you go about completing your owner driver jobs, there shouldn’t be a need to rush unduly if you plan right. In fact, it could cost you more than just money if you do. Read on to find out what matters most to the majority of customers and how you can deliver on those needs. Failing to Deliver Adds Up The number of packages being delivered each year is going up – however, that also means the number of failed deliveries is on the rise. Although it may not seem like much, delivering on one of your owner driver jobs late (or not at all) can have a serious financial impact on you, your customers and your business. The proof is in the statistics: • It costs a consumer an average of £7.41 every time they have to go to a depot to pick up a package that wasn’t delivered. • A late delivery will cost a retailer about £21.64. • If a lost parcel needs to be replaced, it costs retailers around £123.61. • Overall, failed parcel deliveries in the UK have totalled up to somewhere around £1.6 billion. However, the cost of unreliability often goes deeper than just your pocket. Businesses that fail to deliver – in this case, quite literally – time and time again eventually lose their customers and gain a negative reputation. Faster Isn’t Always Better It may come as a surprise to hear that today’s customer doesn’t necessarily want faster when it comes to home delivery – they want better. Studies have shown that what they really desire is to have an accurate, transparent and satisfying experience. Many companies seem to feel the pressure to offer same- or next-day deliveries. This may seem like a positive thing, however it often puts unnecessary stress on a business’s entire operation by raising expectations that may not realistically be possible to meet – and for no good reason. A high percentage of consumers don’t view an exceptionally fast delivery time as a must. They’re more than happy to exchange the immediacy factor if it means getting a higher standard of service. The Moral of the Story Essentially, what both company and consumer want and need is better communication. What frustrates many customers the most is when their parcel isn’t delivered when they were told it would be. Luckily, the solution to this is easy. • Step One: Set realistic delivery dates and times that you know you can meet, even if it means they might take a day or two longer to complete. You’ll be under less pressure and, in turn, be able to focus properly on the task at hand instead of worrying about the time constraints you’ve been put under. That means fewer accidentally misplaced, lost or late packages and more that arrive safely, securely and on time. • Step Two: When you’re doing owner driver jobs, you really must keep customers in the loop if you want your business to succeed. Invest in the relevant tracking technology so that they can track their packages. If they know when to expect their parcels, they can make sure someone is around to sign so it doesn’t get sent back to the depot and they have to waste time and money picking it up. You take pride in completing your owner driver jobs to the absolute best of your ability. Right? So by keeping these costs in mind, financial and otherwise, and taking action to reduce them as much as possible, your relationship with your customers will continue to flourish and bloom. Author Plate Norman Dulwich is a correspondent for Courier Exchange, the world's largest neutral trading hub for same day owner driver jobs in the express freight exchange industry. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
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