As a business owner, you have many things that you must consider every day. First, your product must be perfect for your customers. Second, your customer service must be amazing to keep repeat customers. Next, you must also focus on packaging, websites, advertising, and a host of other processes and services that get new and returning customers to make purchases.
Cut down on Processing Times on Your End
At the end of the process comes shipping and delivery. While this is only one step in the process, it is one of the most important because it will significantly affect how the customer views your company even if you are not the one physically making the delivery. Here are just a few ways that you can ensure good shipping times for your online customers. The easiest place to start to ensure quick shipping for your online customers is to begin on your end.
Consider Using a Variety of Carriers
When you keep processing short or practically nonexistent, you give the carrier more time to get the product to your customer’s home on time. Consider ways that you can get your items shipped out the same day or the next day at the latest. The next consideration to be made is which carrier you will use. You have many different options from the United States Post Office to large freight carriers.
Use a Fulfillment Warehouse
You can even consider using local options that may be cheaper for some shipments, or you may want to use your own used freight liners, like those available from Arrow Truck Sales, for deliveries. While a fulfillment warehouse is not for every small business, it can be good for some. This type of warehouse would be run by another company, but would have a stock of your product.
Communicate with Customers
This warehouse would then get your orders from you and would have the resources and personnel to turn your order around quickly. When your customers know where they are in the shipment and delivery process, they will be much more content. Send emails out when you receive the order and when you ship the order. Communicate projected delivery dates with them, or give them a tracking number so that they can look at delivery times themselves.
Your shipping and delivery services may need to be based on trial and error some of the time. However, you will want to quickly latch onto a service that works well for you so that you can keep your customers coming back for more. Be sure to put a good investment of time and resources into this area of your business because it is sure to affect your budget’s bottom line.