According to recent research, big and bulky deliveries are poised to make up one of fastest growing segments of the global delivery market. And yet, those who specialize in heavy goods often lag behind in terms of technology adoption.
Of course, furniture and appliance delivery can be quite complicated. For one thing, shoppers these days expect speedy deliveries, accurate ETAs, and full visibility on their orders. They also want to choose the delivery windows and easily check the status of their orders.
All these demands are challenging to meet, especially for any large fleets still relying on paper-based and manual processes. Given the complexity of furniture in particular, manual scheduling processes and last-gen solutions simply don’t cut it anymore. To meet the demands of large-item shoppers, you need the right tools.
Shoppers dislike suspense when it comes to their deliveries—especially for large, expensive items like furniture or appliances. They instead prefer to choose the date and time of the delivery. Offering unlimited delivery options, however, is essentially impossible for fleet operators managing a large number of vehicles. This makes self-scheduling functionality particularly valuable in last mile delivery software.
Most consumers are more protective of their time now than ever. That's why they're no longer impressed with a 10 am to 2 pm or noon to 6 pm delivery window. They’re even less impressed when you fail to deliver within the promised four, six, or eight hour window. If you can offer shorter and more accurate ETAs, you can build trust more effectively.
Gone are the days when customers would patiently pick up the phone to call customer service to check their order status. Instead, they want to be able to check the status of their merchandise online anytime and anywhere.
Trust is not a given in big and bulky deliveries. That's why modern consumers want total transparency into their deliveries. They get hugely disappointed if businesses fail to inform them of unexpected delays in deliveries. These days, consumers want to receive real-time notifications about their delivery status and any changes in the expected schedule.
When you’re handling furniture, efficient and businesslike delivery can really delight customers. Your furniture delivery software should have these capabilities to make that customer delight possible.
These days, delivery services have replaced price and product as the battleground for competitive advantage. Consumers expect a seamless and fast delivery experience even for big and bulky products.
This is why providing solid service in the furniture delivery process means having advanced route planning, real-time communication, and automated communications. Ideally, you’d find all of this functionality within your chosen delivery system.