Promising shoppers the option of same-day delivery is one thing. But making good on that promise with each order? That’s another thing entirely. And it’s something today’s shoppers expect: Two-thirds (68%) of customers in one survey said fast shipping would motivate them to order a product online. Meanwhile, a bad delivery experience is likely to send them to your competition.
Retailers that want to level up their customer experience need to be ready to give shoppers the faster deliveries they demand. Same-day crowdsourced delivery with Roadie can get you there (in as little as two hours) — without costly overhead.
By partnering with a crowdsourced delivery platform like Roadie for ultrafast local delivery, you can be ready to fill demand as it happens while letting your team focus on the jobs they were trained to do. That means you can take finding drivers and maintaining vehicles off your to-do list. (A strong advantage with gas prices and labor costs running high.) Plus, with a delivery solution designed to be there when you need it, you’re not limited by traditional carriers’ schedules, capacity limits or packaging requirements.
Read on to learn how crowdsourcing can make same-day delivery an affordable and efficient option for small and midsize businesses looking to stay a step ahead of a shifting economy and build customer relationships that last.
Crowdsourced same-day delivery can help increase customer satisfaction and loyalty. Here’s how:
Shoppers want a choice when to receive their orders. With crowdsourced delivery, small and midsize businesses have an affordable way to meet demand. This lets you give your customers options for urgent, same-day, next-day, on-demand and scheduled delivery. Retailers that embrace this reality can expect to win over shoppers, and those that ignore it should plan to lose customers as a result.
Does that mean you have to take a financial hit to keep up? Not if you plan right. Although shoppers generally expect same-day delivery to be free, there’s a lot you can do to make sure the option doesn’t hurt your bottom line. Consider making same-day free for orders over a certain value, or only for shoppers who sign up for your loyalty program or download your app.
And remember: consumers aren’t totally opposed to paying for the convenience of same-day delivery. The key is to get the pricing right. Roadie works with retailers to find a price that suits the sender and shoppers. With Roadie, sending a small item across town can cost as little as $9.
It’s not enough to offer the option of ultrafast delivery. To win and keep customers, retailers must be able to deliver on time, every time. Failing to deliver on time erodes trust in your brand — which means fewer customers and less revenue. Adding crowdsourcing to your delivery options makes sure you can handle any order, any time, anywhere. That can mean delivery from your store to a customer’s doorstep in as little as two hours with Roadie.
Shoppers want to know where their orders are at every stage of the store-to-door delivery journey. You can benefit from knowing, too. From live tracking to text message notifications to photo confirmation of delivery, Roadie’s native features — all of which are extendable using an application programming interface (API) — help keep your customers in the loop. Plus, you can communicate with drivers directly in the Roadie app through the delivery notes feature. Use it to share details about pickup and delivery so drivers can get their orders and get back on the road quickly.
Crowdsourced delivery lets you increase or decrease delivery capacity based on your needs. That means no more closing orders because you’ve tapped out your ability to deliver them. Instead, crowdsourcing lets you quickly tackle unexpected order surges, seasonal volume peaks and even last-minute deliveries, as well as daily demand. Plus, tapping into a national network of drivers already on the road removes the hassle of building and maintaining your own fleet.
Crowdsourced delivery with Roadie brings a few more advantages when it comes to where and when you can deliver:
Items that are heavy, oversized or odd-shaped can be tough to send through traditional channels thanks to the extra cost, packaging and time required. Crowdsourced delivery lets you tap into a network of local drivers and get matched with the right vehicle for the job. That means you can send any product from your store or facility to customers’ doorsteps same-day and with no packaging requirements.
Seamless delivery is an important step toward earning future purchases. And retailers are rightfully wary of outsourcing this crucial touchpoint. With Roadie, you get to stay in control of your customer experience and data while delivering faster and more efficiently.
Features like white-labeled order tracking and photos at key handoffs in the delivery process help you make sure orders get where they need to go. And with vetted drivers bringing products right to customers’ doorsteps, your brand can deliver a personal touch and even let shoppers add special requests — like leaving an order in a specific location or calling a contact person upon arrival for a delivery that needs to be discrete. Plus, having a crowdsourced delivery option ensures you’re always ready to deliver, so customers aren’t left waiting.
With crowdsourced delivery using Roadie, you can deliver to customers on their terms without sacrificing your own. Take the next step and check out our guide to implementing same-day crowdsourced delivery for your business.