In the crowded last-mile delivery market, diversification is one of the biggest ways businesses are reducing risk. But “different” isn’t always “better.” Last-mile diversification requires making strategic decisions about what solution to use and when. A niche platform might not have the right processes for your deliveries, while a regional courier’s lower rates might quietly erode your margins if combined with lower quality. 

Every delivery hiccup presents a significant risk to your brand. A single late or damaged delivery can shatter customer trust, and in today’s particularly competitive logistics marketplace, that is a risk that you cannot afford. The key is choosing last-mile partners that add resilience and value, not just variety.

Customer experience stakes are higher than ever

An upcoming consumer survey conducted by Roadie and Supply Chain Dive’s studioID underscores the critical nature of the final mile. Nearly 47% of e-commerce consumers say they’ve chosen not to order from a retailer because of previous negative delivery experiences. In other words, delivery isn’t just a logistics function for your operation; it’s a core part of your brand. Fail to deliver, and your customers will take their business elsewhere.

This should be a wake-up call for businesses still treating the last mile as a commodity. Cost and speed matter, but consistency matters even more. Dangling the carrot of same-day delivery means very little if it’s unreliable. The initial excitement won’t excuse high error rates, missed delivery windows or damaged goods.

Your track record should be your top priority 

When evaluating last-mile solutions, it’s easy to be distracted by flashy features or low prices. But the true differentiator is a provider’s track record. A documented history of reliability tells you more about future performance than any promise. The 2025 Roadie survey confirms that customers feel this instinctively. Online shoppers reported higher confidence in private and, to a lesser extent, public national carriers to deliver packages on time when compared to gig-based delivery apps, store employees and regional carriers. 

That sentiment creates a dilemma for senders. Startups may offer the speed and technological know-how that your company needs, but that doesn’t mitigate the lack of proven performance. Legacy players, on the other hand, are dependable but often lack the flexibility for same-day or oversized delivery. In a perfect world, the ideal partner would bridge this gap.

That’s the space Roadie, a UPS company, was built to fill. Roadie combines modern, flexible solutions for same-day and big-and-bulky delivery with the unmatched infrastructure and reliability that comes from being a UPS company. 

Questions to ask when choosing a delivery partner 

Before you sign on with any last-mile solution, arm yourself with the right questions and benchmarks:

• On-time performance: What is your on-time delivery percentage over the past 12 months?
  • The Benchmark: Look for solutions at or above 95%.
  • Why It Matters: A 2024 Roadie survey of 150 retail supply chain, logistics and operations executives reported a median expectation of a 93.5% on-time delivery rate. This highlights how executives see the last mile as a strategic asset. 
• Damage and error rates: What is your percentage of deliveries involving loss or damage?
  • The Benchmark: This should be less than 1%, especially for big and bulky items.
  • Why It Matters: For 32% of consumers, receiving an item undamaged is the most critical part of the delivery experience.
• Customer experience metrics: Do you measure post-delivery satisfaction and take feedback into account?
  • The Benchmark: Look for partners who actively monitor and improve based on customer feedback. For instance, in a 2024 Roadie report, supply chain respondents said they looked for factors like on-time delivery rates and customer satisfaction scores. 
  • Why It Matters: When your last-mile delivery partner proves to be reliable, fast and scalable with good customer support, it shows they understand their role as an extension of your brand, not just a logistics provider. 

Last-mile delivery isn’t just a logistics challenge; it’s a brand imperative — and one your business can’t afford to dismiss as just another interchangeable service. The right partner can help you win customer loyalty, while the wrong one can cost you business. In an era where almost half of consumers are willing to switch retailers over a bad delivery experience, it’s critically important to choose a provider with a proven track record.

With Roadie you get the speed, flexibility and scale, without sacrificing the reliability your customers expect. Learn more about smarter delivery strategies and how a holistic solution can help with your final-mile fulfillment needs.