Going the Extra Mile: Why Your Final Mile Services Provider Matters
Are you an online retail business looking for easier ways to deliver your products right to your customers? Are your goods too big to fit the requirements of postal or carrier services? Are they, however, too small for freight delivery services?
Final mile delivery is what you may be looking for. Right now, it’s booming with the e-commerce industry. There’s even an expectation that the first- and last-mile delivery industry will exceed $1,100 million by 2026.
If you want to know more about final mile services, keep reading our guide below.
1. What Are Final Mile Services?
A final mile delivery or service is the delivery of a product to a customer’s home. It’s what comes after the freight delivery from your company to a city or state. It includes the planning and execution of the last delivery leg.
This often pertains to the delivery of items bought online. It also refers to the delivery of big and bulky products. Often, a final mile service delivers goods that a parcel carrier or postal service can’t deliver.
These may include furniture, appliances, mattresses, and more. It’s also worth noting that e-commerce has been booming in the last few years. Thus, retailers are going online and are selling their products through the internet.
More e-commerce retailers provide an easier and more convenient shopping experience. Members of younger generations even prefer e-commerce retailers to traditional mortar-and-brick stores. This then causes a growing demand for better delivery services.
The standard service is the delivery of your goods to the door. Some services offer delivery to the client’s room of choice. Other services even help with unpacking and clearing debris from the package.
2. Why Is Final Mile Delivery Important?
Now that you know about what it is, it’s time to talk about why you need a final mile service provider.
Today’s delivery services are evolving. As we mentioned above, the internet is a primary catalyst for it. The competition is always growing with online retailers popping up left and right.
To have an edge, great customer service is one of the best things you can offer your clients. This is where final mile delivery services are good at. They handle your goods and customers with care.
If you sell specialized products, they can help your customer set it up. Most final mile services have personnel who are knowledgeable of certain products. This is especially important if you sell items or appliances that are confusing to set up.
This is also important if you sell one-of-a-kind items like antiques. You want a final mile delivery service that guarantees the best handling for your goods.
A final mile carrier leaves a lasting impression on your customers. Remember, they are the ones who your customers have direct interaction with. They go beyond delivering your products at the door or the curb.
Also, the delivery service of your retail business has an impact on customer behavior. A survey of delivery expectations says that 43% of consumers demand faster delivery times. 74% of customers who received same-day delivery also stated they’d purchase from the same company in the future.
3. Benefits of Choosing the High-Quality Final Mile Delivery
Let’s say you offer great customer support and services on your e-commerce site. Now, wouldn’t you want to offer the same quality of customer service in the delivery stage? If you do, then you understand what builds up your customers’ loyalty.
Shopping from your site isn’t the entirety of your relationship with your customer. Receiving the item is still part of the customer experience. In some way, the final mile delivery services you choose to represent your business.
The better the final mile service treats your customers, the better your reputation.
Another benefit is the many distribution centers. Final mile services should have various distribution centers in an area or state. If they do, you know you can launch products and fulfill deliveries in a jiffy.
Having many distribution centers is a good sign for retailers who want scalability. This assures you that they can handle many deliveries in one area. With it, you know all your goods will reach their destinations.
4. Trends in the Final Mile Delivery Industry
Before, the last mile transportation network included traditional trucks and similar vehicles. With the breakthroughs in technology, automated carriers are available now. Companies are using drones, self-driving cars, and other automated solutions.
It’s not the drone-filled skies some of us may have hoped for. However, it’s efficient and safe at the least.
In line with new technological breakthroughs, another trend is real-time customer feedback. Sending feedback requests after delivery is so yesterday. Now, your clients can choose among the options for giving real-time feedback.
They can do it with their mobile phone or computer. Do you want them to share with you how the ridesharing experience was? Allow them to tell you through an app or your site.
5. Finding the Best Final Mile Service Provider
Now, you know you want a final mile delivery service. The question is, how do you choose the best one for your business? Allow us to share the crucial elements for choosing among the many last-mile delivery companies in the market.
For the first one, you want a service that handles the packages with care and is on time. If possible, they might even shorten the time it takes to deliver. This is a sure guarantee for customer satisfaction and positive reviews.
Another element is expertise with home delivery. For example, delivering complicated appliances to the customer’s doorstep isn’t enough. The personnel also need some experience with setting up and handling the appliance.
Get the Goods Home
That’s it for our guide on final mile services. It matters that you choose the right final mile service. After all, they will have direct communication with your customers.
But why stop here? We’ve got more to offer. If you want to check out our services, feel free to sign up today.