The 4 Biggest Challenges Of Final Mile Delivery

The growth of the e-commerce market over the past several years has changed the way your customers shop. At the same time, the demands of online consumerism are remolding the way businesses operate their supply chains. The rise of the last or final mile delivery, as it’s become known, has generated new challenges and opportunities for businesses that are keen to capitalize on the changing nature of their customers.

In a time where your customers can now make a quick purchase by simply clicking a button from the comfort of their home, the expectations surrounding the delivery experience have grown. Though still in the early stages of development, the final mile aspect of the supply chain should not be perceived as a temporary trend.

The final mile delivery experience has now become a deciding factor in creating repeat customers. If the experience is below standard, you can expect poor online reviews that will impact the decision of future potential buyers. If you are in the process of researching service providers, keep these four challenges of final mile delivery service and their solutions in mind.

1.) Avoiding Late Or Missed Deliveries

Perhaps the biggest challenge with final mile deliveries is the impact that late and missed deliveries can have on your company’s image. Customers, particularly with residential deliveries, that set up an appointment will expect your product to arrive within that window.

In order to minimize the potential for late deliveries occurring, a final mile strategy must include technology that can analyze delivery data. A high-performance transportation management system (TMS) will detect service trends and pinpoint weaknesses within your network of courier and transportation service providers.

2.) Keeping Service Levels Balanced From Market To Market

Even the largest carriers will have certain markets that they don’t perform as well in as they do in others. When you rely on one transportation provider to deliver to your customers in multiple markets, you may find that the service levels are not balanced. For that reason, it can be beneficial to utilize a mixture of final mile service providers.

By employing the top performers in various markets, you can ensure that your customers will continually have positive experiences whether they are in Houston, Nashville, Los Angeles and so on.

3.) Ensuring Your Customers Have A Quality Experience

The experience your customer has when they interact with your final mile service providers is crucial in today’s market. Your transportation providers are essentially an extension of your business. Their personal appearance, professionalism and condition of their trucks and equipment will reflect directly back on to your company. Even if your customer’s delivery requests are met, a sour interaction with the driver could lead to a negative review and loss of business.

It’s important to measure the customer’s experience and to let them know that you take the final mile delivery aspect of the transaction very seriously. To that effect, it is beneficial to survey customers after the delivery is performed to gauge their experience and satisfaction. This can help your business and your transportation providers address challenges when and where they arise.

4.) Identifying The Best Final Mile Service Providers

So, how exactly can you identify the best final service providers in the markets you need service in? This can be tricky, especially given the fact that their are countless carriers and couriers that specialize in residential, business-to-business and white glove delivery services. This challenge is increased given the fact that online reviews are not always the most reliable.

At the same time, final mile service providers won’t always offer the same type of delivery options. Some may specialize in B2B while others are focused solely on the white glove services, which could include product setup and debris removal. This is why having multiple providers at your disposal can be beneficial to being able to service the various needs and requests your customers may have.

At DTS, we have built a nationwide network of final mile service providers that is based on performance quality and customer satisfaction. Our carriers are highly vetted to ensure that they represent our customers in a professional manner, because we know that their performance reflects on us as well. To learn how we can help your business overcome the challenges of the final mile, contact us below!