Why The Final Mile Experience Matters To Your Business

Whether you sell products to residential consumers or direct to businesses, the need for final mile delivery services has become a growth driver for you during the past few years. As more customers begin their buyer’s journey online rather than at the store, businesses are finding that the experience of the delivery itself is increasingly complex and important. So, why is the final mile experience important to your business?

Delivery Demands Are Changing And Growing

Simply put, customer behavior has changed over the years. The ease of shopping online with the introduction of next-day delivery services, such as Amazon Prime, has created new expectations that more and more retailers are now being challenged to meet.

However, many businesses simply don’t have the resources to handle final mile services, such as white glove delivery, on their own. Yet, the demand has to be met if a business doesn’t want to lose a current or potential customer to a competitor. For example, a customer might be much more willing to purchase a bed from a business that can offer setup than from a company that only offers delivery to the door. Without an adequate final mile service partner, market share will be lost.

Represents The Image Of Your Business

The experience your customers have with your final mile service providers will have a direct impact on their perception of your business. From uniforms and personal grooming to the way service providers treat your clients, the customer will equate the delivery experience to how they perceive your business as a whole.

Consider your service providers as extensions of your business. The way they conduct themselves around your customers will reflect directly back on to your business.

Leads To Returning Customers

What’s better than a new customer? A returning customer, of course. From the ease of using your website to customer service and the final mile delivery, your customers are taking mental notes about the experience they have with your business.

While you can control many parts of the customer’s experience when it comes to the quality of your product and website, the final mile delivery can be more challenging. Because you and your employees are not making the delivery, you have to be able to trust your service providers to meet and exceed your customers’ expectations. If they fail, your business may potentially lose out on future purchases.

At the same time, when your customer has a positive experience, not only will they return, they may promote your business through word of mouth and online reviews.

Want To Improve Your Customers’ Final Mile Experience?

Dickerson Transportation Solutions is one of the first 3PLs to specialize in final mile and white glove delivery. If you would like to learn how DTS can solve your final mile challenges, contact us!