When you aim to keep your customers happy, nothing might be more problematic than delayed shipments. By the time you become aware of a delay in shipment of your product, it has already left your possession. No matter how much the customers like your product, the disappointment of late shipping will still play a role in their displeasure.
While shipment delays can make a business owner feel helpless, one can avoid them with the right solutions. According to Oracle, a recent study states that around 13% of customers do not order from the same retailer if they face the issue of late delivery. Understanding some common reasons for these delays can help you eliminate various problems in your business journey.
Challenges Leading to Shipment Delays
Here are some of the most common reasons for shipment delays.
Traffic
It’s almost impossible to find a city right now that doesn’t have any traffic. It is becoming more frequent to hear of transport being delayed in their transit due to construction, accidents, significant blockages, and many more reasons.
Shipping companies must adopt robust route optimization tools to prevent delays due to heavy traffic. These tools can help drivers to select the best route in case of traffic jams or road closures.
Failed Delivery Attempts
Sometimes delayed deliveries can occur due to customer unavailability. This situation occurs when a shipment needs a signature, and no one is available to accept it. Drivers are only given a brief window to wait for a response before they risk holding up other deliveries.
An efficient tracking system can resolve this problem by giving your consumers real-time updates to make plans to be at the location when the shipment arrives.
Vehicle Mishaps
Although it is hard to prevent vehicle problems completely, preventive maintenance can go a long way. You must act promptly to keep delivery on schedule when they do occur.
Web-based tracking technology provides a remedy by enabling you to locate the closest available driver and send them to the breakdown. The driver can then load up their car with all the packages and ensure they get to their locations on schedule.
Missing packages
Customers can’t be sure whether missing packages will arrive late or have been lost in transit. Package loss can be caused by misplacements, damaged or mistakenly deleted shipping labels, and other issues.
Real-time tracking makes it possible for customers to always know where their packages are; couriers can also safeguard themselves and their clients by providing proof of delivery. A business can also do it in the form of images of delivered packages and signatures, as well as other details like the location of the delivery.
Technical Issues
Technology can keep things on schedule, but it may also become problematic when it breaks down or is outdated. An issue with outdated technology is that it cannot be integrated with new software frequently, which restricts a business from reducing delivery delays effectively.
On the other hand, 3PLs, transportation companies, and couriers can receive a complete solution and real-time data from modern cloud-based software when combined with the appropriate hardware.
A rise in the Volume of Shipments
When eCommerce is at its busiest and is unable to fulfill the orders efficiently, the increase in package delivery volumes frequently results in delivery delays. It happens more regularly in the holiday season.
To manage surges in orders, it’s essential to have enough warehouse space, personnel, and a robust software system. You can plan by using demand forecasting to understand future demands.
Insufficient Exposure
When a company does not have a properly structured system, it may not be able to handle its operations effectively. This may result in lost, delayed, or even damaged shipments.
Thankfully, several software choices are available to assist you in tracking orders and products throughout all phases of the supply chain. This will ensure complete visibility for your customers and precise and timely shipments.
How Can Businesses Avoid Shipping Delays?
A prevalent misunderstanding concerning delays is that they can never be prevented. One can significantly reduce the impact of shipping delays even when they come as a surprise. You must ensure that delays are no longer a source of annoyance for your customers by taking the appropriate steps.
There are many things you can do to stop delivery from being late.
Communicate with the Client
First and foremost, communication with your customer is crucial. The last thing a consumer wants to discover is when the shipper has not informed them that their package has been delayed.
Companies should keep their customers informed regarding the journey of their packages.
Use an Automated Auditing Service to Avoid Extra Carrier Charges
By doing audits on the invoices of your shipping carrier, you may ensure that you receive the timely service you require.
Most shipping companies promise refunds when there are delays in deliveries for various reasons. There are several companies that guarantee refunds even in the event of a brief delay.
However, there is a strict deadline for filing late delivery claims, and the claim forms are difficult to complete. You must set up a mechanism to audit your shipping provider and receive a reimbursement each time they make a mistake.
Conducting manual audits within your company can be costly and time-consuming. Fortunately, a low-cost automated solution can simplify things.
Organize Your Deliveries in Real Time
You can take one of two actions whenever a shipment is delayed: sending a new package via a speedier mode or alerting the customer of the delay before they become aware of it.
Connect with services that allow you to follow your shipments in real-time. By doing this, you will have better control over the shipping procedure and will be able to anticipate delays.
Think about utilizing multiple carriers
Using multiple carriers for various delivery needs may be the best option if you face shipping delays. Of course, you’ll need to study to determine each carrier’s experience level.
You can, for instance, utilize one carrier for domestic deliveries and a different one for international deliveries. A 3PL partner will be a good option as they provide multiple courier options at the best rates.
How Can Pickrr Help you In Curbing the Shipping Delays?
Pickrr is a 3PL platform with 29000+ serviceable pin codes pan India and 30+ courier partners. It offers a unified dashboard to carry out all your logistics processes in one place. It also provides comprehensive courier performance reports, a shipment cost calculator, and seamless customer support.
Conclusion
Challenges are a part of the shipping process. While some are unavoidable, you can overcome some with the help of the solutions mentioned above. With the help of advanced technology and experienced professionals, shipping delays can be avoided. A reliable shipping partner can help you deliver your shipments efficiently. Connect with Pickrr today and experience seamless shipping at low costs.
