Last Mile Logistics. How to please the customer

Imagine you have ordered a product online and are eagerly awaiting its delivery. But the courier is late, the order arrives improperly, or even worse, you don't receive it at all. What is your impression of the company? Most likely, you will be disappointed and will hardly want to use its services again.

It is at the ‘last mile’ - the delivery stage - that brand trust is made or broken and businesses gain or lose customers.

What can you do for perfect delivery? Let's get to the bottom of it.

Why ‘last mile’ has such meaning
‘Last mile’ is a logistical term that refers to the final stage of customer interaction. It is at this stage that the customer receives their order and forms the final impression of the company.

Here are a few reasons why it is important to put your best efforts at this stage:

• If the delivery is unsuccessful, it will negatively affect the overall impression of the company.
• Today's consumers want fast and convenient delivery. 36% of them expect next-day delivery, while 35% expect delivery within two days.
• The last mile stage can account for up to 40% of all logistics costs. If the customer is satisfied, they will come back for more.

Challenges faced by companies
The last mile stage is often a real challenge for logistics firms. The main difficulties that can arise are:

• Traffic congestion and routing difficulties. Dense traffic and difficult road conditions can slow down delivery and cause delays.
• Absence of the recipient. If the customer is not at home, it creates additional problems.
• Human error. Courier errors and poor planning can cause delivery failures.

How to improve last-mile delivery
Specific steps are needed to improve last mile performance. Here are a few recommendations to help you meet the challenges:

• Use modern technology

GPS and mobile apps: equip couriers with GPS-enabled devices to track and optimise routes.

Barcode scanning and photo-fixation: this will help ensure accuracy and transparency in the delivery process. For example, Amazon uses photofixing to confirm the successful delivery of a parcel to a customer.

• Implement flexible delivery models

Combine different options: use in-house courier services, partners and drop-off points to achieve the best results. This way you can influence your staff - train, reward and dismiss.

• Optimise routes and resources

Automation: by implementing automated systems to allocate orders and routes, you can take the human element out of the equation. For example, instead of manually assigning couriers, the software itself will choose the best option based on the courier's current location and route density.

• Increase transparency and customer engagement

Order status information: provide customers with the ability to track orders in transit.

Feedback: respond to customer feedback to help improve the customer experience.