If there is one aspect of delivery that has changed over the years, that would be its time sensitivity. Gone are the days when parcels took months to come. Air shipments reduced the last-mile journey significantly, allowing customers to receive their orders more quickly.
In today’s age of the gig economy and instant consumer gratification, consumers now want their products, not just at the price they prefer but also delivered at a time and place of their choosing. Consider services like private-hire vehicles such as Grab or consumer marketplaces like Carousell, and you’d understand how the nature of transactions in the 21st century has evolved.
This has spillover effects onto the world of delivery. We can see this play out in the on-demand food delivery scene from an article by With Content, with apps like Foodpanda, gaining significant prominence in several ASEAN countries, including the Philippines. Another playground where on-demand shipping is taking centerstage is the e-commerce sector, pushing both businesses and logistics providers to switch up their customer offerings on the last-mile.
Let’s dive into what on-demand delivery entails and how it can play a significant role for your e-commerce business.
What is on-demand delivery?
In the e-commerce world, on-demand delivery simply means that customers have a choice to decide not just where they would like their products to be delivered, but also when — that is within the shortest delivery time possible. The customers can also track their shipments and plan their schedules accordingly.
To achieve this, businesses employ a range of resources to make this possible, such as an orderly and well-stocked warehouse, and more importantly, an efficient delivery provider that offers express services.
What are the benefits of on-demand delivery?
1. Increase customer satisfaction & loyalty
Consumers like the flexibility to shop for the goods they want and being able to choose when to have them delivered. Being in control of when their parcel will arrive reflects a business’ effort in addressing consumer needs, which is a cornerstone in any successful venture.
2. Expand to more markets
With accessibility to resources that make delivery on demand now possible, businesses have insightful reasons to explore more markets in the world. Capturing an international audience not only expands brand exposure and awareness, but it can also lead to greater leads and conversions. Pair this with increasing customer loyalty and retention, and you can enjoy higher revenue margins year on year.
3. Gather consumer insights
E-commerce already eliminates the traditional buying and selling of goods with websites or social media marketplaces replacing the brick and mortar stores. These platforms offer key insights into consumer behaviors, all tracked and accessed in real-time. For instance, you can find out how long visitors browse your site and the popular product pages they patronize, so you can strategize where to highlight your promotions. Those selling on social media can study consumer demographics and interests based on their social media consumption, then produce and target relevant products accordingly.
Introducing on-demand delivery on the e-commerce platform gives you another layer of insights. By gathering information on consumer preferences in terms of products, timing of delivery and location, you can better predict demand patterns. This allows you to plan your resources for peak seasons ahead of time.
The role of DHL Express in the on-demand delivery scene
At the forefront of on-demand delivery, DHL Express knows exactly where customer pain and passion points lie. As we enhance our performance and maximize our operations to ensure the last-mile delivery is fulfilled, we have experienced occasions when this remains incomplete due to customers’ unavailability.
From being able to pick up a parcel on their way home from work to pausing a delivery while they’re on vacation, we have recognised what your customers (and you) can truly benefit from.
How does DHL Express on-demand delivery work?
In addition to our express delivery service — Same Day, Time-Sensitive and Day-Sensitive, our on-demand offerings further expand your customers choices so they can feel in control. We have a total of six alternative on-demand shipping options you can introduce to your consumers:
DHL Express Service Point: Your consumers can collect their parcel at any DHL Express Service point located in the receiving country.
Signature Release: You can deliver your items without the need for your customer’s signature.
Schedule A New Delivery Date: You can allow your customers to change their delivery date and time up to seven days from the original.
Leave Package With A Neighbor: Your customer can request for us to leave their orders with a neighbor they trust.
Deliver To Another Address: Your customer can request to change the delivery address, that too on a specific date.
30 Day Vacation Hold: For customers on a vacation, they can choose to hold their delivery for 30 days and put in a request for a new date and time.
The process is simple. Once the shipment is in our care, your customer automatically receives an alert to inform them of where their parcel is located. This is done via their mobile number or email written on the DHL air waybill. In the same message or email, the customer will be invited to select their choice of on-demand shipping options via a link to our DHL Express website in the event they are unable to receive their parcels on the estimated shipment date.
Once an option is selected, an immediate memo is sent to our service team and they will ensure the resources and arrangements are in place to fulfill your customer’s order.
Time to reap the benefits of on-demand delivery? Create a DHL Express account today to get started!
