One of the many problems posed by the current pandemic is the backlog in deliveries. Despite the presence of public and private delivery companies, the demand is overwhelming. Everyone is working mostly from home, and classes aren’t in full swing. Some risks come with leaving the house. Therefore, people have no choice but to order online. If you have an online business, these are some tips to prevent delays in sending the orders.
Partner with a reliable delivery company
Everything begins with a reliable delivery company. If you want to ensure the on-time arrival of orders, the delivery company should have an organised system for packaging, sending, and tracking items. If the company has plenty of vehicles for delivery purposes, it’s even better. Your partnership with them will yield positive results. If issues arise, you know that the company will address the concerns right away.
Purchase packaging materials
It’s better to partner with a delivery company that does all the work. It includes the packaging of mailing boxes and delivery of items. If they only deliver, it’s your job to pack. You need to have a system to release orders from the warehouse for delivery immediately. Buy all the supplies needed for packaging. If they’re running low, you have to be quick in buying replacements. There will be no delays if your staff can deal with orders instantly.
Don’t expand your delivery services if it’s complicated
You start your business by targeting local audiences. You know that they rely on nearby stores for delivery. You won’t have any problem sending packages if the recipients are only a few miles away. Don’t expand to overseas states and territories if you’re not yet capable of such an operation. International flights aren’t regular these days, and there could be delays. Add to that some potential problems with customs. You don’t wish to compromise your reputation by expanding your delivery services at this time. You can consider it later when flights are back to normal operations.
Always prepare the items for sale
Another reason for the delay is that you run out of stock. If you partner with suppliers to sell your products, you should order everything in advance. It’s risky considering that you don’t know if you will have enough customers to buy everything that you ordered. However, it’s better to do things that way than to not have anything to send when orders arrive. You cannot do anything with a delay in delivery, but you can do something about having sufficient stock in your warehouse.
Be responsive to customers
You try your best to send orders as soon as possible. However, given the situation, you might be unable to deliver at all times. Make sure that you stay in touch with your customers if you don’t think the order will arrive on time. Be willing to apologize if necessary and offer discounts and vouchers to compensate for the delay.
