The average Brit spends 15 days a year waiting for deliveries or tradesmen, according to new research.
Companies which fail to become more sophisticated in their approach to deliveries as GPS and other technologies continue to improve are likely to alienate customers, many of which resent wasting half a day’s holiday to wait for a delivery, believes Trimble, a telecommunications and information and communications technology expert.
By 2011 a majority of major suppliers and services will be competing to offer the narrowest delivery slot
Trimble also predicts that by 2011 a majority of major suppliers and services will be competing to offer the narrowest delivery slot. Supermarkets such as Ocado are leading the way with one-hour delivery slots, it says, and others will have to change their attitudes to customer service.
“Currently the majority of suppliers still offer their customers half-day slots for deliveries,” says Andrew Yeoman, managing director of Trimble’s Mobile Resource Management in Europe. “For the average working person, taking half a day off work to get something fixed or delivered is not feasible.
“Minimising appointment times to a one or two-hour time frame should be the goal for a service delivery company, and would reduce customer waiting time considerably, allowing people to get on with their normal day.
“Tracking and scheduling technology is available to businesses of any size. Offering a customer their choice of appointment is the way forward and being able to stick to it is the key.”
Trimble sells technology which allows businesses to schedule narrow appointment windows, use fewer vehicles and slash mileage covered, resulting in the least CO2 emissions. “It’s a win-win solution for businesses and customers: increased efficiency at a lower cost coupled with better customer service,” explains Yeoman.
