How to Improve Your Delivery Service With SMS Notifications

Let's discuss how SMS can greatly benefit the customer experience and your operations in two common use cases.

First of All, Why SMS?

SMS is, to date, one of the most reliable communication channels. It has an open rate of 98% and an incredible reach. With over 6 billion smartphone subscriptions across the planet today, SMS presents a huge opportunity for getting your message out there - and seen. Within the multiple use cases for SMS within logistics, there are two very notable use cases: status updates and reminders.

Let’s Talk About Delivery Status Updates

Imagine this...

Your customer is waiting for their order to arrive. There's a delivery estimation on the website, you've communicated a delivery date by email and all is well. Until it isn't. Traffic is bad, the order got lost, and maybe the apocalypse happened. For whatever reason, the delivery is late. Now that customer is blowing up your contact center. Where is my order? When will it arrive? Is it lost? - A bad review waiting to happen.

The Solution: Send SMS Notifications

A successful delivery strategy ensures products are delivered to the right location at the right time to meet delivery deadlines and customers’ expectations. But external influences can disrupt your process and worried customers that contact your customer service cost time and money. You may not be able to influence external factors, but you can take control of the delivery process by communication.

Send status updates of the delivery to your customers through SMS notifications. SMS is perfect as a notification method, largely because of the ubiquity and reach of the channel. You don’t need to ask your customer to download a tracking or messaging app, you just need their phone number. Keeping your customers in the loop is a major factor in maintaining a good customer experience and preventing that bad review. In fact, inform your customer with care and they might find the experience satisfying enough to become loyal to your brand.

It's safe to say that a successful delivery strategy should also include SMS notifications.

And Don't Forget About Delivery Reminders

Imagine this...

You've done everything right. You accepted the order, received or packed the parcel, handed it over to the delivery guys -or perhaps you're even delivering it yourself- and at the right address, nobody opens the door. An empty house. And in no way, shape or form will this package fit through that mailbox. In fact, the customer even paid for signed delivery! - Time lost for both parties as a new delivery date has to be set.

The Solution: Send SMS Reminders

Whereas customers dislike waiting for their orders, carriers and operators dislike finding closed doors. These situations are time-consuming and as we all know: time is money.

So how can you prevent finding a closed door? Send delivery reminders via SMS! Give your customers a heads-up the day before the delivery. It may not always prevent closed doors, but it'll increase delivery success.

Again, SMS is the perfect tool to send these reminders because of its ubiquity. You know you’re going to get through to your customers and, thanks to SMS’s massive open rates, it’s very likely your customer will read/engage with your message.

SMS Notifications for a Smooth Delivery Process

SMS can help keep your customers updated on the delivery status and remind them about the delivery date. Decreasing the chance of finding closed doors and helping to manage the customer's expectations for an improved customer experience. It's safe to conclude that SMS plays a big part in a successful delivery service.

Interested to learn what we can do for your transport business? Take a look at our "Meeting Multi-Channel Customer Demand Guide" for logistics and transport.