Did the restaurant deliver the value you expected?
Obviously the chef and kitchen staff did their jobs correctly, sourcing fresh ingredients and skillfully preparing and plating the meals. Your entire order is complete and correct; the meals look as appetizing as you’d hoped.
But because the food didn’t make it to its intended point of use – your table – you’re probably pretty dissatisfied with your experience. Your mindset wasn’t wrong. Your expectations weren’t out of line.
The bottom line is, your order was not delivered to the point at which it had value to you.
So, in the e-commerce supply chain, who decides where that point of value is? Your customer does, of course. So if the product(s) ordered are stalled – on the loading dock, in the receiving room, in the building lobby, in the package locker or anywhere else other than the point where it’s needed and when it’s expected, the customer will perceive a lack of value.
Any point of failure invites customer disappointment. But failure in the final delivery is the most visible to the customer.
It’s the same whether you’re shipping B2B, B2C, grocery to consumer or kitchen to diner. As it turns out, the last mile is only the beginning of the end of the line. It’s that last yard, or block, or elevator ride or polite handoff at the critical endpoint that matters, because that’s what matters to the customer.
Yes, customer expectations can be a moving target, with e-commerce continually raising the bar. But the issue is no longer where the fulfillment responsibility ends; it’s at what point will your customer’s delivery expectations be met?
When it comes to endpoint delivery, are you measuring up? Because when it’s all over, that’s all that matters.
The solution for last-mile, last-yard or any endpoint delivery is DeliveryCircle. We’re the flexible, easy-to-use, cost-effective alternative to standard delivery services. From courier services to courier management software solutions, our app-based delivery services give you nationwide turnkey access to professional local delivery services. Contact DeliveryCircle today.