Shipping cannot be single-faceted anymore.
With the rise of eCommerce and intense competition, shipping is a core element for gaining a competitive advantage and customer satisfaction.
And we’re not just talking about providing free shipping or same-day deliveries. We’re talking about letting the customers choose when and where they want their products delivered.
And that’s what scheduled delivery is all about.
What Does Delivery Scheduled Mean and How Does It Work?
You’re surely wondering, “What does delivery scheduled mean?” Because you’ve heard of same-day delivery, you’ve heard of standard delivery, or available-to-promise delivery and you’ve even heard of instant delivery. But what is the delivery schedule?
Scheduled delivery meaning lies in a predetermined time at which an item or shipment is expected to be delivered. In logistics and transportation, it is a timeframe under which the cargo reaches its destination. The time is decided in tandem with the availability of both the sender and receiver where both are available at the desired time and can plan their activities accordingly.
The delivery time is decided based on numerous factors such as distance, traffic conditions, and efficiency of their operations. It helps logistic companies to optimise their resources and meet customer expectations by delivering them at their desired time.
How does Scheduled Delivery Work?
The process of scheduled delivery looks something like this:
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The customer selects the item they want to purchase and adds their details such as their delivery address and contact details.
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For a scheduled delivery option, the company offers customers several delivery options and allows them to choose a time slot that works best for them. Many even have a calendar with available time slots.
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The customer selects the time best suited to them. The notification is sent to a vendor-managed inventory and logistics provider.
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The customer receives a confirmation email with the estimated time and date. The logistics provider loads all the deliveries for the route and time slot using delivery optimisation software, making deliveries as per assigned schedules.
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Customers receive a delivery status update on the completion of the order and product delivery.
Benefits of Scheduled Delivery
Not every customer looks for a speedy delivery, especially if it isn’t convenient for them. Imagine if the customer is not available on the same day or the next day is not available to receive the product.
Or probably the cost is too high and the customer doesn’t prefer paying that much.
The reasons can be many. But even then, companies need to prioritise their convenience above everything else. That makes scheduled delivery a must for logistics companies.
1. Convenience for Stakeholders
There are three primary stakeholders in delivery schedules. These are the logistics provider, the sender, and the customer. Since the schedule is predetermined, scheduled delivery ensures that the needs of all these stakeholders are met.
The customers can choose slots according to their convenience, the logistics provider can reduce failed delivery times, and the sender can optimise delivery costs.
2. Customer Satisfaction
For eCommerce and other industries, it takes a lot of work to get customer satisfaction right, especially in terms of delivery and shipping. Delivery schedule means customers get full transparency and even have a say as to when they will receive their product.
This can hold immense weightage in B2B deliveries where the product quality and quantity need to be cross-checked and failed deliveries can cause financial and resource depletion.
3. Better Resource Utilization
Logistics companies and eCommerce stores are constantly looking for ways to reduce costs and optimise shipping. Scheduled delivery means you’re doing just that since you’re leveraging technology for gathering insights, conducting cost analysis, and optimising routes, with the resources you have.
You can also plan these allocations in advance since you know when and how you’re going to make the deliveries. You can partner with a 3PL logistics provider to further save costs, as they can identify high-cost and low-demand routes.
4. Improved Order Fulfilment
Scheduled deliveries help you streamline order fulfilment by providing a clear timeline as to when the packages will be delivered. As a business or an online store, it helps you prioritise deliveries, and reduce risks of delays or errors in order fulfilment. It also helps you manage your inventory better as you can forecast demand and sync your inventory according to the demand.
You know when the inventory will be exhausted or when it will be overstocked and when you have to replenish the inventory to meet new order placements. For example, if you have a lot of deliveries scheduled for the weekend, you can order new inventory to be delivered on the weekend to avoid stock scarcity.
Best Practices for Scheduled Deliveries
1. Use Reliable Logistics Providers
Chances are that you are majorly relying on a 3PL provider to fulfil your shipment and delivery requirements. If not then now is the time to check for a reliable logistics provider who can understand the different types of deliveries and provides scheduled delivery options.
Ensure that the delivery provider has a proven track record, reputation, and experience in providing scheduled delivery services. It needs to be technologically equipped and cover the geographical areas where your customers are present. Do your due research and pick a logistics provider that best aligns with your shipment goals.
2. Ensure Accurate Estimations
You have all the data you need to ensure accurate travel-time estimation. Travel time estimations are crucial as you need to communicate the same to customers and you need to consider factors such as type of fleet, type of routes, distance length, etc. Since you already know when to deliver, plan your hows too so that you reach the customers on time.
Take into consideration the traffic, potential delays, shortest routes, and speed limits. Account for every factor that can hinder your shipment and affect the travel time so that you give an accurate delivery time to customers. This way you can also plan a timetable for the longer run and adjust delivery times accordingly.
3. Include Time for Drop-offs
Your travel estimates need to include the time needed for drop-offs at scheduled stops as well. Drop-off time depends on the type of orders that need to be delivered. While small packages like clothes or accessories can hardly take time, other products like electronics and bulk deliveries take longer considering the delivery person would have to obtain a signature or some equipment may be needed to unload the deliveries. You’ll also need to consider reverse logistics for bulk carriers and containers.
4. Arrange Tasks Based on Priority
All scheduled deliveries cannot have the same level of priority. In fixed delivery options like same-day deliveries or fortnight deliveries, you at least have your system designed in a way that delivers all products on your given time. For scheduled deliveries, some customers may opt for a same-day delivery, some may opt for a 2-day delivery, etc.
If you’re providing the option for scheduled delivery, the best way to go about it would be to prioritise the deliveries based on those that need to be delivered first. For example,
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Same-day deliveries (since they need to be quickest)
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International delivery (Since they take the longest)
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Standard delivery (around 3-4 business days)
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7-day free delivery
Once you prioritise deliveries, it becomes easier for you to combine trips for the current and previous orders and optimise your logistics.
5. Optimise Routes for Delivery
With the fulfilment of so many order cycles and so many routes, you need a centralised system that helps you deliver all the deliveries within the agreed time at the lowest possible costs. This is possible via route optimisation software that eliminates the need to manually plan all the routes. Such software essentially analyses data and calculates delivery schedules based on the routes, distance, fleet, carrier, and order information.
By determining the most effective routes, you’re saving significant costs on fuel consumption. The tools help you gauge traffic patterns, road conditions, and delivery locations that help you minimise unnecessary mileage and deliver during the best times to dispatch orders.
6. Send Delivery Notifications
Just like you do for every delivery, provide real-time updates to your customers for scheduled deliveries. Real-time updates reassure customers that their orders are on track and will reach them in the time they have specified. Also, provide the contact details of the delivery personnel so that they can directly coordinate for any last-minute delivery instructions and minor changes.
Real-time updates also build anticipation and excitement for the customers. You can automate the real-time updates in your delivery software or ensure that your logistics provider uses delivery software that sends automated updates. Ensure that there is a tracking number so that customers can check their order status whenever they need it.
7. Track Performance and Make Data-Based Changes
Gather the necessary data using technology to understand how your logistics is performing using KPIs. These KPIs can include driver ratings, on-time delivery rate, number of deliveries, on-time delivery updates, and customer satisfaction. You can define KPIs and make data-driven decisions to ensure the success of your scheduled deliveries.
Wrapping Up
Now that you have an answer to “What does delivery schedule mean?”, you can opt to integrate it into your delivery options and improve your shipping performance for customers. However, know that it can get difficult to provide scheduled deliveries if you don’t outsource the same to a 3PL provider. Doing so can make your delivery schedule efficient and simpler.
3PL providers like PACK & SEND can help you create effective delivery schedules by ensuring timely deliveries, assessing traffic patterns, and minimising delays. Contact us to know more about how we can fulfil your scheduled delivery requirements and ensure your customer satisfaction.