What to look for in a delivery partner

Whether you already have an e-commerce business or are currently setting one up, there is one element that can make or break your business… your delivery partner.

Picture this, you spend a lot of time and money working with a professional team of designers and web developers to create the best online experience so that your customers enjoy visiting your site and shopping on it. You send that delightfully crafted email after the order has been placed with all the details they need to contact you and a preview of their order to get them excited about receiving it. But the driver delivers the package late and when it arrives it’s broken, what’s more the driver didn’t know how to resolve such an issue so his reply was “nothing to do with me, phone head office”

The outcome?

The client will never shop on your site again and they’ll also tell 10 of their friends to do the same. This may sound like an exaggeration but the fulfilment experience is even more important than the purchasing experience.

When a client is waiting for their package they are more emotionally charged and have unwritten expectations which your delivery partner has to fulfil in order to create a satisfied customer. This is why working with an experienced logistics and delivery partner is crucial for a positive customer experience.  If your partner fails to delight, your investment in the shopping experience will be wasted.

Worried? Don’t be… Here’s how to pick the right partner:

1)    Delivery Company Speed:

There is no doubt that customers want a speedy delivery. This means that your partner needs to be well set-up to efficiently process fluctuating amounts of orders. Pick one that ensures customer satisfaction so that you never lose a customer.

A great experience will keep your customers coming back. A bad one means they’ll never order again. At Miles Express we offer same day and next day delivery options, however a good number of deliveries are done within a shorter than the agreed time span when possible exceeding customer expectations for a delightful experience.

2)    Delivery Partner Pricing:

After spending a lot of money on your website and paying a percentage to your bank and payment processor you might be tempted to make a saving on the delivery. Don’t give in, you don’t want to compromise on quality. Do however look out for hidden charges. You want to make sure it’s easy to calculate expenses so that you can integrate them into your pricing structure.

At Miles Express, we offer tailor-made quotes with no hidden fees. We help you find the best solution for your business that fits your budget.

3)    Physical Appearance of Delivery Crew:

It may be a bit of an afterthought, but the physical appearance of the delivery team is also an important element. Make sure that the appearance of delivery vehicles and couriers is professional and smart. Their first impression will influence the customers perception of your company.

Miles Express couriers are highly trained, courteous, professional and smartly dressed in full uniform.

At Miles Express we have a full fleet of branded vehicles consisting of motorbikes, vans and trucks for small and large deliveries. Our well-maintained fleet of vehicles ensures road safety and reliability.

4)    A Customized Solution for your Business:

Every business is unique and every customer fulfilment process is different. This is why you need a courier delivery partner that can tailor their service to fit your business like a glove. Your delivery logistics need to feel like an extension of your business not an external service. Customisation is therefore key.

At Miles Express, we offer a customised solution for any type of business, whilst keeping our service levels high. Be it a special arrangement for delivery hours or special delivery days that fit your set-up, we can accommodate any requirement you may have to create an invisible hand shake between your systems and ours. We work with agreements for recurring delivery orders or for custom ones as needed.

5)    Delivery Area Coverage:

The location and delivery area covered is also very important. You want to work with a partner that covers as much ground as possible because this will allow you to extend your customer base as you grow.

You ideally want to pick one delivery partner for Malta and Gozo. It’s a big plus if like Miles Express, they offer both same day and next day delivery in Malta and Gozo.

6)    Experience and Good Reputation

The more loyal customers the company holds, the better its reputation. Browse through their reviews to know what other clients are experiencing. Pick a partner with as much experience as possible so that they know the business well.

At Miles Express, we have over 30 years of experience in delivery logistics. We have several loyal long-term clients who can vouch for our outstanding service, visit our Facebook page to view our recent customer testimonials.

7)    Maintain Open Lines of Communication

Keeping in touch with your delivery partner is key to smooth operations. Enquire about their communication services and options. At Miles Express, we make sure to offer a personal approach to all our clients. We keep good lines of communication through two-way phone calls to orchestrate a smooth customer experience.

8)    Booking System

It’s also important to make sure that the booking system is easy-to-use and efficient. You don’t want lengthy hand-overs and employees struggling with the software. The Miles Express 24/7 online booking system is simple and very user-friendly.

9)    Delivery Tracking Capability

Nothing avoids client conflict and complaints better than delivery tracking. Ask your delivery partner about their online tracking system. Once you have provided the products to be delivered, you want to know exactly where your delivery is at, at all times so you can share this information with your clients whenever required.

Miles Express offer you comprehensive and detailed real-time tracking capabilities that let you see exactly where your parcel is and where it has been.

10)  Delivery Verification Steps and Special Care

Ask your delivery partner to provide verification steps throughout the delivery process, such as signature on delivery.

You also want to make sure they can provide additional safety measures for fragile or confidential packages.

11) Added Services

For additional peace of mind you want a delivery company that not only couriers your parcels or documents from A to B, but also helps you streamline your business processes. These services can be useful to grow into or outsource as your business develops and changes.

At Miles Express, we offer a range of delivery extras such as:

• Warehousing
• Logistics
• Document Delivery

12) Customer Service

Chose a partner that cares about customer service as much as you do. One that can easily be contacted through open communication channels and is pleasant to deal with. The benefit of choosing a family owned business like Miles Express is that you have a single point of contact and a dedicated team of professionals who are passionate about their work.

Choosing the right delivery partner can be stressful, this is why we are here to help you through this process.

If you would like to understand if we’re a good match for your business, book a call-back here or call us on (+356) 2124 0877.