Business shipping tips for savvy entrepreneurs
It’s not that straightforward to run a business, from a tiny startup to a mega brand. You will need to prioritize many different areas, and while budget and product quality are essential, shipping is just as crucial to your company’s bottom line.
Shipping is a pretty vital component for just about every business out there in the 21st Century. Because delivery options are essential to meet the new high demand for enhanced customer convenience, just about every company relies on courier services to handle orders.
But with that said, simply choosing a courier is not enough. You’ll need to carefully consider several different factors to select the exemplary service for your business. Beyond that, you’ll also need to consider packaging specifics, shipping costs for your business and your customers, and quality of services, to mention a few.
So, if you’re searching for some savvy tips to enhance your shipping process, we’ve listed them for you. These tips will help you improve your shipping process to benefit your bottom line.
Choose a professional courier
It all starts with finding the most appropriate courier service for your company. It’s never best to opt for the first service provider you encounter because they aren’t all the same.
Look for a service that fits into your budget. Beyond that, you must also evaluate service quality reviews to get the best idea of what kind of quality you can expect. The courier you rely on will be delivering parcels while carrying your company’s reputation as well, so it’s imperative to look for a professional service.
Furthermore, the service you choose must also offer all the shipping options you need. So, look for things like same-day delivery, international shipping, overnight shipping, and others.
Create a parcel shipping strategy
It’s wise to implement parcel shipping strategies considering shipping zones; this will help you save on business expenses. Furthermore, a parcel shipping strategy will also enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Consider flat-rate shipping, real-time carrier services, costs, and shipping zones when defining your shipping strategy.
Use custom packaging services
The biggest mistake you can make regarding shipping expenses is neglecting proper-sized materials. Unfortunately, if you purchase bulk boxes in one or two sizes, you’ll be spending a lot more than you should.
You must ensure that each parcel is packed in boxes that are the right size. This effort won’t just reduce your shipping expenses but also enhance the delivery process. There will be less risk of products enduring damage while in transit, which will ensure customers are always happy with their orders as well.
Opting for custom packaging services is the best solution to ensure you aren’t wasting money or putting products in jeopardy of damage.
Offer several delivery options
Whether you own an e-commerce startup or a traditional retail store that’s recently added shipping methods to the mix of things, you must include several delivery options on your website.
It’s not the best idea to only have one delivery option available, as this won’t accommodate your entire audience. Instead, include same-day delivery, overnight, and standard options. Moreover, each delivery option must be priced differently.
Keep customers up to date
It can be pretty stressful for customers to order a product online and anticipate whether or not it will arrive. Unfortunately, delivery mishaps can affect mega brands and small startups just the same.
Instead of keeping your valuable customers in the dark about the progress of their orders, you should keep them up to date with every step. So, when the order is received, packaged, with the driver, and on the road, your customers should receive alerts at every point.
Furthermore, you should also consider opting for a courier service that offers live-parcel tracking options. This allows the customer to view exactly where their parcel is at any given point of the delivery process.
Consider an unboxing experience
An unboxing experience refers to what the customer experiences while opening their order. Even though this extra effort will cost a bit, adding it to your packing and shipping process is an excellent idea. Not only will an unboxing experience boost customer satisfaction, but you will also be transforming one-time buyers into brand-loyal buyers, which will strengthen your bottom line.
There are so many exciting unboxing experience ideas to consider as well. Consider personalized thank you notes, confetti, and others that will surprise the customer and let them know you genuinely appreciate their support of your business.
Use eco-friendly packaging
The shipping process is not just about how fast the parcel gets to the customers. Beyond this, the type of packaging you use is also essential.
And because the world is fast becoming fully aware of the environmental crisis, everyone is after green solutions while making a point of avoiding everything that isn’t. As a result, you should opt for eco-friendly packaging materials to uphold a green brand image.
It’s not wise to use packaging materials like plastic bubble wrap, mainly because there are sustainable alternatives that won’t harm the planet. There are eco-friendly alternatives for all packaging materials, and you should opt for these when finding suppliers.
Compare all your options
When it comes to every element of your shipping process, from choosing packaging suppliers to selecting a courier service, you must compare as many options as possible. This is the most effective way to be confident your business and your customers are getting the best deal. You can make use of comparison platforms to simplify the comparison process.
The shipping process impacts everything from customer satisfaction and business costs to your reputation as a quality brand. Taking measures to improve this process is essential for so many reasons.
Even though it’s crucial to focus on cutting costs for your business, you will also need to refine your shipping process. By enhancing this process, your business will run smoother, and this can strengthen your bottom line. Moreover, because delivery services impact customer satisfaction, sales and profits will likely increase when improving this process.
