Sometimes, your pizza ends up at your neighbour’s house. More frustrating (perhaps) is when an important parcel you’ve been waiting for appears to be making a grand tour of your town. These days, we expect everything to arrive at our doorstep in an instant, so getting deliveries right has never been more important.
Let’s face it, the final leg of a delivery journey, from the local depot to the front door, can be a real pain. It’s like the last hurdle in a race, and it can trip people up. Vague addresses, out-of-date directions, and that pesky flat that appears to exist in a parallel universe all cause headaches for delivery drivers.
But it isn’t just about dissatisfied drivers or customers. Late or failed deliveries hurt businesses financially. Consider the chaos: parcels making return trips to the depot, customer service phones ringing nonstop, and delivery costs skyrocket. It’s enough to give a logistics manager nightmares! For them, these issues have a direct impact on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as order-to-contact ratio and cost per unit shipped.
According to Vickey Hill, Carrier Director at Sorted: “If the driver is unable to locate [the address], that parcel would need to come back to the depot for further investigation.”
Precision in delivery means avoiding errors while increasing operational efficiency and customer satisfaction. Here’s where what3words comes in. In a recent episode of The Sorted Post-Purchase Podcast, we looked at how what3words, a revolutionary location technology, is addressing these issues and benefiting all stakeholders (including pizza delivery drivers).
Shaun, Vickey and Phoebe discuss delivery precision.
Precision is key to success
What3words has divided the world into a grid of 3m x 3m squares, each identified by a unique three-word combination. This system is much more accurate than traditional street addresses or even GPS coordinates. Instead of instructing a driver to deliver to “123 High Street” (which could be anywhere between Land’s End and John O’Groats), you say “deliver to routine.idea.amounting”. Suddenly, that hazy address becomes pinpoint accurate. It’s like giving the driver a treasure map with X marking the exact spot!
Phoebe Parry-Crooke from what3words explains it best: “We wanted to design a system that was really human-friendly to use, but just as precise as a GPS, so that anyone can talk about anywhere in the world really easily, particularly in this ecommerce logistics space.”
You may be wondering, “That’s all well and good, but what’s in it for me?”. Quite a lot, actually. Whether you’re a customer looking forward to your new gadget, a business trying to keep its promises, or a delivery driver simply trying to do your job, this technology could be a game changer. For customers, this means no more waiting all day for a package that never arrives. For businesses, it’s about keeping customers satisfied while avoiding the WISMO costs of redelivery. And what about the delivery drivers? It could mean the difference between a productive day at work and a frustrating game of hide and seek with difficult-to-find addresses.
A what3words 2018 case study reveals eye-opening results for a driver in Johannesburg, who completed deliveries “44% faster than the driver using traditional addresses”, saving 35% on overall distance travelled, and who “could have completed an extra 19.35 deliveries before returning to the depot at the end of the day”.
The ‘triple win’ for customers, retailers and carriers
The integration of what3words into delivery processes results in a “triple win” for everyone involved. Here’s how.
- For customers: Using what3words, customers should always receive their packages on time. This reduces the chances of missing deliveries and the frustration of not knowing where their package is. According to Phoebe, the customer benefits from receiving the product on time and as expected. For a customer experience manager, this translates to fewer WISMO enquiries and higher customer satisfaction (NPS, CSAT).
- For retailers: Retailers benefit from fewer customer complaints and lower costs associated with missed deliveries. Every failed delivery incurs additional operational costs and can harm customer relationships. By using what3words, retailers can ensure that packages are delivered correctly the first time, protecting their margins and improving the overall customer experience.
- For carriers: Carriers, who are frequently caught in the crossfire between customers and retailers, see significant operational efficiencies. With precise addresses, drivers can spend more time delivering packages rather than searching for locations. This increases the number of deliveries completed each day while decreasing fuel costs and vehicle wear and tear. As Vickey highlights, “It is really the consumer that is going to see that full benefit of a first-time delivery,” but the ripple effect benefits carriers too.
Beyond the doorstep
But this is where things get really interesting. This is more than just ensuring that your takeaway arrives while it’s still hot. The potential applications for this type of precise location technology extend far beyond Friday night curry. While this discussion has primarily focused on ecommerce and logistics, it’s worth noting that what3words has far-reaching applications outside of these industries. From automotive navigation systems to emergency services, what3words is helping to improve precision and efficiency in a variety of industries. Phoebe mentions that “over 85% of the emergency services in the UK” use what3words, demonstrating its adaptability and potential for cross-industry collaboration.
For an IT director concerned with technology integration and security, the ease with which what3words can be integrated into existing systems is a significant advantage. It’s a tool for today’s challenges and a forward-thinking solution that can be tailored to future requirements.
What’s the catch? As with any new technology, it takes time to become widely adopted. There are challenges, such as getting everyone onboard and integrating with existing systems. However, as more businesses and services realise the benefits, we may wonder how we ever managed without it.
The future of delivery?
Is precise location technology the future of delivery? It certainly appears promising. By addressing the age-old question of “where exactly is that address?” it may make life easier for customers, businesses and delivery drivers alike. Incorporating precise location technology, such as what3words, into your delivery process is more than just keeping up with the latest trends; it’s a strategic move that will benefit your entire operation. What3words provides a solution to many pain points by reducing delivery errors, increasing customer satisfaction and improving operational efficiency.
In a world where we’re all getting impatient (admit it, we’ve all obsessively tracked a parcel’s journey across the country), anything that helps get stuff to front doors faster and more reliably is bound to be popular. As the podcast episode demonstrates, embracing such innovations can help you stand out in an increasingly competitive market.
The next time you consider improving your delivery process, think about the precision and dependability that what3words can provide. It’s a minor change with the potential to have a significant impact – a true win-win-win for all parties involved. Who knows … In a few years, we might be able to rattle off three-word addresses as easy as we do postcodes today. And perhaps the days of playing “hunt the delivery driver” will be a distant memory.
Are you ready to make your deliveries more precise? Contact Sorted to learn how what3words can be incorporated into your logistics strategy and start reaping the benefits today.
Oh, and if you enjoyed our video, find more on our YouTube channel!