It is in the essence of a business to deliver.
In an era where more and more clients turn to the digital sphere to pass the majority of their orders — from takeaway food to their latest commercial brochure printouts.
It has become indispensable for the survival of small suppliers to consider the best delivery options.
If you’ve shopped online in the past and been stuck at home all day waiting for the courier to bring your goods, you are in the best position to understand your customers’ pain.
Your customers choose digital shopping because they want to save time. As such, they find it hard to forgive delays.
Therefore, companies need not only to opt for the most suitable and cost-effective delivery option for their business model, but they also need to understand the delay risks inherent to each delivery mode.
Indeed, gaining a full overview of the most common dangers that can affect bike, truck, and van/car deliveries can help you to avoid delays and their financial challenges.
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Bike deliveries
Bike and motorcycle are a favorite for the transportation of goods that need to arrive quickly within a limited radius from the business.
In the city center, the most common scenarios are takeaways and restaurant food deliveries.
Customers who order online expect their food to arrive piping hot and within the hour.
Unfortunately, during rush service and traffic hours, food bikes are more vulnerable to collisions on the road. And for small takeaway restaurants, the threat of motorcycle accidents could put you out of business for good.
How can you best protect your team and your delivery vehicles?
You can take insurance cover to protect workers on the bike and help them to go through a claim against the driver at fault in a collision. But, you can also take preventive measures such as investing in your brand awareness on the bike.
Indeed, a wrapped bike and helmet can increase visibility on the road and avoid any unfortunate accidents!
2. Truck Deliveries
Warehouse goods and B2B shipments are best suited for truck transportation.
From the family farm business to the kitchen remodeling experts, truck deliveries can help a variety of companies to reach their audience.
As a result, it’s not uncommon for drivers to cover long distances and spend a lot of time away from their homes and families.
The work schedule is the most common challenge that businesses face, as exhausted and isolated drivers are likely to cause a high staff turnover rate.
Failure to replace drivers rapidly and effectively can affect not only your delivery times but also your brand reputation.
Boosting your business growth and presence starts with sensible work scheduling and planning regular breaks to allow for family time.
3. Car deliveries
More and more companies are turning to freelance and professional couriers to handle small parcel deliveries to both B2B and B2C clients.
Outsourcing your deliveries can be a smart move to reach out to a broad audience.
A logistic giant such as FexEx can provide premium services to business clients, but these come at a high cost for small business owners.
On the other hand, independents can struggle with rush times and demand peaks, which can affect your brand.
You need to research the best delivery fit for your needs.
In Conclusion…
A business that delivers is a business that has sorted out the best delivery option for its clients and industry sectors.
As a result, understanding the factors that can affect delivery and cause delays and costs is detrimental to your decision and your growth.