4 steps to optimising click & collect

Consumers want to get things when, where, and how they want — and ASAP. They demand stock certainty and convenience, and they want control over the click and collect experience. In fact, 64% of consumers say they’d switch retailers because of a poor click and collect experience. 

Clearly, it’s important to have a highly efficient and effective click and collect model. But where to begin?

The following four steps will set you on the path to fully optimising your click and collect experience.

1. Reduce the handover time for click and collect.

Increase ease for both customers and your team by shortening the handover time of click and collect orders. If your model lacks the option for clear communication between all parties involved, it’ll leave customers unsure of when their orders are ready and waiting by idly, and your staff will have to scramble to fulfil orders in a timely manner.

Bake options into your system for customers to alert the store when they’re on the way and have arrived, as well as note their location or parking bay. Additionally, send customers thorough directions on where to go upon arrival for curbside pickup. Localz’ click and collect model has helped clients reduce handover time by 80% — that’s 14 minutes to 4.4 minutes.

2. Improve team member efficiency with the order collection process.

Don’t burden your team with the overwhelming task of mentally juggling what orders need to be ready and when. This can lead to an increase in missed items, long wait times, frazzled staff, and upset customers (not to mention, decreased customer loyalty and increased staff turnover).

Instead, enable multi-pick orders so your team can rely on a system that empowers them to be efficient and nimble. Include an alert system that lets staff know when customers are on the way so that they can promptly prepare a curbside pickup order for handoff. Our research has shown that Localz’ multi-pick functionality helps improve team member efficiency by 28%. 

3. Increase customer engagement by offering more flexibility and control.

Control is the name of the click and collect game. Some 40% of customers experience stress and anxiety waiting for delivery drivers, and curbside pickup is similar: Things like vague pickup time windows, unready orders upon arrival, and poor communication cause customers unnecessary distress.

When you offer flexibility in your click and collect model, you give control back to customers. Offer them various collection options, like same-day click and collect, in-store pickup, curbside pickup, and delivery, along with the ability to change this option. Additionally, allow them the functionality to opt for automated alerts, communicate their location, set up real-time tracking/geofencing, and authorise others to pick up the order.

4. Improve the rate of customer complaint resolutions

Customers want to express their feelings about their click and collect experience — good and bad. And if you don’t make feedback a priority, your staff won’t be able to resolve issues until it’s too late.

Communicate to customers that their experience matters by requesting feedback upon order completion. Enable real-time notifications of negative feedback so your team has a chance for resolution. Localz has seen clients increase NPS scores by 15 points with the implementation of real-time feedback post-order completion.

These four steps can help optimise your click and collect experience for both customers and staff, and Localz’ streamlined solutions can help you stay on track.