3 key last-mile tracking features for customer satisfaction

Customers have high expectations when they order online. In addition to lightning-fast delivery speeds, they also want to be informed about their order every step of the way.

In order to meet these customer expectations, businesses need to optimise their last-mile delivery tracking (also known as final-mile delivery tracking).

That’s all well and good for Amazon, but what about businesses that handle their own local delivery, like grocery stores and construction equipment providers?

The truth is, there are no exceptions for customer demands for last-mile tracking. All businesses — regardless of their size or resources — should be figuring out ways to improve transparency in the last mile, or risk losing customers.

So what exactly do customers want from last-mile tracking? What counts as “good enough”?

Here are three important features to have in your last-mile delivery tracking solution.

1. Real-time tracking

When customers order an Uber or get delivery from a local restaurant, they can see the actual location (or something close to it) of their driver on the map. That’s the standard they’re looking for in all their delivery experiences — and they don’t care whether it’s from a tech company with a multi-billion dollar market cap or their local grocer.

Providing real-time tracking information is the most important component of last-mile tracking. Customers want real-time updates, not estimates, for all major events in their purchase’s journey.

This includes notifications when their order…

• Has been picked up by the driver
• Is in transit (with real-time visuals)
• Has been successfully delivered

At the very least, customers should be able to access this information on demand. But to create the best possible customer experience, it’s best to allow customers to set their own tracking notifications with custom settings for frequency and preferred channel (e.g. “Send me all updates via SMS”).

When customers have easy access to ETAs and other tracking information, they’re less likely to contact customer service to ask for updates. That means your customer service team has more time and resources to devote to more pressing issues, so they can provide the best service possible.

2. Delivery preferences

It’s important for customers to be able to add custom delivery instructions and indicate when (and whether) they’ll be home to receive their delivery.

This is particularly helpful in the time of COVID-19, when many people prefer to avoid face-to-face interaction with delivery drivers. Allowing customers to opt for contactless delivery is one example of delivery preferences in action.

And if customers need to change their delivery preferences, they should be able to do so easily from a self-service interface.

Consider adding two-way communication between the customer and your delivery team, so that customers can share important information to speed up access to the site or property. This increases the likelihood of gaining access, and reduces the need for customers to call your dispatch center.

3. Proof of delivery

Properly documenting delivery provides enhanced visibility for everyone involved: the customer, the driver, and the retailer.

Proof of delivery (POD) solutions for last-mile carrier tracking often include support for e-signatures, photos, notes, geotagging, and other tools that help document delivery details.

Along with automatic email/SMS delivery notifications, these features help improve the last-mile customer experience and reduce the volume of customer service inquiries.

Last-mile delivery tracking software can help

Potential benefits of last-mile tracking include increased revenue, increased customer lifetime value, and improved brand reputation.

Last-mile delivery tracking software like Localz can help you reap these benefits without a major software project. Our flexible platform is designed to streamline last-mile delivery, with modules for delivery tracking, proof of delivery, appointment scheduling, customer feedback, and more.