Retail fulfilment: no longer a back-room concern

Sometimes you have to stop looking at something the way you always have and consider it from a completely different perspective.

On one hand the question of why delivery is so important in retail seems laughably obvious; a customer buys something so you have to deliver it to them, right? Well, yes, of course. But if you want to be a true multichannel success, you have to stop looking at fulfilment as being a purely transactional operation and start thinking like a customer.

Perhaps 15 years ago there were still plenty of people nervous about online retail – can I trust this website, will I get what I think I’ve bought, will I get anything at all..?

In the main, such concerns no longer exist in great numbers; online shopping – especially in the UK – is widely accepted as safe and secure.

Add into that the growing number of shoppers for whom online is the norm, and for whom direct physical contact with the retailer is becoming less and less frequent.

The chief consideration for multichannel retailers, where fulfilment is concerned, is that the point of delivery is the point at which you will be judged on your ability to keep your promises. If you made it easy for me to spend my money with you, did you also make it easy for me to receive my purchases?

Did you offer me a range of delivery and collection options or do you expect me to have to accommodate the delivery company?

Speed of delivery is still the most obvious consideration for many, but in survey after survey, convenience trumps speed. Next-day home delivery is great if I know I’m going to be at home the day after I place my order. But what if I’m not? Can you send my parcel to a collection point near me, or will I be fishing it out of my wheelie-bin later that evening?

Retailers and carriers alike need to optimise their fulfilment operations so that the needs of the customer are prioritised.

Some already do, and despite the massive investments involved, they are likely to form a breakaway group of class-leading retailers and carriers, offering great services built around great customer service and convenience at every stage.

The eDelivery Expo (EDX16) takes place on 27/28 April at the NEC Birmingham. The Multichannel Fulfilment Conference track at EDX16 will be focused on some of the issues covered in this article, and more.

edeliveryexpo.com