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How your B2C delivery options can turn your customers into raving fans

My name is Rachel Whittaker, a beauty logistics expert and founder of Indie Beauty Delivers, a consultancy with a mission to bring big brand logistics to brands with big dreams. My strength lies in merging the harsh world and reality of logistics with the glamour and glitz of beauty. I’m like a translator that ensures you have the logistics infrastructure you need to thrive while providing a customer experience that oozes the care and attention to detail beauty demands. I’m your personal beauty logistics geek!

Imagine the incredible power of being able to guarantee that every customer who buys from you walks away with a super positive memory of their experience. I mean the type of recollection that turns them into raving fans, repeat customers and brand advocates.

Well, this seemingly impossible ability does exist and it’s surprisingly easy to put into practice in your business.

Let me introduce you to the Peak End Rule.

The Peak End Rule is all about how an individual’s memory of an event is largely controlled by what happens at its peak and end. The rule is so powerful that even a negative experience can be transformed if the end exceeds expectations and puts a smile on your face (think free shots at the end of a meal).

As a beauty logistics expert I love this rule as it highlights the most important part of any B2C customer journey is the end part – the delivery!

It’s worth pointing out that a brand and a customer’s end point are very different. A brand celebrates when it gets the sale, a customer doesn’t get the warm gooey feeling until they receive their order. The result of this difference means brands often overlook the importance of their delivery.

Large online retailers like Amazon have kick started a seismic change in consumer attitudes over recent years.  Your customers won’t accept delivery choices that mean they have to wait in. They expect a range of options that suit their lifestyle. They want to be able to have their parcels dropped at a neighbours, or left in a safe place, or be made available for collection at a parcel shop near their workplace or children’s school. They expect to be able to track their delivery’s progress, know the drivers name and even make ‘in flight’ changes if their expected schedule alters.

Here’s a few revealing facts that show how important delivery is to consumers from a recent survey compiled by Metapack:

61% of survey respondents say a positive delivery experience incentivises them to shop with an e-tailer again

58% chose one online provider over another because they provided more delivery options

54% say clear, accurate tracking is an important consideration for the majority of their purchases

The delivery industry has undergone rapid change to deal with both the revolution in consumer attitudes and the prolific growth of independent brands, so no matter how well established your business is you can access delivery solutions that impress. You don’t need big budgets, large volumes or your own logistics team. Just pick up the phone and speak to the parcel carriers and find out what they can offer.

Putting your consumers firmly at the centre of your delivery strategy, offering them choice with a little added wow factor means you can craft a truly exceptional end moment that leaves them positively crazy about you.

Forgive me for using a little logistics jargon, but brands who invest in their ‘last mile’ solutions are setting themselves up for success and often giving themselves a real competitive edge.

Are your delivery options delivering the perfect end moment?

Rachel Whittaker, Founder of Indie Beauty Delivers, a consultancy specialising in bringing big brand logistics to brands with big dreams. 

The Red Tree is the UK’s leading international beauty brand consultancy and a powerhouse of ideas, insight and inspiration. For an informal discussion on how we might help you, please contact us.

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