The key to winning the race to the final mile is in the long haul of building a relationship with the customer. While to you that brown box might just be a parcel, a dot on the map, or a checklist item, to the recipient it’s their hard earned money, their daughter’s birthday gift, or the item they’ve been anxiously awaiting.At the heart of every transaction is the customer, awaiting their delivery. If you’re ignoring the customer and their experience throughout the process, your final mile business will start losing ground. Here are five ways to you can improve your customers’ experience during the final mile of the delivery.

1. Provide real-time tracking on the order.

From the time someone hits “submit order” until the time the order is delivered can seem like forever. And, in a world of immediate gratification, this can severely affect the consumer’s experience.Setting expectations with an estimated delivery date and providing a way for customers to see the real-time status of the delivery can ease the anxiety of waiting. This kind of transparency can help build trust with your customers — the foundation for a long-term relationship.

2. Frequent and immediate communication with customers.

Delays happen. Severe weather, broken trucks and traffic jams are a common occurrence in today’s world. Communicating with your customer throughout the process can hedge their frustration when things don’t go as planned.Utilize your software to email customer updates when a delay is expected. By proactively emailing them, you give your customers peace of mind that you are taking care of the issue. Keep in mind that when things do not go as planned, your customer is looking at this situation for how you will handle future delays as well.Even when things do go as planned, anticipate customer questions by sending automated updates to them regarding their order.

3. Provide your drivers with all the information they need.

When delivering the order, should they only speak with Sarah? Is there a certain door that they should go to?All notes should be transferred from the shipper to the person responsible for the delivery. If specific items are not communicated, it will fall to the customer to communicate it all again. This can cause frustration for the customer and reflect poorly on your company.

4. Listen to customer feedback.

Did the delivery not go as planned? Was the driver rude? From the smallest bumps to the biggest red flags, customers should be able to provide feedback about their experience easily. Then, each customer’s feedback should be addressed appropriately — some customers may require a quick note, while others should receive a phone call to address any issues.You know that Customer feedback is your guide to ensuring your customer experience is happening as planned, and your opportunity to address any shortcomings.

5. Ensure a seamless experience.

When a package changes hands several times, information can get lost in the shuffle. Everyone in the process may have different software blocking communication from flowing seamlessly.eTrac prevents these breakdowns in communication by providing one integration that allows for seamless transfers of information between shippers and carriers. eTrac only requires one integration point… no more manual tie-ins to dozens of carrier platforms.With eTrac, all the order information can flow back and forth seamlessly. This results in:

• Real-time package tracking is possible
• Effective customer communication on order updates and delays
• Transfer of any order any notes from shipper to carrier
• Aggregation of all data for reporting on efficiency and effectiveness of carriers

Are you ready to upgrade your customers’ final mile experience? Contact us today. eTrac provides shippers with a single point of integration to connect to their final mile carriers,  saving you time and money. Contact us today to learn more about connecting to the final mile.