You’re happy to receive orders on your online store. You put a lot of efforts in packing it to perfection. Finally, you hand it over to the courier partner so that it reaches your customer’s doorstep. On the other hand, your customer is awaiting their products eagerly.
All of a sudden you receive a notification that says your order has not been delivered.
Watching an order turn undelivered might break your heart. But it is a common scenario in the eCommerce landscape.
Undelivered orders can be one of the biggest nightmares for your eCommerce business. But it wouldn’t be a hundred percent accurate if you’re taking the blame for all of them. Don’t be startled if I say that your courier partner shares equal responsibility for your orders being undelivered.
Statistics suggest that 70% of your orders are undelivered and eventually shipped back as RTO due to courier company’s fault. And that’s why you must choose a courier service wisely!
What is the Concept of Real-Time Tracking?
Real-time tracking refers to transmitting a piece of information to the concerned parties, the moment that it is said. To understand it in the eCommerce scenario, consider that you’re selling apparels to your customers.
Once you receive your order, you perform all the steps of the order fulfillment process and hand it over to your courier partner.
The courier agent takes it to the customer’s door but finds it locked. As a result, they mark it as undelivered. You see this order status and contact the customer whether they want this order. The customer still wants the order. Now, you submit this information to the courier service, who will attempt redelivery of this parcel, the next day.
This is increasing the time for delivery. And there are chances that the courier may not attempt redelivery of the parcel and mark it RTO.
In real-time tracking, however, as soon as the buyer updates their delivery preference, the same is communicated to the courier service instantly.
In the logistics platform like Shiprocket, real-time tracking is taken to an altogether next level.
The buyer is sent a form through SMS and also contacted via IVR calls. The information, then is communicated to the courier company instantly.
How is Real-Time Tracking Helpful?
Real-time tracking can save eCommerce sellers from a lot of trouble. The two main areas where the effect can be seen are customer satisfaction and reduction in order non-delivery rate.
Customer Satisfaction
Customers shop online with the expectation to receive their products as soon as possible. Even going by the statistics, 56% of the customers would prefer having same-day delivery of their products when they shop online.
Now real-time tracking has a significant role to play here. This is especially applicable for the following cases:
- The courier representative goes to the customer’s location and finds it closed
- The customer is not contactable
- The delivery address/ phone number is incorrect
In any of the above situations, the courier transmits this information to the seller. The seller can then easily record the customer’s preference for delivery via initiating IVR calls and SMS.
And as soon as the customer responds, the same is updated with the courier. This, on the one hand, is ensuring faster delivery of the parcel. While on the other hand, maximizing customer’s satisfaction through a structured process. The customer doesn’t have to struggle and find the seller’s or delivery agent’s number to reschedule delivery.
At Shiprocket, the entire process is automated, and sellers can sit back and relax, while everything is taken care of.
Order Non-Delivery Rate
Let’s take a look at how real-time tracking can also help in reducing any undelivered orders.
Orders can get undelivered because of reasons like-
- The customer was not reachable by the courier
- The package was not delivered on time for the customer
- Incorrect customer details were provided to the courier partner
However, using Shiprocket’s panel real-time updates can be provided to the courier, that can help in reducing the chances of undelivered orders.
Since the customer’s preferences are provided to the courier instantly, through API, the courier rep can attempt redelivery on the requested date and time.
Moreover, the sellers get pop-ups of any incorrect address or phone number in the Shiprocket panel. And as soon as they correct them, the information is updated at the courier company’s end. Faster Information. Fewer Returns.
With the right order management and an automated panel, eCommerce sellers can be freed from the burden of one of the biggest hassles in eCommerce- undelivered orders. Not only is this a crucial step towards enhancing customer satisfaction, but also towards eCommerce growth.
