The impact of damaged deliveries on customer satisfaction & loyalty

A satisfied customer is one of your biggest brand advocates. 78% of consumers will speak about their positive brand interactions within a week of their experience. Word of mouth is a powerful ally in promoting your business and growing revenue.

Shipping, especially free shipping, can be a great way to boost customers’ feelings about your brand, as 88% of online shoppers expect free shipping. But even free shipping won’t help create brand loyalty if items arrive damaged or dented. 

Lost or damaged items also cost your company money. Studies estimate that replacing lost or damaged items can cost up to 17 times the shipping price.

Below we’ll explain how cutting costs by using a subpar delivery company puts your brand’s reputation at risk.

Customer satisfaction risk: Damaged items

It’s true that online shoppers love free delivery, but not if that free delivery results in damaged goods.

Shoppers have very little patience with items that arrive dented, scratched, or broken. Even one poor experience can cause 59% of shoppers to never return to your eCommerce store. Worse, 78% of those shoppers will tell their friends and family about their negative experience.

It’s easy to think of a dispatched order as complete, but it is only complete once it has been delivered safely and soundly. Brands that value word-of-mouth marketing and customer satisfaction know that choosing a reliable delivery service is part of their product offering.

Customer satisfaction risk: Rude delivery person

Damaged items are just one way a shopper may have a poor delivery experience with your brand. 

If you’re an eCommerce brand, shoppers’ only in-person experience with your products may be via a delivery person. A rude delivery person, under pressure to make countless deliveries, can tarnish a brand’s reputation with customers.

Even though a logistics service’s employees are not associated with your brand, they are intrinsically linked in the shopper’s mind. A delivery person who is curt or unprofessional tarnishes your company’s reputation.

By contrast, a professional, knowledgeable delivery person is a spokesperson for your company. They add a smile and cheerful greeting to your product’s delivery, going the extra mile to foster customer satisfaction.

Customer satisfaction risk: Missed delivery deadline

Late or lost deliveries are as bad as damaged products for your brand’s reputation. If your delivery company isn’t taking active steps to ensure parcel delivery, you’ll suffer low customer satisfaction and high replacement costs.

A good delivery company not only delivers your products on time and without damage, but they also help you minimise your liability for stolen items.

At Domestic Distribution, for example, we confirm delivery times with customers and give them a courtesy phone call before delivering to ensure customers are home to receive their products. We also take a picture of the item in the place where customers have indicated parcels should be left so you have proof of delivery.

Never risk customer satisfaction

Damaged products and lost deliveries are frustrating for both you and your customers. Not every delivery company cares about your customer satisfaction, but at Domestic Distribution, we do.

Ensuring your customers are delighted with their delivery experience is essential to every delivery we make. If you’re selling household goods, particularly furniture, electrical and white goods, your products are delicate and often expensive. You can’t risk a bargain-basement logistics service.

Complete this form to receive a free quote for our 2-man delivery or 1-man delivery services. Your loyal, satisfied customers will be glad you did.

Domestic Distribution is a leading provider of logistics solutions for retail & e-commerce

Contact us

Domestic Distribution
Units 6 – 8, Bescott Estate
Wednesbury, WS10 7SG

Delivery Enquiries:
support@nexp-dd.co.uk

Email:
sales@domesticdistribution.co.uk