5 Ways to Prevent Late Holiday Deliveries to Customers

As the busy holiday season approaches all eyes, in most businesses, are on making important deliveries during the busiest delivery time of the year. There are many things that can cause late deliveries, such as:

• Lost drivers
• Out-of-date mapping systems
• Urban sprawl
• Traffic
• Breakdowns
• Weather
• Documentation errors

While you may not be able to control all of the potential causes of late deliveries, there are some things you can do to prevent them, including the five things discussed below.

1. Don’t Allow Customers to Complete Orders Online with Missing Information

At least, not key information that affects your ability to deliver items in a timely manner, such as inaccurate or missing addresses. In fact, you might want to disallow the use of PO Boxes for addresses since many couriers will not deliver to them. Instead, get the street address from customers as well as contact information if follow-up questions arise concerning deliveries.

2. Schedule Deliveries Around Weather Reports When Possible

While weather reports are not 100 percent reliable, they can be an indication that an ice storm, blizzard, or hurricane is heading your way. These are things you can plan ahead for since most of them are known about, to some degree, days in advance.

4. Invest in GPS Fleet Tracking

Not only can GPS fleet tracking help you plan more efficient delivery routes and conserve fuel, choosing the right GPS system provides you with the most up-to-date mapping information to accommodate massive growth taking place in communities across the country.

3. Avoid Breakdown with Better Maintenance

Make a concerted effort to keep business vehicles better maintained to avoid unnecessary breakdown related delays. These types of delays not only erode faith in your organization but bite into your profit. Improving the maintenance of your vehicles not only reduces breakdowns, but it also extends the life expectations and usefulness of your vehicles as well. GPS fleet management solutions can help you ensure better maintenance for your fleet.

5. Route Around Traffic Congestion

Another area that can be improved with GPS tracking (or keeping an eagle eye on local traffic reports) is when it comes to avoiding unnecessary delayed or late deliveries related to traffic problems. In many areas you know when to expect slow traffic related to general congestion. It’s when unique situations arise that challenges can present themselves. Routing around the congestion can save you time and help you make your deliveries within previously scheduled windows – making you a hero in the eyes of your customers.

Going to the extra effort to provide timely deliveries to your customers can help you create loyal lasting customers during the busy holiday season and beyond. Try these five methods on for size and see how they help you avoid unnecessary delays.

It’s not too late to implement a LiveView GPS fleet tracking solution for the holiday season. Give us a call today at 1-888-544-0494.

You Are Here: LiveViewGPS Blog » 5 Ways to Prevent Late Holiday Deliveries to Customers