From analytics to automation: what’s the outlook for delivery technology?
Technology moves so fast and much of it we now take for granted, for example mobile phones, Bluetooth earpieces and universal translators.
It might be some time before packages can be beamed straight into our homes by a transporter, but the way we ship and receive goods is going to be unrecognisable in a couple of years. And resistance is futile!
From drones leaving packages in customers’ gardens to autonomous vans making deliveries, technology is going to transform the despatch world. Although these ideas are still some way from becoming reality, other technologies are already having a big impact on how deliveries are logged, assigned, labelled and tracked. And it’s having an even bigger impact on the efficiency, accuracy and agility of shipping services.
Harnessing the power of automation and analytics
So what are the top trends and technologies that can make a difference to your business? First up, automation. A lot of despatch processes and workflows are already subject to a degree of automation. For example, Luxury Legs uses GFS Selector to automate the printing of parcel labels across all its sales channels and carriers. This has helped to cut despatch time by 50% and free up valuable resource.
But this is just the first chapter in the automation story – things are about to get even smarter. Worldwide spending on AI and process automation is expected to top $15.4 billion by 2021, with robots playing an increasingly important role in warehouse and logistics operations.
As more processes become automated, the easier it becomes to capture data at every stage of the customer experience. And that’s where the next trend comes in: analytics. Industry experts predict that worldwide revenue for big data and business analytics solutions will top $274.3 billion by 2022.
Analytics equal insights, and insights drive innovation and improvement, which will be increasingly important as merchants ship to more customers across more borders.
Mamas & Papas has already witnessed first-hand the power of analytics. By using GFS Reportor, it has been able to tap into key analytics, such as parcel volumes, geographical split and carrier performance, to help ensure performance levels are met. As a result, it’s seen a 10% increase in customer satisfaction and a 15% increase in the speed of despatch.
Giving delivery a personal touch
Richer analytics can not only help optimise internal processes but also personalise customer experiences. Consumers increasingly want to be treated as an individual at every stage of the buying cycle – and that includes delivery. More than 70% of customers expect you to understand their needs and expectations and more than 60% expect you to adapt based on their actions and behaviour.
Personalisation has already started to influence the shipping process. Let’s look at Mamas & Papas again: it uses GFS Checkout’s intelligent rules engine to personalise the delivery options presented to its customers based on the size of their order and their location.
For a retailer to remain competitive, this type of personalisation needs to be delivered at scale and at speed. Around 70% of customers use multiple channels to start and complete a single transaction. To ensure they receive a unified eCommerce experience, personalisation needs to be an omnichannel affair.
Maximum innovation for minimum investment
Delivery technologies and trends are evolving all the time, which means today’s brainchild could be tomorrow’s white elephant. As a result, developing and maintaining IT solutions and skills in-house can prove costly and risky.
By partnering with a specialist solutions provider, retailers can tap into the latest despatch innovations without having to make any capital investment.