Are you ready to take your business to new heights by offering a same day delivery service? Before you dive into this fast-paced world, it’s essential to take a step back and assess what it truly takes to succeed. Imagine the satisfaction of seamlessly processing orders at lightning speed, tracking your orders real time, and delighting your customers with same day delivery. Well to get started, I have some great advice to help you get your business operations ready to provide same day delivery. By following these four startup tips, you will be on your way to starting a successful same day delivery service that will leave your customers raving about your brand.

First Step: Process Orders With Same Day Delivery Option.

Same day delivery business is a complex process that is extremely time sensitive. Hence, many retailers opt to use 3rd party delivery companies such as Instacart, Shipt, or DoorDash. So, if you are using a third-party delivery service provider, then they can process the orders for you. The only thing is that you will need to set up each one of your products in their system. Also, If you are going to let the third party delivery service use their personal shopper to pick and deliver the order, then that’s it. 

However if you decide to have your order fulfillment system do the order processing, then you have work to do. Specifically, you will need to integrate with a data application programming interface (API). Further, you may need to upgrade to your current order fulfillment system. This is because you will need to transmit your shipment orders to the same day delivery service provider. 

Second Step: Pick Orders From Your Store Or From Warehouse.

The good news with same day delivery is that you can enable this shipping option fairly quickly. This is true if you allow picking orders from your store location. Indeed, more and more stores use personal shoppers who pick the order from the store shelf and then deliver it to the customer. Also, these personal shoppers usually work directly for a 3rd party delivery company such as GoLocal, Instacart, Shipt, or DoorDash. 

Furthermore, some of these delivery companies are starting to offer micro-warehousing options as well to include Amazon. So there is the option for your customers’ orders to be picked from a 3rd party warehouse or your warehouse. Beware of this option. This is because to do same day shipping from a warehouse will require major upgrades to systems, facilities, and operational processes to be successful.

Third Step: Delivering The Same Day.

Same day delivery can be a complex process, especially if you decide to offer 2 hour or less delivery commitments. Now, the most efficient same day delivery model is to offer delivery commitments of over 2 hours. Also, offering delivery windows for your customers can be a cost-effective option. Again for most retailers, the best option is to have a third party delivery company do the delivering. This is because they have the systems and the driver network to get the job done in an efficient manner.

Forth Step: Providing Customer Service For Same Day Delivery.

If you are using a same day delivery company such as Instacart, they can seamlessly provide customer service. This can include order processing, order picking, and delivery. Additionally, these service providers usually will have communications options where your customers can communicate directly with their personal shopper. At the same time retailers can opt to provide customer service for same day delivery. In this case, implementation of this new service will be complex with major changes to systems, new real-time system interfaces, and new customer service processes.

Same Day Delivery Stores: Do Customers Really Want Them And Can Your Business Fulfill This Epic Challenge?

For more information of same day delivery to include benefits and more planning considerations, see my article, Same Day Delivery Stores. Also, for more articles from Supply Chain Tech Insights, see more stories on eCommerce and transportation.