It is a quirk of the age that in a climate of business studies, marketing analysis and commercial examination, the concept of delivery remains almost as an after thought, rather than sitting at the forefront of entrepreneurial thinking in the way that sales or advertising would.
Maybe we should look to blame the user-focused technology market; with so much emphasis placed upon supplier and consumer web access to web sites and order security, the key point of moving a product from point-of-sale to customer can get lost in the mix.
Unfortunately, it is a cruel irony that such wild oversight can taint customer experience and cause lasting damage to a brand.
It was therefore with interest that Start Up Magazine came across Dataplug – a new cloud based shipping system conquering the sprawling issue of delivery and fine tuning instead a one-stop solution bringing all transport carriers into one consolidated product.
Starting with the neatly labeled ‘Intelliship’ software, Dataplug allows ecommerce groups to co-ordinate multiple shipping systems to move that most crucial of items; their product. The key value here is Trust. The new digital order allows e-commerce groups a phenomenal degree of access to consumers. Via the Internet, mobile and tablet devices, customers are in abundant supply. But what will make or break that customer base is of course, loyalty – and that will only ever come if the customer knows that their choice to purchase from a certain group will be rewarded with efficient delivery and no confusion or fuss. As I said, it’s a matter of trust.
Dataplug have some interesting concepts; automated shipping direct from any in-house system you currently are using, will permit your site to be a literal 24-7 e-store, to be accessed and ordered from, anytime, anywhere. In addition, you retain complete ownership over your orders and which courier service they will be allocated to – allowing you to choose who you use according to your unique customer needs.
Perhaps Dataplug’s ultimate ace card comes from its parcel tracking device, which allows e-commerce clients to embed order tracking into their own website. And this clever little trick? Allows you something invaluable – to see things from a customer’s viewpoint. Not only are you giving customers clear visibility (and with that garnering the trust that we spoke about earlier), but you yourself can experience something similar to the customer experience: And that familiarity can prove priceless.
It is an understanding across business and especially retail strategies, that delivering on a promise made breeds future custom and nurtures a sense of loyalty. Equally, a failure to think about and give delivery the prominence it deserves, is flirting with the wrong priorities in business.
And so, give Dataplug some thought – and start to stand out from your competitors on the basis of trust and excellence built upon supreme delivery.
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- Time is a business’ most valuable asset (thestartupmag.com)
- Recycling tips for Startups and SMEs (thestartupmag.com)
- Interview with Rahul Powar, Founder & CEO of Apsmart and the creator Shazam (thestartupmag.com)
