The novel coronavirus of 2020 caused massive disruptions around the world. The online shopping world exploded, as physical stores were mandated to close. With brick and mortar alternatives gone, consumers flocked to e-commerce sites. According to Forbes, online spending in May 2020 increased 77% from the prior year to $82.5 billion. With brick and mortar stores, and their related logistics operations shut down, e-commerce sites had to manage record sales and so did their logistics delivery partners.
For logistics and delivery companies, COVID-19 meant managing record volumes while instituting new, and evolving safety procedures, quickly. In order to minimize the risk of transmission for both staff and customers, sanitary procedures such as wearing PPE, social distancing, and use of hand sanitizer and disinfectants became standard protocol for delivery providers.
Consumer expectations also shifted with COVID-19. Many chose to defer their heavy goods White Glove deliveries or change them to contactless, threshold service. Carriers and customers both had to be mindful of addressing each other’s comfort levels by minimizing in-person contact as much as possible. “The drivers called and arrived within the time they estimated. They were polite, professional, efficient, and wore masks as appropriate for the current state regulations. Thank you for a well run and timely service during challenging times.” said Jay, a Deliveright customer. With Covid restrictions easing, consumers adapting to pandemic life, and carriers improving health and safety practices, White Glove delivery requests have returned to prominence.
Ryan Rusnak, CTO of Airspace Technologies also highlighted technology in a recent FreightWaves interview, as having a major impact on final-mile deliveries by increasing efficiency and communication to customers during the pandemic. “COVID caused a dramatic increase in flight cancellations greatly reducing available options that supply chains can utilize,” said Ryan. “The only way to cope with these changes is using technology that can adjust in real time with the objective of minimizing the impact on customers.”
Indeed, in todays’ world of rapid e-commerce expansion, technology has become a critical component for supply chains to increase productivity and minimize errors and costs. Industry-leading technology platforms such as Deliveright’s Grasshopper allow customers to manage their entire delivery network in real time. With so much else going on, let a professional team that continuously innovates, ensure that your customers experience seamless deliveries. Let cutting edge technology help grow your business.
If you don’t yet have an account to ship with Deliveright, you can sign up through our Grasshopper platform to book your orders immediately. To learn more about our services, visit here.
