Last week it was the turn of the Rt Hon David Jones MP to recognise the importance of logistics to the UK’s future success. Speaking at the Keep Britain Trading conference hosted by the Freight Transport Association he said that a flourishing logistics industry was needed to ensure frictionless cross-border trade can continue.
Interviewed by eDelivery.net ahead of eDelivery Expo (EDX) meanwhile speaker Glossybox’s Wioletta Bogus, said that whilst retailers are focusing hard on the delivery side of the logistics process really they need to look back to the fulfilment stage in order to ensure they are truly satisfying the customer and that too often it’s delivery that gets the blame when things do go wrong. You can find out more about her thoughts at EDX on 5-6 April at Birmingham’s NEC.
Demands are changing and providers must react to them. Nightline Group has announced the rollout of a new premium fleet to handle the same-day delivery demand it is now seeing whilst UPS has announced a $90 million investment in alternative fuels and SEKO has announced a new hybrid logistics solution for the UK — all great examples of providers keeping up with the changing needs of their retailer customers.
And yet still it sometimes isn’t happening. A new survey shows that poor communication is the main reason why customers are missing scheduled deliveries. Customers still want clear confirmation as well as updates where possible and it’s something that retailers and their partners must embrace.
Of course if you want assured delivery then click and collect has to be one solution. In our opinion piece this week Doddle’s CEO Tim Robinson reveals the key trends he believes we will see in the market this year – are you ready for them?
Finally don’t forget that it is now just two weeks until eDelivery Expo takes place alongside InternetRetailing Expo IRX) April 5-6. To find out more about the show and register for free, visit www.edeliveryexpo.com.
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