Along with almost half of consumers. Grocery stores that manage to convince customers of their sustainability efforts can win financial rewards. In addition to nearly half of consumers who said they would pay more for organic products, 52% said they would agree to increase their weekly grocery bill if that meant they could help the planet, according to the research. Automating order fulfillment, from the collection and storage of food in the warehouse or place of dispatch, to the driver, can significantly reduce the costs related to fulfilling orders and, subsequently, shipping rates.
They can also proactively contact a person to notify a person if a delivery is going to be delayed, for example, although since 97% of deliveries are completed on time, this doesn’t happen often. While grocery stores once considered Instacart to be the go-to solution for online order fulfillment, the loss of a direct relationship with customers has caused grocery companies to seek alternatives, such as using Instacart as part of a controlled management solution and multiple fleets for local same-day and next-day delivery. Not only should delivery times be tight (no one wants to sit around all day waiting for food to arrive), but orders must arrive on time. Their enormous infrastructure and delivery networks give them a clear advantage as a grocery delivery service by having an internal fleet already configured and ready to send customers wherever they are.
Notifying customers of the delivery status and of any delays will also improve first-time delivery rates and eliminate unnecessary round trips, while improving customer satisfaction with the service. Its success is due to its exceptional service and selection, along with the ability to offer attractive prices and competitive grocery delivery services. Implementing solutions that ensure that electric vehicles realize their full potential in terms of the number of deliveries in the range available means that delivery organizations and retailers will add even more sustainability initiatives to their operations. As the number of vans delivering is dramatically increasing, transport companies must consider their carbon footprint.
So what can be done to make deliveries more efficient and sustainable from an energy point of view? Andrew Tavener, marketing director at Descartes UK, analyzes how deliveries can be more environmentally friendly and efficient while ensuring that companies meet changing consumer expectations. Customers place their order through an app, receive a delivery time one hour in advance and a delivery time of 20 minutes that same day, and fresh produce appears at the door.