Dispatch is defined as “send off to a destination or for a purpose.”
In a fulfilment sense, dispatch is the point your package is handed over to your carrier for network injection and final mile services. After your orders have been picked and packed, they are labelled and made ready for collection. This is the process of dispatch.
Depending on your 3PL partner’s dispatch speed, cut-off times can widely vary. Cut-off times are the latest time in a day that an order can be injected into a carrier’s network. The later the cut off the more orders you can dispatch in a day – which is where we excel.
In addition to this, dispatch speed is the amount of time it typically takes for an order to be processed. With Selazar’s innovative system, orders are typically dispatched within 28 minutes of receipt. Short order processing and late cut-off leads to a higher service level for your customers.
We now know what the process is, in its simplest form. Let’s imagine now, what this might look like at a peak period, say Black Friday.
Last year the British public spent an impressive 8.57 Billion Pounds over the Black Friday / Cyber Monday (BF/CM) weekend. That’s an awful lot of packages being dispatched all at once. From our research, the mean dispatch time offered by retailers is between 12 and 2 pm.
If that’s you, be worried.
Stand out from the crowd. Give your customers exceptional service when all others are lacking. Doing so will give your customers memorable, positive experiences. This will increase repeat business.
Starting in the middle of the pack doesn’t often lead to race wins. Pole position is strived for by the most competitive teams because they understand that timing is everything.
If you are in the middle, your orders will be swept up with everyone else’s, making standing out from the crowd even harder.
Good timing enables headache-free fulfilment. Your final-mile services are secure and ready to deliver high-quality service to your customers. With so many options available to consumers, grabbing attention has never been more difficult. Stand out from the crowd with high-speed service during peak periods.
Push your 3pl partner for later cut-off times to keep your orders moving. Your customers deserve the best possible service.
83% of consumers want fast delivery. From our research, that means Next-Day Delivery for 53% of UK respondents and Pre-Noon Next Day for an additional 17%.
That’s 70% of respondents looking for Next-Day Delivery in some regard. 70%!!!
By injecting later than everyone else your orders will be in the network before everyone else’s. Conversely leaving half your orders to be processed until the next day means your customers won’t receive the fast service they are looking for. Instead of actually arriving within 24 hours of confirming their order, it’s more likely to be 48 to 72 hours before delivery is complete.
This is especially true on Friday’s. Couriers do not accept 3pl injections over the weekend as standard. This knock-on effect could leave an order placed at 3 pm on Friday, not dispatched until Monday at 2 pm. Only then will the next-day service kick. That could make a 96 hour or longer delivery window for what was supposed to be “fast service”. Something your customer most likely paid extra for.
All because your dispatch speed doesn’t match your service level.
With so much information available to retailers in our data-driven eCommerce world it seems obvious to say, but nevertheless,
USE ONE PEAK PERIOD TO LEARN FOR A BETTER NEXT ONE.
Think about it; the concentrated volume of business allows you to flesh out ideas, landing pages and customer journeys in a relatively short time frame. Look at the data feedback, identify what works and whats’s a waste of time. Use that info to better position your store ahead of your next big push.
Increase sales, save time, learn from experience, rinse and repeat for each campaign.
Don’t let this opportunity pass you by. Gain new business now using dispatch speed as your competitive advantage.
Impress those customers with quick service, high standards and watch your positive reviews roll in.
