Background
LiveSalesman’s client- a prominent furniture retailer in the Middle East- operates an extensive network of brick-and-mortar stores alongside a robust e-commerce platform. Specializing in bulky furniture items, our client faced significant logistical challenges in ensuring the efficient delivery of products from warehouses to customers’ homes across Saudi Arabia.
The Challenge
The retailer encountered recurring issues with deliveries. Numerous deliveries were either rejected at the doorstep or the customers were unavailable to receive them. This resulted in the need to return the furniture to the warehouse, incurring substantial costs. The limited capacity of delivery trucks exacerbated this problem, as each failed delivery consumed valuable time and resources, delaying subsequent deliveries.
A significant percentage of the company’s sales involved Cash on Delivery (COD) payments, further complicating the situation. Customers had the flexibility to change their minds at the last moment, leading to additional rejections.
To mitigate these issues, our client initially set up a call center to verify orders by calling customers two days before the scheduled delivery date. However, this approach proved ineffective. Many customers did not answer calls from unknown numbers, and there were instances where customers denied ever receiving the call.
To address these challenges, the company initially established a call center to verify orders by contacting customers two days before the scheduled delivery date. However, this approach proved ineffective as many customers did not answer calls from unknown numbers, and some denied ever receiving a call.
Our Solution
Recognizing the need for a more reliable solution, the company turned to its long-time customer service partner, LiveSalesman. LiveSalesman implemented a two-pronged, automated WhatsApp-based order verification system to address the issue.
Activity 1: Pre-Delivery Confirmation
Two days before the scheduled delivery, LiveSalesman initiated an automated WhatsApp message to customers, available in both Arabic and English. This message asked customers to confirm if they wanted to accept the delivery on the planned date or if they preferred to reschedule. The system achieved a remarkable 95% success rate, with most customers responding within an hour. For those who did not respond initially, programmed reminders were sent out to ensure maximum engagement.
Activity 2: Delivery Day Reminder
To reinforce the delivery schedule, LiveSalesman sent another automated WhatsApp message to customers the day before and on the day of delivery. This message served as a reminder and included the delivery driver’s and carpenter’s details. Customers were also given the option to communicate directly with customer service via WhatsApp for any last-minute concerns or changes.
Results
The implementation of the automated WhatsApp-based order verification system led to significant improvements:
- Reduction in Delivery Rejections: The doorstep delivery rejection rate dropped by nearly 80%, leading to considerable cost savings on failed deliveries.
- Operational Efficiency: The client was able to reallocate the three staff members who were previously making outbound verification calls to other critical tasks, enhancing overall productivity.
- Customer Satisfaction: The proactive communication and confirmation process enhanced customer satisfaction, ensuring that customers were well-informed and ready to receive their orders.
Conclusion
LiveSalesman’s innovative solution not only addressed the retailer’s logistical challenges but also streamlined their order verification process, leading to significant cost savings and operational efficiencies. By leveraging automated, multilingual communication via WhatsApp, our client was able to improve customer engagement and reduce delivery rejections, reinforcing its position as a leading furniture retailer in the Middle East.
This case study highlights the strategic role LiveSalesman played in optimizing the order verification process for it’s client, showcasing the effectiveness of automated communication solutions in enhancing logistical operations.
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