Spring Fever Is Here: Mistakes to Avoid in Delivering Outdoor Living Purchases
As spring approaches, the promise of warmer days leads to a surge in purchases of outdoor living equipment. These weather-driven demand spikes combined with tax return season make it the perfect time for consumers to invest in large outdoor purchases just in time for summer. With everything from grills, fire pits and playsets to patio furniture, pergolas and outdoor kitchen appliances on consumers’ minds, now is the time for companies to prepare to meet seasonal demand as orders accelerate.
While a significant percentage of revenue for outdoor living companies may be seasonal, customer expectations are not. Order backlogs, missed deliveries/installations and negative experiences can impact their willingness to make repeat purchases for years to come. To make the most of the seasonal surge in outdoor equipment purchases, the key to success lies in careful preparation when it comes to both accurately forecasting demand and having the right delivery and installation partner in place to create experiences that reflect positively on the brand.
Five Common Pitfalls for Outdoor Living Deliveries and How to Avoid Them
Creating a successful outdoor equipment season is less about forecasting demand or meeting inventory requirements and more about making careful considerations around factors that can make or break the experience for the end customer. While these mistakes can be costly, most are predictable, which means they’re also preventable.
With careful planning and preparation, companies can avoid these five common planning pitfalls.
- Poor inventory positioning. Staging inventory in warehouses or distribution centers that are not centrally located within areas of high demand can result in delays and higher transportation costs. Analyzing historical data and demand patterns to understand the regions that present the highest levels of product demand can help companies provide faster delivery times for customers by positioning products closer to peak demand markets while keeping shipping costs in check, in addition to reducing the potential for damage by having fewer touchpoints.
- Labor underestimation. Oftentimes, meeting demand is not as challenging as making sure the right teams are in place to meet customer expectations. For outdoor equipment that involves significant assembly, installation or setup, crews are often booked weeks in advance, making it critical to not only plan ahead to meet inventory, but also book delivery and installation crews in advance. Doing so can help to ensure trusted partners are available, which can avoid potential negative experiences due to rushed jobs or unvetted partners.
- Lack of pre-delivery site qualification. Large, bulky deliveries like outdoor equipment often have conditions that need to be met to accommodate space limitations, access issues, unsafe ground conditions, unexpected HOA rules and requirements and more. Working with an experienced partner that understands the types of issues that may arise can help to avoid failed deliveries and fees associated with any repeat delivery attempts. This can involve photo documentation of access points, confirming space restrictions and preparing surfaces for safe transport and assembly.
- Poor communication and visibility. For large outdoor deliveries and installations, scheduling should happen in advance, as customers may need to take time off from work to be on the premises when deliveries are made. Failing to communicate about any schedule changes or delays can result in the customer or delivery and installations teams being left waiting, leading to potential fees and negative reviews. In addition, providing visibility for all stakeholders and the end customer can help to alert all parties in case any unexpected issues arise.
- Reactive vs. proactive transportation planning. Failure to book transportation in advance can result in teams relying on spot market rates, which may be significantly higher than rates secured in advance due to a lack of surge capacity or scalable solutions to meet demand spikes. By establishing commitments with 3PL partners in advance, companies can secure capacity and set bandwidth expectations early to prevent any gaps in availability.
Delivering in the Moments That Matter
Peak outdoor season can provide the opportunity to create defining moments for brands by delivering experiences that measure up to customers’ expectations. As warmer weather approaches and outdoor equipment purchases surge, making sure you have the right final mile home delivery partner can mean the difference between delayed deliveries and experiences that create significant lifetime value for your customers.
At NXTPoint Logistics, our experts understand that failures in the final mile expose weak planning and can create irreparable damage to customer experiences. That’s why our teams are committed to white glove service for large, bulky deliveries through our People Powered. Customer Driven approach. From the friendly teams that arrive at your customer’s doorstep to the intentional care provided with every delivery, installation, assembly and setup, we work to make sure every aspect of the final mile is designed to delight the end customer and keep them returning in the future.
In fact, we recently produced a video that highlights the care and precision we bring to every home delivery. Click here to watch it and discover the philosophy that drives our teams to create exceptional experiences every time.
It’s not too late to prepare for the spring surge in outdoor deliveries! To learn more about how our white glove options can build stronger supply chains and create exceptional customer experiences click here to consult our experts.
