The significant increase of deliveries in the past couple of years shows no signs of stopping. COVID-19 changed the dynamic of traditional lifestyle habits for good, normalizing remote work. Thousands to millions of people across the world were all of a sudden switching to online shopping when they had no other choice during national lockdowns. That demand is still very well prevalent as more people found it to be a comfortable solution for getting all of their necessary goods straight to their doorstep, eliminating contact with crowded locations. Let’s look further at how people switching online impacted all businesses, especially delivery services.
What Covid-19 Means for Businesses
Businesses small and large had to comply with the increased number of deliveries or else they couldn’t keep their business afloat for long. That meant many businesses had to make drastic changes in a short period of time. Ultimately, businesses that already had steady delivery services and an online shopping platform in place were less impacted than the ones which had to implement those changes immediately. Flexibility and versatility are still crucial for businesses to maintain because the pandemic showed just how quickly various industries could be struck and face bankruptcy within the time span of a few weeks. Especially since consumer lifestyles have been revolutionized for the present and the time to come.
How Courier Services Have Evolved
Courier services have nonetheless changed within this small timeframe. One of the most prominent examples is that couriers optimized the method for confirming package delivery without face-to-face contact. If confirming a delivery before required picking up the package from the courier and even signing for it, now, more and more providers are leaving the delivery at doorsteps and asking for photo confirmation of the order. Moreover, faster delivery times such as same-day or next-day delivery are becoming the norm. No one wants to wait a few days or weeks even if their package does not involve edible products. The competition is greater than ever for businesses and couriers alike to step up the quality of their delivery services.
The Rise of Food Delivery Services
The significant increase in deliveries doesn’t stop with clothes and accessories. The rise of food delivery was by far the most significant. From ready-made meals to groceries, people had no choice during the lockdowns but to think about where and how they got their everyday meals. Many people already despised the task of grocery shopping and may never want to return to it in the traditional sense again as more stores began providing doorstep delivery of their favorite goods.
The rise of online food delivery also led to an increase of another thing — restaurants and food chains that operated exclusively through delivery. Either existing businesses would move to delivery-only services or new ones would emerge in the market without a physical location that diners could go to.
How Small Businesses Can Improve Delivery Services
Without a doubt, small and medium businesses across the world had difficulties adapting to the rising demand for delivery services. While the trend is not as crucial anymore considering more places are lifting restrictions, it’s best that smaller businesses still maintain a steady foundation for providing exceptional delivery services and customer support. Here are a few things small and medium businesses can implement if you don’t already:
- Have an eCommerce website — The rise of food delivery services also led to the rise of eCommerce websites? For anything from food delivery to clothing, business owners with a fully functioning and user-friendly website that offer quick purchasing still soared with their sales, even during the most difficult days of the pandemic. You can either order a new website to be built from scratch or update an existing one with plugins and templates if possible.
- Be present on social media — If a fully-functional and optimized website is something out of your budget right now, make sure you are present on social media marketplaces. Instagram and Facebook are a great place to start and then branch out to other platforms on a local level.
- Third-party delivery services — Don’t have the means to do your own in-house deliveries? You may not even want to when there is the option to opt for a third-party courier service provider for long-term cooperation. Look for the most beneficial courier services for businesses that provide optimal rates and efficient services that your clients won’t be disappointed with.
Don’t forget to consider Ninja Delivery if you want speedy, safe, and reliable courier services in Los Angeles.