Tips to Improve Ecommerce Curbside Pick-Up Operations

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Let’s face it, most, if not all of us have done online shopping while sitting on the couch watching our favourite television show. While picking up your item from the store used to be the norm, however, curbside pick-ups have become a new popular solution.

So, what exactly is curbside pickup? It’s essentially the opportunity for customers to pick up their order from the curb that’s outside a store – allowing both customers and workers to keep a  safe distance from each other.

While curbside pick-up has grown in popularity, here are some tips to go about improving this process.

1. Make sure the email stands out

Ensure that the time is clearly stated on the email so your customer won’t miss the time for pick up. You’ll also need to focus on the subject line along with the content of the email that you’re distributing.

Be as specific as you can and use order management software to help you keep track of what you’ve got in stock and what you’re running low on. 

2. Implement location tools

Make sure that the customer is aware of what’s going on with their package and when they can expect to go and collect it. You can do this by using SMS marketing tools where you’re messaging your customers and keeping them updated on the status of their products.

3. Make sure your staff is supported

It doesn’t matter if you’ve got a small or large business, your staff should feel supported every step of the way. If your staff require a little more training because they’re new to the whole curbside pick-up operations, take the time to train them and provide them with the tools they need to be successful.

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4. Handle customer complaints promptly

It’s inevitable that mistakes will happen and you’ll get a customer complaint or two because of something that slipped through the cracks. When that happens, the first thing to do is to learn from these complaints, and then make sure that you’re handling the complaints properly.

This means reverting back to the customer – either through email or the phone and acknowledging their complaint. A big part of dealing with complaints is also handling refunds, so make sure that you’re taking return policies into consideration.

5. Thank you emails

It’s always nice to follow up an order with a nice thank you email. After all, customers do appreciate a business that’s grateful to their customers. It’s also a good way for your customer to provide you with any feedback.

With thank you emails, you’d want to personalise it as much as possible. You shouldn’t just be adding their name onto the subject line. Instead, you could entice them with a separate offer or inform them of a certain product that might pique their interest.

Making ecommerce curbside pick-up operations seamless

Curbside pick-up operations don’t have to be difficult. Since it’s now the new norm, you’ll want to make sure that the whole process is as seamless as possible for your customers. By staying flexible and keeping the needs of the customer front-of-mind, you shouldn’t run into any problems at all.

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