3 Ways Baabae Can Help Local Grocery Retailers Optimize Delivery

While the sale of clothes, jewellery, and almost everything else may have dropped in the past few months, the need for groceries has been constant. In fact, the demand for groceries have increased considerably. To maintain their customer base, grocery retailers have had to look into their delivery systems and network. Many have changed their approach, realizing convenience has become a key factor in retaining the customers.

Some customers want their orders to be delivered on the same day, at times, even on the same hour. Others prefer a subscription model wherein they get assured delivery of a product at the same time every week or every month. For example, staples like eggs and bread may be needed every Monday while milk may be needed every day.

So, how can a grocery retailer optimize delivery? Here are some of the ways do it.

Strategic warehouse locations

One of the factors affecting delivery efficiency is the distance between warehouses and customer sites. If your agents have to travel across the city to make a delivery, it may be delayed by traffic jams, etc. The delivery agent also has to travel a longer distance. Additionally, certain supplies such as frozen meats may be at a higher risk of getting spoilt. No customer likes getting a late delivery and then opening it to find the items damaged.

Baabae has developed a unique warehousing system to optimize deliveries. Instead of a single ware house, the organization has set up multiple warehouses in a city. Each serves an area of a 2km. This effective system shortens the distance and quickens the delivery. So,when a customer places an order, chances of a delay are very little. An agent will pick up the order from the nearest warehouse and deliver the product within a few hours.The customer no longer needs to wait for days for a delivery.

Assessing demand in advance

Let’s look at the delivery process. When the customer places an order, it is forwarded to the warehouse. Here, all the items will be grouped together and packed. The delivery agent will then pick up the order at the start of his shift as per his delivery route. Now, if a customer places an order after the delivery agent has left, he or she will have to wait for the next shift for the product to be put on the delivery list.This process can be optimized if the retailer can assess the demand in advance.

Baabae has successfully done this. Based on historical data for an area, the organization has been able to make a shortlist the most frequently ordered products. This include staples like rice, dals, eggs, milk, etc. When a delivery agent sets out on his route, in addition to the orders that have been set aside for delivery, the agent also picks up a stock of these staples. So, now if a customer wants one of these staples, he/she no longer have to wait. The customer can get the item along with the order, and at the same time. The delivery agent just has to take the product out of the staples bag in the van and add it in the list along with the old ones.

Predetermined delivery slots

Customer satisfaction is key to maintaining loyalty. Failing to meet the promise of quick delivery is the easiest way to lose the trust. Hence, you should only make promises if you are confident of meeting them. Therefore, it is better to divide the day into multiple time slots of a few hours each. Allow the customer to choose a time slot that matches his or her convenience and availability. For example, some customer may want the delivery only in the evening. It is an easy way of showing customers that you care about their convenience.

In today’s age, convenience matters a lot. It is wrong to expect the customers to walk down the store for a packet of milk or call for every little thing. This is why, many grocery retailers have adopted a hybrid model of online and offline sales. Ideally, you need a website and a mobile app. However, a considerable amount is required to build these platforms. If you are uncomfortable with taking your operations online, you may want to explore the Baabae marketplace.

Conclusion

Baabae is ideally suited to the needs of grocery retailers and customers. For grocery retailers, the organization offers readymade infrastructure and a large customer base. Baabae also have a warehousing system in place that grocery retailers can rely upon. At the same time,the grocery retailers can also depend on a large network of delivery agents to connect with the city’s customer base. So, are you ready to join the Baabae network?