In today’s competitive world, meeting your delivery needs is one of the primary key performance indicators (KPIs) for a successful business. On-time delivery is one of the attributes through which clients gauge the reliability of a company, making it a critical factor in customer retention.

Late deliveries result in customer dissatisfaction, higher operational costs, and lost revenue. Read on to learn more about on-time deliveries, and how they can impact your success.

On-time delivery metrics are essential for measuring a company’s supply chain efficiency. The metrics help you determine whether you are meeting your delivery goals.

Measuring each OTD rate helps determine the effectiveness of a shipment service and brand. You can use the insights to improve satisfaction and increase the total number of return customers.

Below are some of the reasons most companies struggle with long transit times and deliver after the specified day

Poor Inventory Management

If you lack proper inventory and materials management, shoppers may order products that are out of stock. This results in long lead times and inevitable delays that would lead to customer complaints and order cancellations.

Inefficient Fulfillment Process

Inefficiency in eCommerce fulfillments is another major cause of late delivery. Fulfillment involves picking the right products, packing them correctly, and ensuring they are properly addressed. It can be challenging to achieve on-time delivery if you delay the ship date because of inefficient fulfillment processes.

Resource Issues

About 25% of companies lack adequate fleets, drivers, and other resources to get all their orders delivered on time.

Lack of Complete Visibility

Recent data shows that 36% of retailers don’t meet their shipping obligations due to a lack of real-time order visibility and tracking. Without proper technology to ensure visibility throughout the fulfillment line, it can be challenging to determine why you can’t get your shipments delivered on time.

Efficient Operations

Making every delivery on time will significantly reduce the time and resources spent on addressing complaints and tracking missing orders. Additionally, you will manage your warehouse inventory effectively and efficiently, ensuring the entire supply chain runs smoothly.

Customer Satisfaction

Nothing can be more frustrating to a customer than delayed deliveries or uncertain delivery times. To keep your customers satisfied, ensure you always have their orders shipped and delivered on a specific date.

When you meet your customer’s shipping and delivery expectations, it will result in increased sales, fewer refunds, more positive reviews, and increased brand loyalty.

New Opportunities

Reliable and timely delivery is one of the factors that new customers look for in a business. You don’t want to miss new opportunities because you have a reputation for not delivering on time. Invest in suitable systems and software to ensure orders arrive on time regardless of client location, and you will have new opportunities knocking at your door.