How Hold Locations Improve Your Customers’ Experience

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In a recent post, we discussed the delivery problem. Frequently, consumers who order wine aren’t able to accept their package. Either they aren’t available during the day or they don’t have someone 21 or older available to sign for their package. This challenge frequently results in failed delivery attempts and a lot of back and forth on last-mile delivery trucks. These delivery problems pose unique challenges for the wine industry because of the products’ sensitivity. The longer your wine is on the truck, the more risks it encounters and ruined wine costs money. If your product is compromised during shipment, you’ll have to replace and reship. Also, this causes a less-than-desirable experience for your customers.

Wineries with high delivery rates (the percent of your shipments that are delivered on the first delivery attempt) take precautions to prevent failed delivery attempts and returns. One of the most powerful precautions is leveraging existing, no-cost hold location options. Carriers provide this option which allows customers to pick up their wine packages at their local FedEx or UPS facility when it is convenient for them.

FedEx hold at locationFedEx Hold Locations

FedEx allows packages to be sent directly to or rerouted while en route to a FedEx location near the original destination. FedEx Hold locations provide a level of convenience that has the power to improve the customer experience due to the ability for you or your customer to request the reroute.

With more than 1,700 FedEx Hold locations nationwide, many of them are open 24 hours daily. It’s a no-brainer, especially since there is no charge for this service. Also, if a telephone number is included, FedEx will contact the recipient after the package arrives at the FedEx Hold location. Packages can be held for up to five business days and can be released only with proof of identification, so it is also a secure option for your customers. To learn more, visit FedEx’s site.

UPS My ChoiceUPS My Choice

UPS My Choice allows customers to hold packages that are going to their home address for will call (request packages to be held for pickup at a UPS facility). This service is free to your customers but requires them to become a UPS My Choice member to take advantage of this service. To learn more, visit UPS’s site. Again, this service provides an alternative to shipping directly to your customer and risking a failed delivery.

Regardless of carrier, it’s important to provide your customers with options outside of delivering directly to their home or work, where they might not be able to accept their wine packages. Hold locations offer a better solution to failed delivery attempts and returns. Using these services ultimately improves the customer experience and saves you time and money.

Want to find out more about delivery rate? Read our recent post >>

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