Optimising the delivery experience / 65 NBF

By ALEX BUCKLEY www.dispatchtrack.com

At the end of last year, a number of leading furniture and homeware brands such as IKEA, Piet Hein Eek and Axor announced they had no choice but to raise their prices because of global supply chain issues created by worldwide shortages and price increases of raw materials, as well as a rise in transport costs.

Some experts say by the middle of this year it should ease – others predict it could be 2023 before we see this resolved. Customers who were already experiencing delays in production now face an increase in costs of goods as well. To keep their customers happy, retailers are understandably looking at how they can differentiate and improve in other areas instead.

Many customers do not separate their purchase experience from their delivery experience. There is therefore a huge opportunity for retailers and brands to delight their customers with an exceptional delivery experience. With recent innovation and advances in technology, it is now possible to deliver intelligent, dynamic routing for ever-changing delivery parameters. As a result, here are the key areas of differentiation for retailers to consider:

1. Think outside the box Often, when larger items such as furniture are purchased, they are typically scheduled for delivery on a specific day. What is so often overlooked is information regarding accessibility for these bulky items, which can result in a less-than-satisfactory experience for the customer, driver and retailer, if the item has to be returned. Any unexpected issues and delays will have a knock-on impact on all the scheduled deliveries for the rest of the day, too.

Retailers therefore need to think outside the box to deliver better experiences for their customers. This requires a solution that can capture intelligence surrounding more complicated deliveries to put the optimum combination of load, vehicle and team into the route using intelligence and all the factors involved.

2. Relinquish control Giving customers control to schedule or reschedule their deliveries as well as track where, in real time, the driver is, avoids the frustration of waiting for hours for a delivery and improves the convenience factor and experience for them. There are dynamic solutions that are able to intelligently re-route deliveries as well as accurately communicate the driver’s whereabouts.

3. Proof of delivery As many as 10% of shipments are either misdelivered, damaged or lost each year. It is incredibly frustrating for customers to be notified that their item has arrived, yet not have it – or worse, to have the item, only to find out it is damaged. Retailers need a solution that can accurately record proof of delivery, including pictures, video, notes and more, all from a driver’s mobile device, to ensure that the goods delivered are in great condition and are consistent with the consignee’s expectations.

4. Give customers what they want Customers care about the environment, and increasingly demand sustainable solutions. Cutting waste out of the last mile is one of the areas that can have the most impact for retailers in reducing their carbon footprint, and is an opportunity to impress customers. Optimising routes to be as efficient as possible will reduce emissions and have the added benefit of saving time and fuel costs.

In order to overcome supply chain issues, furniture retailers and brands can seize the opportunity to delight customers with exceptional sustainable delivery experiences through employing intelligent, dynamic routing solutions

By SIMON WILLIAMS www.bedfed.org.uk

So many things have changed in the bed industry over the last three decades, but one thing remains a constant – National Bed Month – which this year celebrates its 33rd year.

This promotional event is the envy of the other sectors in the furniture industry, raising awareness of the most important piece of furniture in the home, promoting the health benefits to consumers of buying a new bed (particularly one made by an NBFapproved member), and how to care for it to prolong its lifespan – an increasingly relevant message in today’s sustainable society.

In line with our NBF Green initiative, we are keen to promote the importance of caring for the bed to prolong its lifespan, rather than the not-sostraightforward message of simply replacing it every seven years. If the bed still provides the user with the comfort and support they need, they should continue to care for it to get the most out of it – look after your bed, and it will look after you!

This year’s theme is Wake Up on the Right Side, with the Right Bed (#RightSideOfTheBed), and will focus on bed-buying advice to ensure consumers get the right bed for their needs, plus tips on how to care for it and expert sleep advice from The Sleep Charity.

An all-new, multimedia marketing toolkit is available to ensure retailers – and in particular NBF Retail Champions and NBF members – are well equipped to support their customers. As well as a suite of logos, infographics and website banners, there is also a fantastic new video which can be shared on social media or embedded into websites. NBF Retail Champions and NBF members have exclusive access to the free downloadable toolkit from our website.

If bed retailers aren’t yet part of the NBF Retail Champions scheme, then we encourage them to apply to join the scheme and get fully involved with this fantastic promotional campaign, as well as receiving free PoS items and a listing on the new Bed Advice consumer-facing website.

After being offline for the last year, we’re excited to launch an updated Introduction to Beds course. It’s aimed at anyone new to the bed industry, whether in retail or manufacturing – in sales, buying, customer services, finance, production or logistics. What’s more, this course is now available completely free of charge and can be downloaded directly from the NBF website as per the above.

As well as providing an in-depth explanation of all the main product types – mattress constructions, divan bases, bedsteads and headboards – there’s sections covering major bed brands, relevant legislation, and a glossary of industry terminology. There are also up-to-date learnings about the UK bed market and consumer bed-buying habits, as well as a helpful overview on the NBF Code of Practice. A noteworthy addition to the latest version is an outline of the NBF Green agenda, covering existing and future NBF projects and advice for businesses making green claims.

The downloadable course gives users more flexibility, allowing them to go at their own pace and refer to it time and again as their go-to bed manual. At the end, participants can access a certificate of completion and offer their feedback on the course.

We encourage all businesses involved in the UK and Irish bed industry to include this free course as part of their employees’ induction process. It’s packed full of information that will particularly help any new starters and quickly enable them to get up to speed on the wonderful world of beds

INDUSTRY PARTNERS