What can your RDS learn from other big players in the delivery business?
Delivery services, such as supply chain and logistics companies, literally make the world go round. We rely on these companies for groceries, clothes, medication, and countless other necessities. And that reliability is the product of many, many years of refinement.
These companies have mastered the art of seamless delivery and complex logistics—at a staggering scale. What if your restaurant delivery service (RDS) could do the same?
Of course, no one is expecting you to become UPS or DHL overnight. But even a small RDS can learn a lot of solid principles from the big guys.
Here are four important logistics and shipping lessons you can apply to your RDS:
Design your supply chain for reliability and flexibility.
Every business is vulnerable to unexpected changes. The best companies prepare for the inevitable by prioritizing flexibility in their operations. This is especially true for delivery service companies, who may encounter countless figurative and literal roadblocks along the supply chain. These companies make it a priority to have multiple options available for getting from Point A to Point B. Their customers can count on them to find a way to make the delivery, even if something goes awry.
Additionally, these companies are aware of their limits. If they realize that a certain route or delivery is unrealistic, they simply don’t offer it. They may actively research ways to expand their offerings, but they don’t make promises they know they can’t keep.
As an RDS owner, you can adopt several of these principles for your own business. For example, there may be a certain neighborhood in your city where on-time deliveries are extremely difficult. Or a certain restaurant’s food just doesn’t travel well, no matter how hard you try. You may decide to remove these things from your scope.
You can also find ways to make your own “supply chain” more flexible. Good restaurant delivery software will give your drivers multiple route options for making deliveries. If there’s a slowdown due to construction or an accident, they can take a different route, which minimizes tardiness. You can also empower drivers to take advantage of their own knowledge of the city, so they can adapt in the moment.
Make use of technology.
Technology can make or break a business. The wrong technology can make things too complicated, and you can find yourself buried in IT issues. But the right technology can open doors to greater possibilities. World-class delivery service companies use technology to communicate with customers, track shipments, and manage data on a massive scale. Technology is why we have two-day shipping, tracking numbers, up-to-the-minute inventory management, and more.
Your RDS can benefit from technology, too—especially restaurant delivery software. Software makes it easier for your customers to place an order and for your restaurant clients to update their menus. Software is the key to order tracking and hands-free navigation. Learn more about restaurant delivery software technology >
Build strong relationships with your suppliers and your customers.
Technology is an excellent asset to any business. But technology alone cannot maintain relationships—and relationships are vital. Excellent delivery services understand that relationship management is non-negotiable and invest significant resources into nurturing them. They are constantly connecting with both suppliers and customers to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met.
As a restaurant delivery service owner, you have your own relationships to maintain. Your restaurant clients are counting on you to represent them well. Your customers are counting on you for timely delivery of food at the right temperature. Even if you meet all their expectations, you should still be keeping in touch on a regular basis.
Use surveys to ask your delivery customers for regular feedback. Use marketing emails to keep them updated on what you offer. Call or email your restaurant clients on a regular basis to check in and see how things are going. Ask them what they need from you and how you can work better together. Even if things are going incredibly well, the fact that you made an effort can make a big impression.
Constantly monitor—and improve—your performance.
The most successful delivery services are not satisfied with simply sticking to the status quo. Efficiency is among the top priorities of any delivery professional, so they’re always looking for ways to streamline. They are constantly reviewing performance metrics in search of things they can do better. This curiosity has led to countless innovations and improvements to supply chains and shipping technology over the years.
That level of intense and constant self-scrutiny requires data—and a lot of it. If you’re going to borrow this strategy, you’ll need access to current data on your RDS’s activity and performance. That’s where restaurant delivery software comes in. A good program, like DataDreamers, automatically stores a wide range of data points. As a result, you can pull a custom report at a moment’s notice.
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DataDreamers is top-quality restaurant delivery software that can make your RDS run like the best in the business. To learn more, schedule a demo >