Customer Experience in Delivery Services

My first job was delivering newspapers in Ohio. 30+ years later, I still use the 3 rules I learned on that paper route to optimize enterprise digital experiences. Rule 1: Know your customers individually Some customers wanted their paper between the screen door and front door. Some preferred it in the mailbox. Some needed theirs by 6 AM sharp. I learned every house on my route... their preferences, their schedules, and their pet peeves. Most companies today build user personas in conference rooms. They optimize for users they've never met. Rule 2: Consistency beats perfection Some mornings were freezing. Others were pouring rain. I still delivered every paper. Customers didn't care if I was having a bad day. They expected their paper where they wanted it, when they wanted it. Digital experiences work the same way. Users don't care about your internal challenges. They want reliability. Rule 3: Fix problems before customers complain If my toss of their paper was off (which happened often and is likely why I played basketball instead of baseball 😅), I walked to pick it up and place it where it should have gone. I learned that preventing problems was easier than fixing angry customers. The same applies to websites and apps. Identify friction points before users abandon their journey. Success comes from understanding individual needs, delivering consistently, and solving problems proactively. These fundamentals haven't changed. Whether you're delivering newspapers or removing all the bad digital experiences until only the good ones remain, it's about serving people better than they expect. PS – I went looking for photos of me delivering newspapers and couldn't find any (I was likely the only one up at 5:30am!) but I did find this map of my first route 🗞️

We often focus on optimizing the UX of online ordering, but what about the time after an order is placed? That gap, when a customer is either driving to pick up their food or waiting for delivery, is a golden opportunity to enhance your brand experience. 📍 Here's how to make that waiting time more engaging: Feedback Incentives: Ask for feedback with perks like loyalty points or a fun haiku challenge. It’s a great way to keep them engaged and gather valuable insights. Referral Rewards: Encourage customers to share a deal with friends for mutual discounts. It’s the perfect time when their excitement about your food is at its peak. Social Sharing: Prompt them to share their experience on social media for a chance to win merchandise. It’s a win-win for brand exposure and customer engagement. Support a Cause: Use this moment to ask if they’d like to round up their total for charity, with a matching donation from your brand. Message from Leadership: Send a thank-you note from your leadership team, reinforcing brand loyalty and inviting honest feedback. Let’s leverage this “dead air” to create a lively, memorable brand experience. Ready to discuss more ideas? Let’s connect here or reach out to me directly. Cheers to making every moment count! 🚀✨ #RestaurantMarketing #CustomerExperience #BrandEngagement #DigitalStrategy #JosephSzala #restaurantordering #RestaurantTechnology #RestaurantExperience #UX #GuestExperience #GX #CX #UserExperience #CustomerService #RestaurantStrategy Would love to hear your thoughts! Until next time, cheers.

“Customers don’t remember what they ordered. They remember how it arrived.” 🔴 The Lifecycle of an Order – Step 5: Delivery Experience By the time food is dispatched, your customer’s expectations are sky-high. The delivery isn’t the end of the journey, it’s your brand’s final handshake. Here’s what truly shapes the delivery moment: ✅ Live Driver Tracking Visibility builds trust. Tools like Biteberry offer ETAs, live tracking, and driver ratings. ✅ Delivery Protocols Good packaging, clean uniforms, and visible ID badges matter. It’s not just about safety, it’s about professionalism. ✅ Timing Sync kitchen prep time with driver arrival via platforms like UrbanPiper to keep meals hot and fresh. ✅ The Human Element Whether it’s your own fleet or third-party couriers, the person at the door still represents your brand. A friendly “Enjoy your meal!” goes further than you think. 🟠 7 seconds. That’s often all it takes for a customer to decide if they’ll order again. I’ve seen one late handoff spiral into refund requests and lost customers. But I’ve also seen how small operational tweaks lifted CSAT scores overnight. What’s the most memorable delivery you’ve had—good or bad? (Was it the packaging, the timing… or the person at the door?) —— I’m sharing this full series to unpack The Lifecycle of an Order—from first discovery to final feedback. This is the kind of work I love solving, especially at scale. And if you’re growing a hospitality or food tech brand and want to get this right at scale, I’d love to connect.

The first mile buying experience doesn’t differentiate your brand. Your last mile does. Retailers spend millions on ad campaigns, slick websites, and seamless checkout experiences—then completely drop the ball on the post-purchase experience (PPX). Here’s the reality: 1️⃣ Experience defines your brand. Customers don’t remember the ad that got them to buy. They remember if their order arrived late, got lost, or lacked communication. 2️⃣ Customers don’t see carriers. When a delivery is late, they don’t blame FedEx or UPS—they blame you. Every tracking update, every delay, every return—it’s YOUR brand in their eyes. 3️⃣ PPX is the battleground. The last mile is where brands win or lose long-term loyalty. The best retailers own the full experience—they don’t let carriers dictate their customer relationships. Yet too many brands hand off the last mile experience to third-party carriers. ❌ They lose control of tracking updates. ❌ They miss the chance to engage customers post-purchase. ❌ They give up revenue opportunities in the process. 💡 The best brands treat post-purchase as a competitive advantage. ✅ They own tracking, updates, and communication. ✅ They proactively engage customers before they have to ask. ✅ They turn delivery into a revenue and loyalty driver. parcelLab