What is Electronic Proof of Delivery & How it Improves Customer Experience?

The last mile customer experience in the current time demands one element over many others: Electronic Proof of Delivery (E-POD). Why has the need for this element in particular grown so much in such a short time? The answer lies in the wide range of utilities it is able to provide. Let’s take a look into what they are and how electronic proof of delivery makes last-mile delivery a better experience.

What is Electronic Proof of Delivery?

Electronic proof of delivery or E-POD is an electronic signature or receipt that is associated with the product that is delivered to the consumer. A digital acknowledgment of a typical paper delivery receipt or note is known as an electronic proof of delivery. Last-mile agents can use E-POD to record various information on their mobile devices, such as delivery confirmation, delivery status, etc. After a successful delivery, it is commonly done by capturing a photo of the delivered order or getting an electronic signature from the consumer.

How is Electronic Proof of Delivery important?

Proof of delivery is a necessary element when it comes to both an effective supply chain and a successful sales process. It provides end-to-end accountability among shippers and purchasers, POD is also closely related to revenue generation.

It effectively records the physical chain of possession for a specific order. It’s a delivery record that ensures the following:

• That the correct recipient obtained the package from the right supplier.
• Proper recognition of where and when a fault, if any, occurred in cases of damage claims or missed deliveries,
• Proper and easy resolution of disputes about shipping claims, particularly for online shopping transactions.

This is used by senders to prove the completion of a delivery and transfer the ownership of the goods to the recipient. POD paperwork is also beneficial to recipients. A signed receipt sets off a chain of ownership inside the company, allowing them to trace when and in what state an item arrived.

Why Use Electronic Proof of Delivery?

Whether your firm is large or small, whether you operate an internal or external fleet, incorporating E-POD may convert your business into a more productive and cost-efficient delivery service provider.

Increase Customer Satisfaction

In almost all of the cases, customers are less likely to return after a single delivery experience that was poor. It is critical to maintain real-time engagement with your consumers throughout the delivery process in order to keep them updated on the status of their purchases. After delivering the parcel, the agent can quickly email an E-POD to the office personnel and the buyer.

Enabling automated alerts prompted by e-POD input can improve your customer experience for shipping partners and end customers. The majority of customers want to be able to monitor their packages in real-time. You’ll save time by fielding fewer “Where is my package?” phone calls and provide a better customer experience by automating your operations, including delivery confirmation.

Eliminate Excess Paperwork

Manual data collection is a time-consuming operation. It is distinguished by lengthy delays between the stages of acquiring and processing information. Furthermore, it is based on a media that is readily harmed, misplaced, or destroyed.

Digital POD software, on the other hand, is simple to use. The E-POD software allows operations teams to gather data from the field with a simple, automated procedure, reducing the administrative and cost load of manually filling out forms. This also means the margin of human error is largely cut down, meaning the handled process will be accurate as well.

Increased Visibility & Security

E-PODs are an important tool for improving end-to-end visibility in logistics. It not only facilitates the collecting of data collected by on-the-ground personnel, but it also transmits real-time status updates to office staff and alarms in the event of any diversions or suspected manipulation in the delivery process.

Some courier firms additionally provide a snapshot of the item delivered to the recipient’s address, giving the sender an added degree of safety. The photograph also demonstrates the state in which the item was delivered to the receiver. This way, E-POD protects your delivery crew from false accusations or negative comments from clients.

Increasing Performance and Efficiency

The capability to share, receive, and retrieve data instantaneously via electronic proof of delivery devices increases employee efficiency. Operators may dynamically plan additional activities as orders come, allowing drivers and carriers to execute more delivery drop-offs. Most importantly, the massive volume of data gathered may be used to enhance performance at every step of the delivery process. Operations managers can use key performance indicators (KPIs) to identify and correct problems, or they can simply take measures to enhance specific operations throughout the entire service.

The last-mile delivery field is becoming more relevant with every passing day, and the importance of a properly built chain of processes is as high as ever. Electronic proof of delivery might just be the next step for your company to take in order to reach its peak. And providing you with just that, comes Nuport. With the industry-peaking utility when it comes to delivery management and automation, Nuport comes with the promise of bringing all the benefits to your business. Schedule a demo today!