The dust has settled and it looks like the holiday shopping season was a success. Data indicates that retail sales grew 3.8% to a record $964.4 billion. Consumers continue to show resiliency in their spending and kinks such as inventory level issues that clogged the supply chain in years past have largely been flattened out.

But shipping consumer goods has its challenges: customer tastes can change rapidly, seasonality is always a factor, and volumes are high. So, what does it take to get the hottest new toys, fidget spinners, and supplements to where they need to be on time?

In sum, it’s all about the customer and staying ahead of the tech curve. Here are a few pieces of advice for those budding businesses new to shipping.

Customer experience rules the transportation network
The term customer experience (CX) is widely used in business today. In some instances, a commitment to positive CX has even replaced superior quality or cost value guarantees. Why? Because, as stated by McKinsey & Company, “CX encapsulates everything a business does to put customers first, managing their journeys and serving their needs.”

The growing popularity of options like same-day delivery, free shipping, returns, and automatic shipments for frequently purchased items has brought CX to the forefront of the freight and logistics industry. Today’s customers expect easy, fast shipping to be a natural part of their ordering experience.

For shippers, this means the customer and their experience must be considered along every stage of the shipping journey. Here are three suggestions to help you prioritize CX from order placement to delivery:

1. Define what a positive experience for your customer looks like. Ultimately, this will hinge on the products you offer and customers you serve. However, there are some common CX measures that transcend business types such as on-time and intact delivery, frictionless setup or installation, and efficient support for resolving issues.

2. Align your workforce with these principles. Whether through an all-team meeting or CX playbook that outlines the approach, be sure to communicate the priority shift as you move forward.

3. Equip your team for CX success. Once you have these principles established and communicated, equip your team to integrate them across every customer touchpoint. For example, provide them with tools to deliver clear communication throughout the shipping journey, offer real-time visibility into order status, and bring seamless support for returns.

eCommerce is the shipping gateway
For small business shippers, eCommerce has become a common customer entry point. Most of your customers likely place orders online, which are then sent through your order fulfillment system to begin the logistics and shipping process.

To capitalize on the growth of eCommerce, we recommend identifying and addressing any gaps in your online ordering experience. For example, a report on consumer behavior found that 30% of consumers consider price as the most important factor when selecting a product—followed by convenience (22%) and cost of shipping (11%). If your current platform doesn’t allow customers to easily filter through these options, it may be time to upgrade.

Another important consideration is your shipping and logistics partner. Solutions such as Fulfillment by Amazon provide reliable logistics services to thousands of small businesses across the globe, helping them streamline shipping, storage, and returns. As this trend continues, selecting a reliable and affordable freight company to support your delivery needs will be key to business growth.

Streamlined freight logistics deliver shipper success
Shipping with Amazon Freight allows you to leverage the supply chain capabilities and technology of Amazon, along with more than 50,000 Amazon-owned dry van trailers. Our network runs 24/7/365—bringing the reliability, tracking, and high performance you deserve from a shipping provider that’s here to support you as these trends evolve.

Click here to create your Amazon Freight shipper account and start quoting loads immediately.