Can you introduce us to the Descartes company and its sector of activity?
Founded in 1981 in Canada, Descartes has become in 30 years the world leader in tailor-made SaaS (Software as a Service) solutions, designed to increase the productivity, performance and security of logistics companies.
Descartes offers a range of modular logistics and supply chain management solutions to route, plan, track and measure deliveries; allocate necessary resources and manage shipments; assess and pay transportation-related bills; to access world trade data; Submit customs and security documents for international imports and exports.
In 2022, Descartes achieved a turnover of 486 million dollars. This constantly increasing number has been possible thanks to the 26,000 customers who trust us around the world and our 2,100 employees.
You conducted a study with the firm Sapio Research to identify customer expectations. What does the result of this study tell us?
In fact, we carried out, with the firm Sapio Research, a study on a panel made up of a thousand electronic buyers in France. The results of this study, completed last February, made it possible to identify a series of trends to better understand consumer expectations regarding electronic commerce and their degree of satisfaction or dissatisfaction.
Among the 1,000 consumers surveyed, 44% say they shop online at least every two weeks, which corresponds to a 14% increase compared to the 2021/2022 period. On the other hand, 49% of the panel say they intend to increase the frequency of their online purchases, whether the packages are delivered directly to their homes or via relay points. This trend shows that the cost of shipping is once again one of the determining points of online purchases, unlike the shipping method. E-buyers will tend to choose the cheapest delivery, even if it means having to go to a collection point to pick up their package.
Delivery is at the heart of e-commerce challenges. 65% of the claims refer to delivery times. Among the 1,000 consumers surveyed, ⅔ said they had experienced delivery problems in the last three months. Among them, 25% go so far as to declare that they have lost confidence and do not want to repeat the experience with the same vendor.
Finally, while 76% of consumers state that they take the environment into account during the purchase process, only 15% of them consider this criterion as a determining factor.
What can we conclude about the main issues related to the delivery of products and services purchased online?
It is obvious that the more e-commerce develops, the more e-consumers have rigorous expectations. In 2021, 1.7 billion packages were delivered in France for a growth of 14.9%. As we can see, electronic commerce has great economic value. Based on this study, we understand that delivery should in no way constitute a barrier or an impediment to placing an order. The good financial health of companies depends on it. Thus, the challenge for companies is to offer the maximum number of delivery options to customers without this search for satisfaction affecting the performance of the company.
Issues related to delivery are numerous: the cost of delivery, the shipping method, the delivery time and the time slots. All these criteria, which should not be taken lightly, are a real challenge for companies. This is where Descartes logistics solutions make all their sense with companies and distributors, allowing them to combine performance, security and attractiveness.
How do companies adapt to consumer expectations to differentiate themselves from their competition through their delivery service?
Companies are committed to increasingly satisfying customer expectations. For example, many companies offer detailed delivery tracking from when the order is picked up until the package arrives safely. At any time, the customer can connect and follow the progress of the delivery. This type of innovative solution represents real added value, increasing the stratification and trust of customers who will be more likely to recommend the same dealer. Finally, companies have integrated environmental issues into their delivery policy by offering green alternatives.
All these measures illustrate the real desire of companies to meet the expectations of their customers. Resilient companies no longer hesitate to question and develop their operating methods by constantly offering new alternatives.
This content was produced with SCRIBEO. The BFMBUSINESS editorial team was not involved in the production of this content.
Source: BFM TV
