With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers are finding more opportunities through e-commerce adoption and no contact pickup. It becomes possible with technologies like automated lockers that allow retailers to maintain a steady flow of deliveries even under stringent conditions.
Contactless fulfillment is expected to become a new business tool in the future as well. Also called BOPIS or curbside delivery, it enables the customers to receive their packages at a collection point near their place at a convenient time. It has a lesser possibility of human contact, making the process of deliveries safer.
Here are the things to understand about no-contact/curbside pickup in these challenging environments.
How Are No-Contact Pickups Managed?
When you buy a product online and get it delivered at a retail store, it is called the BOPIS order. Every year, this trend is increasing by capitalizing on high consumer demands for free and fast shipping. The system is not only fast but also secure. It relies on automated lockers to manage the supply end of the transactions. Customers can collect their orders without any queues, and there is no disruption in your retail operations as well.
After the order is ready, customers get an automated notification through text or email. There is a barcode or a pickup code in the notification. You can visit the collection point and scan the barcode to get access to the secure locker having your package. It reduces the cost of last-mile parcel deliveries and improves overall customer experiences. The locker works as a robotic solution that allows retail stores to store hundreds of parcels using minimal physical space.
In the current epidemic situation, they can simplify the process of retail deliveries without any risk of contamination or direct human contact.
Advantages of Using Automated Lockers for No-Contact Pickups
Once you understand the functioning of automated retail lockers, it is crucial to identify their significance in the current scenarios. Convenience is a significant benefit undoubtedly, but that’s not all. Other benefits of this technology are:
- Versatility and Flexibility
Lockers offer a lot of flexibility to the retailers. From refrigerated lockers for grocery orders to car key handovers in car dealerships, they provide versatility and flexibility in customer service. The shopping habits are changing rapidly in all parts of the world, especially in this crisis. As a result, automated lockers and no-contact pickup will become a necessity for businesses in every sector.
- Safety through Contactless Deliveries
Many online customers have concerns about the delivery staff coming to their homes. They prefer curbside pickup as a precautionary step to remain safe from the spread of the pandemic.
Now, your business can sustain these conditions only through contactless delivery, where you can use push notifications to communicate with the customers and automated lockers to manage the last-mile deliveries. Even when the physical stores are closed, customers can receive their orders from these lockers.
- Ease of Use and Efficiency
Typically, automated lockers come with a single user console that simplifies the process of loading and collecting the parcels. While store associates can load the packages from a single place, customers can also pick up deliveries from a convenient position using a few buttons. The process is less time-consuming due to automation.
So, even in the current pandemic situations, businesses can maintain the efficiency of their customer services and deliveries through innovation and automation.
