Last-mile delivery is one of the most challenging and expensive parts of the delivery. Getting a package (or packages) to the customer seems like the easy part when it comes down to making sure the package gets into the customer’s hands. Enter the “last yard delivery.

“Last Yard" Delivery Challenges For 3PL Companies

There are several reasons for “last mile” and “last yard” challenges for both B2B and B2C shippers. It’s one thing to get the package from the manufacturer, into the US, and trucked to a warehouse or other facility, and another where the customer actually receives it in hand. It’s between those two points in time where things get complicated.

Where The Challenge Begins

The recent pandemic has driven online ordering to a place where nobody could have predicted just a few months ago. According to a survey by Adobe, sales of gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer increased a whopping 807% from January 1 through mid-March, along with similar increases for canned foods, toilet paper, and over-the-counter medications.

On a regular basis, 62% of online shoppers do so at least monthly. But just in the month of March, online grocery shopping increased by nearly 50%. What’s more, many of these shoppers will likely continue to grocery shop online even after the pandemic has subsided. Sales of fitness equipment and home office furnishings have also increased steadily since mid-March as people began working from home.

More Than Just The Address

One of the biggest foils for delivery people is the multi-family residence. Apartment complexes, high-rise buildings, and gated condominium, townhome, and residential communities mean that although the driver gets to the physical address, finding the intended recipient can be an incredible challenge, especially for larger developments. Drivers may be required to return to a residence two or three times to finally make the delivery when someone is available.

On the B2B side, similar delivery issues exist in industrial or office “park” areas, with multiple businesses at the same address. In some cases, it can include co-working spaces, where people all work in the same building, but for their own companies, or a range of different companies.

Additionally, many B2B deliveries include large amounts of freight delivered consistently, such as those from auto parts manufacturers to auto parts stores.

This means more deliveries to places that aren’t always easy to find. Coupled with these factors are the customers who want to receive their packages faster, with “free shipping.”

Locales

Cities get bigger and more complex, making any kind of delivery increasingly difficult. Badly run mailrooms and disorganized receiving departments are just some of the things encountered when getting a package to its final destination. Each step in the process increases the delay in getting packages to their intended recipients, resulting in customer dissatisfaction.

Customers in rural areas expect the same fast shipping as customers inside of a city, so companies must be able to deliver anywhere with the same speed to remain viable.

Additional problems occur at delivery and drop off locations that can result in delayed, lost, or damaged packages.

Last Mile Or Last Yard Logistic—Let 3PL Worldwide Help

We understand that getting deliveries to your customers can be more time consuming than it should be.  

3PL Worldwide offers your company logistical services as well as services such as call center for customer service, bicoastal warehouse space in Southern California, and Connecticut, as well as freight transport to and from nearly anywhere. Located in Southern California, we’re ready to help. Contact us today at (877) 444-0002 or use our online contact form to get started outsourcing your supply chain.

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