The Black Friday and Christmas season is one of the most important times of the year for just about every logistics business. A recent report has predicted that UK shoppers are predicted to spend 24.1 billion pounds online between November 1st and December 31st period, up from 23.5 billion pounds in the same period last year. And this year, we’re heading into the festive season, where inflation and the cost of living crisis will have a big impact.
So, how are delivery companies going to prepare and manage their peak deliveries?
Prepare early
Preparation is key, you cannot be prepared enough. Many delivery firms start planning about 8 months in advance.
It may sound obvious, but what does being prepared actually mean?
- Forecasting expected Christmas demand
- Assessing the capabilities within your delivery team
- Ensuring all delivery drivers are updated with a peak plan of action
- Make sure you are confident you can handle a large increase in parcels
Recruit peak delivery drivers
Having extra hands on deck will help make operations as smooth as possible. But couriers should recruit seasonal drivers in enough time to make sure they are well trained and given a clear process to follow.
Not only this, but delivery businesses need to collect all the correct documentation from their drivers to ensure they’re ready to get out on the road. This requirement should be applicable to all drivers, irrespective of whether they are seasonal or not.
Communication
Delivery services should prioritise effective communication internally, ensuring that all team members, including seasonal hires, are well-trained and equipped with the necessary information to handle the increased workload efficiently.
As the demand for fast deliveries will increase, having a big focus on communication emerges as a vital element in the success of delivery businesses during peak periods.
How can Wise help?
Wise is the industry leading onboarding and payments software for the last-mile industry. Through the Wise Platform you can onboard drivers in up to 10 minutes helping you get seasonal drivers implemented into your business as soon as possible!
Not only this, with Wise you can collect all driver documentation digitally and receive automated notifications when their documents are close to expiring, allowing you to stay on top of your business operations even outside of peak period.
To learn more about how Wise, can help speak to a product expert here.
