How White Glove Services Can Help Your Business Grow

In 2020, consumers spent over $800 billion on ecommerce transactions, but standard shipping companies often leave a lot to be desired. Customers find damaged packages and sometimes no packages at all on their doorsteps. To keep their businesses ahead in this shipping-dominated, internet-based economy, many owners are turning to white glove services.

White glove delivery services elevate the customer experience through special shipping services. Every aspect of distribution, storage and delivery is tailored to the product being delivered and the customer receiving it. While this seemingly complicates your supply chain, white glove services help businesses grow and retain customers. But what exactly is white glove delivery and how can it help your business?

What is White Glove Service?

The term “white glove service” comes from butlers handling household needs with clean gloves. Traditionally, rooms were deemed clean by running a white-gloved finger over surfaces and meals were served on gleaming silver platters. Staff tailored every duty to the needs of the household.

In the context of supply chain management, white glove services include any shipping techniques that go beyond end-to-end delivery. This makes carriers better suited to handle materials including:

• High-value technology
• Specialized parts and machinery
• Fragile and temperature- or time-sensitive goods

Whether shipping to a business or an individual consumer, white glove delivery services know exactly what they’re carrying and tailor their methods to that particular item. They turn routine customer service into concierge-level experiences with attention to detail and specialized equipment.

How White Glove Services Enhance the Delivery Experience

White glove service starts before items are shipped, continues during transportation and only ends after technicians set up the product. The goal is to ensure total customer satisfaction every time.

Packaging

According to shipping publication Packing Digest, up to 11% of unit loads arrive damaged at distribution centers. Scaled to your business’s size, this can account for a lot of losses. Whether you’re shipping to businesses or individual consumers, damaged packaging hurts your profit margins, time efficiency and reputation.

Foregoing one-size-fits-all packaging, white glove services tailor packaging to fit the need. This can mean using corrugated boxes, foam lining or edge protectors. With superior packaging, you can position your business as a step ahead of competitors from the start.

Careful Shipping on a Customer-Established Timeline

Not solely motivated by speed, white glove delivery services focus on the customer experience. Their packing methods ensure that shifting loads don’t damage products. While every delivery company takes measures to minimize damage, many prioritize speed over quality. In contrast, white glove services employ:

• Climate-controlled shipping containers
• Padded delivery vans
• Security cameras for high-value items

The shipping timeline is determined by the customer’s availability. Though companies make many deliveries when customers aren’t home, letting them determine the arrival time saves them and your business from costly replacement deliveries in the event of theft or incorrect addresses.

Package Tracking and Metrics

Package tracking has become expected from consumers. Just giving an expected delivery time and date is no longer enough. Instead of being a hurdle for your business, package tracking can be a great tool for discovering troublesome routes and other hiccups.

This can help you improve your reverse logistics metrics, as well. By keeping tabs on every step of transportation, you may spend less time and money receiving damaged products, fulfilling refunds and sending replacements. You’ll be able to make incorrect deliveries right before customers take to reviewing websites for public complaints.

Last-Mile Delivery and Set-Up

To customers, last-mile delivery is the defining characteristic of white glove services. Instead of just leaving deliveries on doorsteps, trained technicians help customers set up products when they arrive. This can include smart-home technology, specialized machinery and home improvement installations. Many services, like home appliance businesses, even haul away old items when replacing them. For business deliveries, white glove carrier services make special accommodations for locations without receiving areas.

With technicians setting up products properly, your customers will spend more time enjoying the product and less time troubleshooting. If your customer is another business, you’re not just providing them new technology — you’re saving them time and money. As consumers turn more and more to the sea of ecommerce options, setting your business apart with stellar carrier services is one of your best marketing tools.