The impact of road freight service delivery on customer experience

Abstract

Purpose: Road freight transport is the most commonly used form of transport, particularly in cities and other urban areas and is considered the most efficient and effective. This is due to its ease of accessibility and speed. However, there are challenges facing the road freight industry which affect the service delivery to their customers. This study establishes the challenges encountered by road freight companies and how these challenges impact the customer experience. It also establishes strategies that can be employed by road freight companies to mitigate the challenges impacting customer experience. Design/methodology/approach: The study employed a primary data collection strategy. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected using a structured questionnaire through an anonymous Qualtrics survey. The survey was distributed through LinkedIn and email databases to employees, managers and customers of road freight transport industries. A total of 300 responses were received from a targeted 385 individuals. Findings: The study establishes several service delivery issues caused by road freight transport service providers which have a direct impact on customer experience. The study found that regardless of some of the issues experienced, most customers are happy (20%) and satisfied with the service received (58%) and would recommend the service to friends and colleagues (68%). The findings were that late delivery (69%) was the main issue experienced by customers using road freight transport services. This was followed by redeliveries due to a failed initial delivery (13%) attempt and short delivered orders (10%). Improvement in communication between stakeholders, route planning before delivery and continuous customer feedback to improve on services were some of the recommendations provided from the survey. Originality/value/contribution: The literature on this study is based on similar studies that were conducted around service delivery by road freight companies and last-mile delivery. This study provides insight into the challenges of service and possible remedies for improving service delivery and ultimately improving customer experience. The result of this study provides value to road freight companies in that it gives them an understanding of their market so that they can align their strategies in line with the needs and recommendations of their customers.