In the fast-paced world of logistics, shipping delays are inevitable. If you have a business that ships on a regular basis, learn the best way to communicate shipping delays to your customers and, therefore, maintain good relations with them.

Responding to customers after a late carrier delivery

If you need to respond to a customer about a late carrier delivery, empathy goes a long way. Consider the following example:

“Dear X, please accept our apologies for this delay with your delivery. We are currently investigating the situation and will get back to you as soon as we get more information.”

In order to communicate delays to your customers in the most effective manner, imagine if it were your shipment being delayed and set the tone of your communication accordingly.

The best way to communicate shipping delays to your customers is to gather as much information as you can about the reasons for the delivery delay.

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Determine whether it is due to a courier delay or other external factors that cannot be controlled. Delays cannot always be prevented and it can be even more frustrating if you are a third party during the whole process. However, if you communicate with your customer in an upfront and proactive way, they are more likely to keep trusting you and doing business with you.

To avoid such delays, choose our Priority Express service to minimise the risk of shipping delays, especially if you have an urgent shipment to deliver to your customer. Book Express and get your shipment delivered in 24-72 hours, depending on the route.

Book an Express shipment

What do you say to customers when their shipping order is late?

When communicating shipping delays to customers, you should be as transparent as possible. If you proactively try to explain a late delivery to a customer and resolve the issue, they are more likely to keep doing business with you in the future.

Follow these guidelines when notifying customers about shipping delays:

• Tell them what the delay is. You do not need to go too much into detail. The most common reasons for shipping delays are operational or technical difficulties on the courier end.
• Let your customer know you are sorry for the inconvenience caused by the late delivery.
• Be clear about the steps you will take in order to resolve the matter – including changing the courier company if necessary.
• Follow the shipment tracking status and notify the customer of the new estimated delivery time once you get it.
• If possible, offer some compensation for the wait or a discount on a future order.

How can Eurosender help you communicate shipping delays to customers?

At Eurosender, our goal is to make your shipping process as smooth and seamless as possible. Register with a business account for free and let our logistics experts guide you through the entire shipping process.

We aim to keep good communication and support you in case of shipping delays. Our logistics experts are in contact with our courier partners and are able to advise you how to explain a late delivery to your customer.

How to solve late shipping issues

Think about whether shipping delays happen frequently in your business. Check if your estimated delivery time is realistic and whether you need to amend delivery times communicated to your customers.

If you notice repetitive shipping delays in certain areas, you may need to think about changing or blocking the courier company on that route.

While doing this may mean an increase in your shipping costs, it is a good long-term investment and means less time lost informing your customer about shipment delivery delays.

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Tips for better handling of shipping delays

Always try to plan and predict realistically in order to avoid handling shipping delays. Even if competitors offer a faster shipping time, it is better to set the right expectations for your customer so that you will not have to solve late shipping issues.

• Try not to send items last minute unless it is an exceptional case requiring urgent delivery.
• Partner up with a reliable logistics provider with a good reputation.
• See that you always have up-to-date tracking information.