If there's one factor that the pandemic greatly accelerated this year, it was digital transformation. During this period, companies of all sizes and segments were forced to develop new sales and customer relationship channelsbased on digital means.
Since many businesses experienced periods of closure and drops in revenue in the initial phase, entrepreneurs had no alternative but to adapt to delivery services, causing the demand for this type of service to increase considerably.
And it's a mistake to think that this trend will only impact companies in the food industry. Today, iFood, one of the main delivery apps focused on food delivery, also works for supermarkets, pet shops, and pharmacies. There are even cases of convenience stores and flower shops that are on iFood as well.
Therefore, the companies that will come out ahead in 2021 will be those that view delivery channels as another way to connect with their customers, evaluate them, and acquire new ones.
With that in mind, we've created a comprehensive guide with relevant information about the delivery sector in Brazil, and the factors you should focus on to improve your relationship with the delivery industry through this channel.
Shall we go?
What is delivery and how can it be used strategically?
Although it may seem obvious to some people, the term 'delivery' means 'entrega' in Portuguese, and in recent years, the term has become popular mainly among restaurants, becoming synonymous with ordering food online.
Although the word is directly associated with "food delivery," it applies to all other types of delivery services. To better understand the concept of delivery, check out some tips on how you can use this service strategically in retail.
#1 Monitor your online reputation through this channel
A 2018 study by Reviews Trackers indicated that 70% of consumers use rating filters when searching for establishments, with the most common being related to 4 and 5-star ratings. In other words, businesses with ratings below 4 stars don't even appear in search results.
Most delivery companies already use this review system to rate establishments, and this score becomes the virtual showcase of your businessfor people who have never bought from you. Therefore, it is essential to manage your customer reviews through this platform.
Harmo is the first and only review management platform in Brazil to be an official iFood partner!
Through our platform, you can monitor your brand's online reputation on the main review sites in the market, including: iFood, Google My Business, Facebook, TripAdvisor, Yelp, and many others. Obtain consolidated data from all these channels on a single platform, and ensure you respond to all your customers in a personalized way and in the communication tone characteristic of your brand!
#2 Pay attention to the basic information about your business
Before taking various actions to attract customers to your delivery service, it's essential to structure and complete all the basic information about your business. This is because, if users don't have a good experience, they are unlikely to return and won't recommend your establishment to others.
Therefore, always pay close attention to the delivery area, opening hours, and delivery order team. If the company expects to receive many delivery orders, it's ideal to create a separate process and team just for this function, aiming to avoid delivery delays and long waiting times.
#3 Promote and update your customers through social media
Virtually everyone is present on some form of social media these days, so use this communication channel to promote your business's news, products, and services.
#4 Personalize the delivery drivers
Your delivery team can also be part of your delivery marketing strategy. In addition to being trained to serve customers politely and courteously, they can promote your brand with printed materials and stickers on their uniforms or delivery backpacks, displaying the company logo, phone number, and even discount coupons to increase customer retention or acquisition.
Data on delivery services in Brazil:
Between April and June of this year (2020), spending on the main food delivery apps (Rappi, Ifood and Uber Eats) grew by 94.67% during the period, meaning it almost doubled compared to January and May 2019. (Mobills)
Check out more data we've collected about the delivery sector in Brazil:
- In the first quarter alone, James Delivery, a platform of the Pão de Açúcar Group (GPA), grew 800% in total number of orders and increased the average order value by 130% compared to the same period in 2019. Propmark
- Downloads of delivery apps grew 25% during the pandemic. Valor Econômico
- Spending on delivery services grew by 60.67% in April compared to March. The growth continued to increase: 39.58% (in May) compared to April. iDinheiro
- Transaction value increases by up to 90%. iDinheiro
- On March 6, 2020, downloads of delivery apps (including food delivery apps) grew by more than 120% compared to the same date in 2019 in the country. Statista
- Brazil was a standout in the delivery sector in Latin America in 2020. The country accounted for almost half of the market, reaching 48.77%. Mexico and Argentina followed, with approximately 27.07% and 11.85%, respectively. (Delivery Much)
- iFood recorded a growth of 116% between November 2018 and November 2019, reaching more than 26 million monthly orders.
Conclusion
As you may have noticed, delivery is much more than just a system for buying and delivering food online. This service can and should also be used as a channel for building relationships and acquiring customers, and this trend is only expected to increase due to the development of digitalization in the sector.
Delivery can be a great opportunity for retail companies, as long as they change the way they view the channel and start managing their online reputation as their digital storefront for acquiring new customers.