Some days ago, and it wasn't that far in the future, the life was simple: You'd ordered something and it will come. Today, the customer wants almost an instant delivery and that shows the negative consequences of the technology.
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So, you want a new guitar, or a sofa, or a meal. A normal chain of events would see a delivery company to say how much time it needs to performs a delivery but today the customers want it now.
OK, if you order a meal, you don't want it cold and tasteless the next day, you want it in a reasonable time. But, what difference does it make if you get your sofa in seven days? Would your life be substantially better if you get it today? You can't live without a new sofa for a week?
Of course, any reasonable person would say there are things that require a fast delivery and there are others that are OK with the slowest one. But the majority of the world is not reasonable these days.
You know that saying in some companies: "There are no "I need it now!" jobs. There are just customers who are late".
Companies introduced the same day delivery some time ago and now they are trying to achieve the same hour delivery. Because customers want that. No matter do you want a meal or a guitar, you want it now. And that's not normal.
Think about it. If you have to prepare the lunch in one hour and you need ingredients, who's fault is that? Yours. Why didn't you think before like your ancestors generations ago. It's not so hard to think in advance and get the groceries you need. Why putting a pressure on a delivery company?
Example two. You are waiting for drink in a restaurant and "Oh, my God, I wait five minutes now! FIVE minutes!" Well, it takes time to prepare a drink. And to be brought to you. And there are other guests. And there is not enough staff usually.
See, you are not the only one customer but the devil is in the technology: we all think we are the only one and we are entitled to a fast service, as fast as it can be. Everything is fast these days thanks to apps and we think that our life must be fast too.
And now we have problems.
Customer complain about "slow service" and others will start to avoid a particular business, without asking how slow it really is.
Sometimes it's impossible to serve everybody fast. There are many clients, some problem arise, there is a supply chain problem, somebody is sick or there's something else.
So, you see, sometimes it is impossible to get what you want right now. And that's normal if you think about it.
And if you are a part of the company that faces the same problem, have this is mind: people will approve a slower delivery time but they will not approve a rude answer or the talk to a talking machine.
A machine that sends you in circles, without a chance to speak to a real human. And if happens that that human doesn't speak English when they finally answer, your customer is pissed beyond belief.
Don't be that company. Pay attention to customers and try to treat them as humans, not only on the paper, but for real. Don't try to fulfill everyone's wishes right away, offer them a proper help and a human touch and your customers will stay yours.
And if you are a customer, imagine if you had a hundred requests at the same time. And everybody complain about the delivery time!
So, let's slow down a little and try to live a slower life. It will benefit your health. And everyone around you.
But there are other problems that may lead to a slow delivery of whatever you want.
First, there are supply chain problems. Now it is obvious that "just in time" model doesn't work because if one part of the supply chain falls, everything else falls. Good old warehouses are coming into game and self-sufficiency is very valued now.
Then, shifting everything to China, lead by greed and cheap labor that doesn't make a product any cheaper for a customer, now strikes back. Important components are missing for various industries and companies are searching for new cheap countries, but the damage was done.
Then, there is a lack of workers, the slowdown in consumption, elevated inflation and a combination of other factors.
So, what's the solution to the problem? Let me think about it.
It could be higher wages that would attract new employees and increase productivity, and the production set in your own country or a nearby country if possible. As a company, you know your options better, as a customer, you may adapt. ■