Optimise your e-commerce and delivery experience with Google Maps Platform

Commercial activity is being transformed in large steps from a face-to-face environment to another in which transactions are carried out on digital platforms. These online purchases are often collected in a shop or post offices, but more and more customers prefer to receive them directly at their homes.

The delivery process is therefore essential if the buyer is to enjoy the best e-commerce experience. Incorporating the functionalities of geolocation tools such as Google Maps Platform in e-commerce environments (applications and websites) can ensure:

• Exact and real-time knowledge about the items to be delivered
• Assignment of deliveries to the best drivers

• Optimisation of delivery routes

• Tracking of deliveries in real time by customers

• Privacy protection of customer location data

4 ways to improve deliveries and the e-commerce experience with Google Maps Platform

On its corporate blog, Google has just published an interesting article about various ways in which the Google Maps Platform improves delivery and the e-commerce experience. In addition, it highlights the components of this platform (SDK and API) that are most useful for developers of apps and websites.

Let’s take a closer look:

1. Minimise delivery errors

The better the delivery information, the lower the probability of returns resulting from incorrect addresses. To get the highest quality delivery data, a geolocation tool is essential.

What elements of the Google Maps Platform help us in this case?

• Autocomplete API.This component offers a service that predicts addresses. When integrated as part of your checkout flow, it speeds up address entry and reduces cart abandonment and delivery errors.
• Geocoding API. Makes it possible to specify the exact delivery location of the user. It is very useful to display a map with a pin to confirm delivery locations – a pin which can be relocated to the correct address by the user. It also makes it possible for the relocated pin to indicate the new specific address.
• Autocomplete and Geocoding API Plus Codes.Make it easier fordrivers / deliverymen to get accurate location addresses in the case of deliveries to imprecise or unofficial addresses.

2. Assign the best deliveryman / driver

By offering real-time traffic information, the GoogleMaps Platform makes it easy to optimise deliveries and assist the delivery fleet manager in assigning the best driver / deliveryman available.

What elements of the Google Maps Platform help us in this case?

• API Distance Matrix. Compare the time of the journey from each warehouse orstorage facility that has the item, making it possible to allocate the assignment to that which allows the fastest delivery. It also makes it possible to know the real duration of the journey, from when the shipment leaves its storage location until it reaches the customer, including taking into account traffic incidents. Finally, it facilitates the selection of the closest driver / deliveryman to complete the pick-up and delivery, increasing your productivity.
• API Roads. If drivers cannot be located at anyspecific time (for example, due to lack of coverage), their most probable position can be predicted. This increases accuracy in addresses and estimated arrival times (ETA), increasing efficiency and order management capacity.

3. Optimise your driver’s route

Once the deliveryman / driver is chosen, it is possible to give them the best directions so that they arrive on time to the delivery addresses.

What elements of the Google Maps Platform help us in this case?

• API Directions. Makes it possible to give detailed real time directions to thedriver, which take into account existing traffic or possible duration of the journey in specific sections. It also improves the order of the waypoints for deliveries, so that they are carried out in the shortest distance.

• StreetView. Incorporating this functionality into a mobile apphelps the driver see what the delivery location really looks like, helping them locate points for parking or stopping, for example. Its usefulness is increased when accompanied by voice prompts from Google Maps.

4. Keep the customer informed in real time of the estimated delivery arrival time

There is nothing better than transparency for winning the trust of customers. Informing them instantly about the status and location of their deliveries contributes to increasing their satisfaction with the service received and favouring loyalty.

What elements of the Google Maps Platform help us in this case?

• API Directions.Makes it possible to check what remains for the driver of the estimated timeof arrival (ETA) for the next delivery to the client.
• API Distance Matrix.Facilitates simultaneous verification of multiple ETAs. Real traffic should be activated so that the client knows the conditions of the road at all times and is aware of any incidents that may occur.
• Javascript API.Useful for developing a delivery tracker for websites,which allows a customer to monitor the location and status of their delivery in real time.

Conclusion

Businesses find themselves in a key moment with regard to taking the definitive step towards e-commerce. If this is complemented by geolocation functionalities, the online consumer experience and the quality of deliveries will improve significantly.

At Intelligence Partner we want to help you make the most of Google Maps Platform capabilities applied to the e-commerce environment: we are a Google Premier

Partner and we have outstanding expertise in the geolocation environment.

All you have to do is explain to us what your current situation is and the e-commerce objectives that you wish to achieve. Our experts will analyse this information and show you the best way to achieve them with the help of this geolocation solution.