Ever had a situation where you or a friend had to wait all day (or even days!) for an appliance delivery? If so, you’re not alone.
However, there are currently better alternatives and technologies to help you save time on appliance deliveries.
In fact, you should always know within 30 minutes of any delivery arrival. 30 minutes. Not all day.
A Frank Look at the Problems Associated with Appliance Delivery
Let me be very honest for a minute:
You will probably have a problem with your appliance delivery. Between installation, removal of your existing appliances, floor damage, product damage, wrong products and just basic stairs, there is always an issue with an appliance delivery.
It is for this reason we published a delivery checklist. This way, instead of being in the dark and taking risks, you can bring the checklist to your appliance store and insure you receive a complete delivery without issues. You can download it here.
Now let us talk about the worst part of your upcoming delivery and what to do about it to make it the best experience possible.
The History of Appliance Delivery Times
When I started in 1986, you were given a day to get your appliance delivered. In other words, you waited home all day and the delivery happened sometime between 8 am and 8 pm.
Yep, not good.
Of course, this would be a pretty awful experience now, but back then clients were happy we actually delivered (most did not) on the assigned day.
In the 1990s, we were able to commit to morning or afternoon times. By doing so, we saved half your day, but that clearly isn’t good enough.
In 2000, that half day became a two-hour timeframe.
But again, we weren’t satisfied. We knew there had to be a better way.
Uber and The Technology of Now
Ever ride with Uber or Lyft? You hit a button and you see who is coming and when. I always wondered why we could not do the same with appliances.
Turns out we can…and so can your appliance dealer
Get our free Appliance Delivery Checklist so you can avoid potential issues with any appliance delivery
Pizza vs. Appliances
I unveiled this last week to our staff. Someone said Dominos now tells you when your pizza will be in the oven, when it is finished, when it is on the road. Pizza is pretty easy.
Depending on the toppings, pizza cooks the same way, so the expectation should be similar. You can throw them a curveball with cheesey bites, but oven to doorbell should be the same.
Appliances, however, are very different. We have all types of appliances, installation schemes and the difficulty of each home. Delivering to a brownstone in the Back Bay is very different than a single family home in Wellesley.
Then we have Boston traffic to consider. I am writing this on a Saturday, and it is bumper to bumper on 93 right outside my window.
We have to consider and time all these deliveries as well as take into account traffic patterns.
The 30 Minute Delivery
Let’s face it. You do not want to wait any more than you must to accept a delivery. 2 hours is about 1 hour 45 minute longer than necessary.
You will still have a 2 hour window, but now you can track our trucks like Uber. It will update you with a 30 minute window during the day.
Here is what the interface looks like your phone. You can access it on your computer as well.
Currently, 94% of our deliveries happen within the window. We call ahead with issues, but you can watch the truck and meet them at your home by simply watching your phone.
Pretty neat, huh? Yeah, technology can be pretty amazing, especially for those businesses willing to deploy it.
Conclusion
Keep in mind, this technology we’ve discussed is readily available and not proprietary. So, the days of you waiting hours for any delivery, whether appliance or otherwise, should be over (At least, if the dealer is keeping up with the times).
This should be your expectation. If not, find a provider willing to invest in your satisfaction.
But again, get the Delivery Checklist. It will make an enormous difference and ensure you know exactly what to look for as you move forward.
It will cover everything from protecting against damages, mysterious fees at time of delivery and knowing whether your delivery person is a criminal among other important facets of your delivery experience.
