White glove delivery services provide premium, meticulous delivery services including in-home delivery, unpacking, installation, debris removal and real-time tracking, ensuring customer satisfaction and convenience.
White glove delivery is a service that is a level above standard delivery. It generally takes place during last mile delivery, and provides premium services like a shortened delivery timeline or higher quality packaging. The focus is on delivering the product with the most care possible and creating a top-notch experience for the customer.
What is White Glove Delivery?
What does white glove delivery mean when you break it down? It generally includes a variety of services that elevate the experience, such as delivering inside the home, unpacking and installing the product, and taking care of removal of debris or the previous product.
For instance, a company may take away the old washing machine when delivering the new one. A furniture company may bring the bedroom set to the bedroom, unpack it, put it together, and set it up where the customer desires. Another company may provide expert packaging of fine art or other delicate products. These are examples of the broad range of services that vary by the product and situation to provide top-tier delivery.
Challenges of White Glove Delivery
While white glove service comes with benefits, carrying it out properly brings challenges. It requires extra strategy and logistics.
For example, people providing this kind of service tend to need specialized training. In addition, the process requires careful scheduling and additional time and resources compared to other delivery services.
The challenges vary greatly by the type of product and the services included. Each company needs to strategize the best ways to provide that extra level of service based on the products they provide or deliver. Some challenges to overcome may include:
- Getting the item to the location on time.
- Accounting for flights of stairs.
- Installing products on site.
- Ensuring the recipient is on-site for installation.
- Having the recipient prepare an area in advance.
- Creating a delivery schedule and providing tracking.
Who Uses White Glove Delivery?
Certain types of customers and industries tend to make the most use of white glove delivery services. These include sectors that handle high-value or delicate items, such as:
- Electronics.
- Fine art.
- Furniture.
- Jewelry.
- Appliances.
- Medical equipment.
- Breakable items.
- Fresh foods.
- Items for people with disabilities or older adults who require extra support.
- High-end customers who expect an elite experience.
Types of White Glove Delivery Service Features and Their Purposes
White glove service can include numerous components.
Timely and Specific Delivery
Some white glove service guarantees the delivery will happen on time. This aspect can be essential so the recipient can be present at the time of delivery. High-end and fragile items often cannot be left without a recipient. Additional white glove services may be required within the delivery location. The service may include specifics such as leaving the item in a garage or entryway, or bringing it up flights of stairs.
Packing and Unpacking
White glove service may include extra protection through custom boxes or crates, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and other packing materials that fit the situation. In addition, this service may include unpacking the items.
Assembly
The delivery professionals may need to put together the item after delivering it disassembled in packing materials. For instance, they may deliver a bedframe in pieces and then put it together in the bedroom of the home.
Installation
This service may include installation at the time of the delivery. The recipient could opt for installation of a television, internet modem, shelving system, or other product that would normally require extra work to install themselves or through a third party.
Debris Removal
White glove delivery may include removing the packing debris after unpacking the item. Debris removal could go even further to remove the old furniture or other item and to remove debris created by the installation process, such as dust from drilling cabinets into drywall.
Real-time Tracking
Increasing visibility of where the package is during transit and its estimated arrival through real-time tracking enhances the experience for customers and makes it more convenient for them to plan their lives around the delivery, especially if they need to be on-site for extra services like installation.
Explore transportation trends that reshaping delivery expectations and impacting costs for white glove delivery services
Benefits of White Glove Delivery
White glove service creates advantages for both the provider and the customer. These can be things like:
- Increased revenue for the provider.
- Improved satisfaction for the customer.
- A reduced risk of damage.
- A personal touch added to ecommerce shopping.
- Reduced delivery times.
- Added convenience for customers.
How Does MercuryGate Facilitate White Glove Delivery?
Transportation and logistics are important parts of offering white glove delivery. MercuryGate can support these services through the use of its transportation management system (TMS). It provides solutions like:
- Planning and scheduling deliveries.
- Providing real-time tracking.
- Coordinating specialized service providers.
- Managing item removal services.
- Communicating with all delivery parties.
- Integrating delivery experience surveys.
These kinds of solutions all support an extra level of service that customers expect. These solutions differentiates service providers and shippers from their competition.
Create an Effective and Successful White Glove Process
White glove delivery services go that the “extra mile” can provide an exceptional delivery experience. They can enhance the experience over a standard one, and they are sometimes necessary for certain customers, sectors, and situations. Carrying out an effective white glove process is key to succeeding with this type of delivery.
Learn more about how MercuryGate can help through this case study.
