Working in logistics, you are probably very familiar with the concept of the “Amazon Effect”. You can’t attend a conference or read a journal without the term being raised. And chances are, you are reminded of it somehow on a nearly daily basis.

The Amazon Effect is the concept that Amazon has vastly altered consumers' expectations when it comes to delivery: shipping at no charge, nearly immediate delivery timetables, impeccable customer service. Customers are expectant of these factors, and other retailers and shippers must scramble to compete. Carriers are finding themselves rushing to match customer expectations; exceeding them seems to feel even more out of reach.

A newer expectation in the field is photo documentation upon delivery. This practice has a dual-function. On the customer satisfaction side, a company can build their trust and brand by giving the customer confirmation that their product was delivered upon the doorstep, as it should. It requires some forethought by the delivery person. But it also has a concrete business value beyond sentiment — it provides proof that your worker achieved their mission of getting product A onto doorstep X, without damage. With photo confirmation of a successful delivery, the ability to submit a claim for an undelivered or even damaged product vastly decreases. While a program to take photos will incur new costs — training, time, software — you will capitalize on that investment over time through the quantifiable cost savings of fewer claims, as well as positive customer opinion.

A video solution for your business could achieve both those points of value, and more. By leveraging video technology on your drivers, you have video confirmation of a successful delivery, the ability to share with a customer, and insight into what occurred before and after your employee stepped onto a doorstep. And all without pausing to take a picture. With Axon’s powerful network, rugged, long-lasting cameras capture video of a delivery; our docks upload the video with no effort by an employee; and on our intuitive yet powerful software platform, video confirmation can be easily and shared with an end customer.

The Amazon Effect has businesses rushing to catch up and struggling to reach parity. But, what if you could be on the leading edge of customer expectations? You have the power — you can get in front of expectations by delivering a top-notch and revolutionary customer experience, or you can play catch up later.

Interested in learning more about what a video program could look like for you? We’re ready to talk!