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Customer expectations of rapid, visible and free delivery are putting enormous pressure on both shippers and carriers. How do last-mile providers balance customers’ expectations for speed, cost and quality while controlling costs? And how have they learned to partner with their shipper customers to help them meet the demands of their customers?
Thinking Outside the Box recently had the opportunity to get up close and personal with a shipper and their carrier to get answers to these questions. Last-mile provider Harold Boyett is the President and CEO of Blue Streak Couriers. His long-time customer, Mark Meier, is a supply chain executive in the medical industry.
Here is part of their conversation:
QUESTION: How have customer expectations changed over the years?
Meier: Our customers expect the right products to be in their hands at the right time. Their main concerns are that we are fulfilling at the speed they want with the right products. Because we operate in the healthcare space, there’s no room for error. They expect the product to arrive in good shape. That’s essentially our three-legged stool: quality, on time, and reasonable cost.
Boyett: From our point of view as carriers, the thing that’s changed the most is all about information – the information about a shipment, whether it’s a package, a pallet or an envelope. Information today is equally as important, if not more important, than the shipment itself. It’s all about knowing that it’s coming, what is coming, and, most importantly, when it’s coming. It ties in with some of the things Mark said. It’s all about the right product in the right place, at the right time.
Customers today have precise, time-definite expectations. They want to know if the delivery will arrive on Tuesday between 8 and 4, as that’s the most critical information. They’d rather know that it’s coming Tuesday between 8 and 4, with a lower cost, than to pay more to have it expedited to arrive Monday morning. If they know it’s going to be there within a specified time window, they can plan accordingly.
QUESTION: Have those expectations changed since COVID?
Meier: Yes. COVID forced customers into new patterns of behavior. They now expect that almost everything can be delivered to them. It happened with deliveries to people’s homes, and it’s played out for our customers and their businesses. Our customers are small businesses. They are healthcare offices, and they don’t keep a lot of inventory on hand. So they rely on their suppliers to have everything as readily available as possible. That’s the new normal. Everyone expects to be able to get what they need when they need it.
Boyett: There’s no question that COVID has and will continue to have an impact on customer expectations. During the pandemic, numerous packages were flowing, and seemingly everything was delayed. It didn’t matter who the carrier was, what you were ordering, or where you were ordering it. I think that’s where the emphasis on knowing when it would arrive came from. Customers saw this as more important than the actual speed of delivery.
Mark: I agree with the points Harold shared. Our customers value stable deliveries, allowing them to plan accordingly. For example, if they’re accustomed to receiving delivery within a time-definite window, on the same day, week after week, that’s what they expect. Therefore, we need to collaborate with the last-mile carrier to ensure that we meet the expectations of those customers. Setting up a stable pattern is a very important aspect of our distribution.
QUESTION: What about returns? Have customer expectations changed over the years on this issue?
Boyett: I think from a business-to-consumer perspective, my understanding is that because people are so used to ordering things–things they can’t touch or feel–that they are doing things differently. You see customers ordering three different sizes, knowing they can return the ones that don’t fit.
And today, with the omnichannel mindset of shopping, that exact scenario applies when it comes to returns. You can drop it off at the store where it was purchased or at another designated location. You can drop it at the Post Office or the UPS store. You can arrange for it to be picked up from your house. All those are things that didn’t exist five years ago.
Meier: Since our customers are healthcare providers, returns in our world are handled differently. Our customers aren’t ordering things they are unfamiliar with. So, returns usually happen because the need has shifted. These products have high intrinsic value, so returning them properly is crucial. In our case, the speed at which a return is completed isn’t as critical to the customer. If it happens within a reasonable number of business days, it’s fine as long as the return is credited promptly.
Boyett: On the other end of the spectrum, today’s consumers want almost instantaneous credit for their returns. In the B2C world, as soon as a consumer drops it off at the UPS store and when that barcode is scanned, customers expect retailers to issue a credit almost immediately.
QUESTION: As customer expectations continue to rise, how can last-mile providers face the challenge of meeting these demands while controlling costs and maintaining service quality?
Boyett: You have to leverage technology. You need to leverage technology to streamline processes, reduce costs, and build efficient workflows. The data that accompanies the packages, specifically the exceptions, is everything. You need to have technology in place that helps you manage exceptions, allowing you to identify them quickly and communicate them to the customer promptly. The best-case scenario is that they realize it before it happens.
What that means is that the customer understands you’re being as transparent as possible. It’s our job to help our customers serve their customers best. Therefore, if a carrier is aware of a problem that will cause the package to be delayed, they must notify the shipper, who can then inform their customer. It’s all about having and making the most of information as it happens. So, it’s really the information that’s the game changer. How you handle that information makes all the difference in the world to the customer who is relying upon your service.
QUESTION: Harold talks about harnessing the power of information. How important is that information in terms of the shipment’s visibility?
Meier: That’s a critical factor. It speaks directly to our credibility as a supplier. For us, credibility is carried out by the last mile, which is facilitated by the parcel carrier. I couldn’t agree more with what Harold said. It’s all about knowing where that shipment is and what’s going to happen next. Imagine a scenario where an office manager is searching for something the doctors need but can’t find answers about where it is. The worst-case scenario is when they can’t find answers. On the other end of the spectrum, if they know about an exception before they discover it, that’s a better situation. Therefore, we must trust that the information received from the carrier aligns with our real-life experience. We have to be able to trust that technology.
We know that, in the real world, traffic, outages, and weather happen. So, whatever disruption occurs, if the carrier lets us know they are addressing it appropriately, we can inform our customer. If the carrier’s data is communicated quickly, there’s less friction in a shipper’s relationship with their customer. That builds confidence, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty.
QUESTION: We’ve discussed technology extensively, but is the human touch still important?
Meier: It is. But it all depends on the customer. When there’s an issue, some may want to talk to somebody to hear about your plan to fix it. Having a CSR with information at their fingertips who can do that well is very important.
In other situations, customers may want to get what they need with just two clicks on a website. They want to be able to see the information they need, in the way that they want to consume it, when they need it. One of the things we do when we have an exception is to point them to a self-service source. We do so not because we don’t want to talk to them face-to-face, but because it’s available to them in the moment.
QUESTIONS: Let’s end by having each of you talk about where you see customer expectations going in the next few years.
Boyett: The technology is the main thing. Technology is happening. Artificial intelligence is poised to become a significant presence in our field. The use of autonomous vehicles and robotics is expected to become increasingly important in the near future.
Meier: I’d add a couple of things there. One is that we just discussed technology and people’s comfort level with it. That was accelerated over the past couple of years. Some of those new opportunities, delivery methods, and increased information availability are being consumed much more widely than they have in the past.
We discussed the need for information to match the speed of product development. Harold mentioned something earlier about the importance of being able to tell a customer about an exception before they discover it. That will become the norm. And that bolsters customer loyalty.
Today, most of our customers are not checking websites. They’re not watching for tracking. They’re expecting it to be either Tuesday afternoon or Thursday afternoon, because that’s how it happened last time. They expect it to be fulfilled in the same way.
In other words, if you can obtain that information before they notice the package hasn’t arrived, that’s not exactly customer delight, but it’s better than the alternative. With today’s technology, that’s happening. Tomorrow’s tech will make it happen even faster. And with that, we’ll be able to continue to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty.
If you work in the final-mile or customized logistics industry, you know this truth better than anyone: the last mile is the hardest.
Drivers and dispatchers juggle tight delivery windows, unpredictable traffic, demanding customers, and complex special instructions. Unlike warehouse workers or line-haul drivers who might stay behind the scenes, final-mile professionals are face-to-face with customers every day.
And while most interactions are routine, friendly, and professional – some aren’t.
In the world of final-mile delivery and customized logistics, you’re not just moving packages. You’re delivering promises.
The customer on the doorstep isn’t thinking about your carefully optimized route, your tight margins, or the hours of planning that got that shipment to them. They’re thinking about this moment: the knock on their door, the driver standing there, the quality of the interaction.
Angry customers. Confusing instructions. Payment disputes. Property damage claims. Even road rage. For final-mile companies, these aren’t hypotheticals. It’s an industry built on human contact at its most personal. And that’s what makes it both rewarding and risky.
We often think of conflict in logistics in terms of scheduling errors or damaged goods. But there’s another layer: the human conflict that can arise in any face-to-face service.
Drivers encounter customers who are stressed, disappointed, angry. They deal with payment disputes, damaged shipments, delivery delays. Sometimes they get caught in confrontations that escalate quickly and unexpectedly.
Ask anyone who’s worked in final-mile delivery long enough, and they’ll tell you: tempers can flare over the smallest things.
These moments matter.
They don’t just determine whether you win a five-star review or a furious complaint. They can shape whether a customer does business with you again. And in some cases, they can even put your employees in danger.
Workplace violence isn’t always the shocking headline-grabbing act we see on the news. It can be the verbal abuse hurled at a driver on the customer’s porch. The threat from someone furious about a delivery delay. The intimidation that leaves an employee rattled and unable to focus for the rest of the day.
These interactions leave a mark.
They contribute to stress and burnout. They increase absenteeism and turnover. They damage your brand reputation when the story spreads, even sometimes online for the world to see.
But they’re also largely preventable.
Too often in logistics, training focuses on the physical aspects of safety: defensive driving, load securement, vehicle maintenance. These are essential. But the human side of safety deserves just as much attention.
Conflict de-escalation training teaches drivers, dispatchers, and customer service staff how to recognize when a conversation is starting to go sideways. How to stay calm when someone else isn’t. How to use language and body posture that cools things down instead of heating them up.
It’s not about turning drivers into negotiators or therapists. It’s about giving them practical, memorable strategies they can use in the real world, on the porch, on the phone, at the dock.
The benefits go beyond preventing the worst-case scenarios.
When employees know their company cares enough to train them for these challenges, morale improves. They feel safer. More respected. More professional. That sense of preparation reduces stress and helps people stay in the job longer.
It also strengthens the company’s culture.
Conflict doesn’t only happen with customers. It happens between drivers and dispatchers under pressure to meet tight deadlines. Between supervisors and staff during the chaos of peak season. De-escalation skills help teams talk to each other with more respect and less heat. That pays dividends in collaboration, trust, and retention.
For final-mile logistics companies competing on speed, reliability, and service quality, these human factors can be the difference between success and failure.
It’s not enough to get the package there on time. You have to get it there with the kind of service that makes customers want to choose you again and employees want to stick around.
Investing in conflict de-escalation training is one of the smartest, most human decisions a logistics company can make. Because the final mile isn’t just about distance covered. It’s about the people you meet along the way and how you treat them. With CLDA Member Benefit Partner, R3Results®, you don’t just reduce loss. You can build a workplace people love, where creativity and collaboration thrive. It’s time to elevate your investment: protect your people, your bottom line, and your future.
As we reach the midpoint of the year, we’re excited to share a few highlights from an active and impactful spring season for CLDA and our members.
This spring, we expanded awareness of CLDA and its member companies at key industry events. In April, Mark Cossack, Board member and Government Affairs Committee Chair, and Harold Boyett, Board member, presented CLDA’s vital advocacy efforts at the ECA Marketplace, encouraging attendees to get involved and help strengthen our industry voice. We also had a strong presence at Home Delivery World in its new location in Nashville, where CLDA President, Joel Pinsky, joined a panel discussion and connected with potential affiliate partners. In June, Harold Boyett represented CLDA at TEANA’s Annual Conference to continue elevating our advocacy work.
This outreach is part of CLDA’s broader mission to foster collaboration across the final-mile industry and highlight the essential work of our members.
On the regulatory front, we are continuing to coordinate feedback from our IAC (Indirect Air Carrier) members to ensure the final-mile sector’s voice is represented in conversations with the TSA. This follows a productive set of meetings between CLDA members and TSA officials in Washington, D.C., earlier this year at our annual fly-in.
We’re also proud to report strong engagement through our CLDA Connect events. Our most recent gathering in Austin, Texas brought together nearly 60 final-mile professionals for an evening of networking and community-building. Special thanks to GigSafe for hosting us at their headquarters! If you’re interested in hosting a future Connect event, we’d love to hear from you.
Looking ahead, the Final Mile Forum Reimagining Task Force worked hard to shape what promises to be the most dynamic and engaging FMF yet. Mark your calendars for February 18–20, 2026, in Austin, Texas! The FMF Committee is focused on the future, including the future of the event, of your business, and of our industry. Stay tuned for updates as details are finalized.
Finally, we’re thrilled to welcome almost 100 new carriers, affiliate partners, shippers and drivers as members to the CLDA community! As our industry continues to evolve, your engagement with CLDA ensures you stay connected, informed, and ahead of the curve.
Thank you for being an essential part of the CLDA community. We wish you a safe and enjoyable summer and we look forward to continuing our work together in the months ahead.
There’s no question that the impact of tariffs will ultimately hit those in last-mile logistics. But how? And what can carriers do while these and other issues are still in flux? Build the ability to flex and strengthen existing relationships with shippers. Those were the two pieces of advice for carriers coping with the dizzying changes involving tariffs and other fast-moving issues, from Guru Rao, CEO of nuVizz.
This Atlanta-based last-mile TMS platform has been arming carriers and shippers to ride the waves of change since 2013. “We help these companies optimize and better run their businesses so they can provide a better customer experience to all of their end customers. We help orchestrate the delivery process,” he says.
So, how does this “orchestrator” of the delivery process think about today’s dynamic situation involving tariffs? And how does he advise carriers to deal with this ever-changing environment? For Rao, it’s all about using technology to reinforce a company’s ability to adapt and using their people skills to stay close to the customers.
Rao made it clear that predicting the rise and fall of tariffs is a fool’s game. “I’m not even going to venture into predicting what might happen with tariffs tomorrow,” he said. “But I will predict we’ll always be dealing with disruption. And that’s nothing new for those in the last-mile. If you look at the logistics supply chain in general, in the last five to 10 years, there’s been a lot of volatility and unpredictability in the ecosystems thrown at us. The only constant is change. The environment we live in, and many of our customers live in, is unpredictable. We’ve always been used to this volatility, but now we live in a hyper-volatile, hyper-dynamic environment.”
He pointed out that many in the industry are experienced with disruptions. Those in the last-mile know how to react to issues caused by weather or the seasonality of the sales cycle. “We are all used to disruptions. We know things don’t go the way we plan. And that something will always go wrong. But that typically happens based on seasons. You do one thing in the summer. Something else in winter. You do things differently in one part of the country than in another. You can plan for these known unknowns to some extent because you have experience with them. But today, especially with the tariff situation, there is no way to plan for the variability in supply and demand that each change could bring. The variability in demand and supply can change every day. One day, the tariffs are high. So you will not get anything from certain countries. And another day it’s lifted. So you get a sudden rush to get everything into the country.
Rao talked about what he called the “bullwhip effect” for those at the tail end of the supply chain. “It’s a term we typically use in the context of inventory where the impact of supply and demand gets magnified by the time it reaches the last-mile. When it comes to the impact of tariffs, it’s all about the downstream impact of those policies,” he says. “That is where the last-mile players are challenged to respond to an ever-changing demand. If you are moving 100 orders today and suddenly have to move 500 orders tomorrow, it cannot happen without the right assets in place. Where are you going to get those resources? That takes time and relationships. The nature of the business has become so volatile. And it’s tough for anyone to really predict or plan for it. But you still have to run your business. We cannot say, ‘I’m going to shut down shop for six months, wait for everything to settle down,’ and then come back and pick it up.”
While you can’t predict change, you can arm your company with the tools to be more nimble. “No human can manually manage the changes at the pace we’re seeing today,” said Rao. “That is where the technology plays a huge role. You cannot predict what happens, but at least you can reduce your risk using technologies that help you face those challenges. No one can scale based on the demands being put in front of us today without help. Technology allows both couriers and shippers to be nimble in the face of change.”
For shippers, those changes may involve how many products they bring in and need to get out. “If you look at it from a shipper’s perspective now, they may have to bring in two times what they used to generally buy in the face of an upcoming tariff. With their existing carrier base, they can only support what they had on hand in the past. However, with today’s inventory, they need to find new delivery partners to move it. If they do it the traditional way, they’d have to take time to negotiate contracts, bring a carrier on board, and get them into the network. They don’t have the time in today’s world. That’s where technology comes in. They can bring in a new carrier with minimal disruption, add more resources to their network, and make it work faster with today’s technology.”
That same process takes place at the carrier level. Technology helps them scale up or down. To bring in additional resources as quickly as possible when needed. “The right technology allows carriers to easily tap into the resources they need to respond to changing supply and demand levels. To be able to react to changing requirements,” Rao says. “That means the carrier doesn’t have to use their energy to follow every chain. They can use their mental energy to get the technology to the point where it can flex up or down, no matter what happens. And make sure customers know they have the technology to respond, no matter what disruptions hit. Today, that’s all about tariffs. Tomorrow I’m sure it’s going to be something else.”
Rao’s second piece of advice is about the people side of the equation. “It’s all about strengthening your relationships with shippers,’ he points out. “Understand that everybody is going through the same pain. As a carrier, the best thing you can do is understand the shipper’s pain. And if you are a shipper, understand the carrier’s pain. We have to look at it on a humanistic level, which adds a little empathy to all of this. Technology can’t do that. AI can’t do that. People can do that. “At the end of the day, we all know this craziness will end. What won’t change is the need to nurture human relationships. As long as we maintain those, people will be more understanding. It’s important to keep those relationships as healthy as you can. We are all part of a network. Today, more than ever, we have to spend much time keeping and maintaining that network.”
Rao points out that technology can free up team members’ time to build and solidify human relationships. “Think about how you can use tech to automate some of the tasks that take up your time,” he says. “Think about how you can automate your operations. Ask yourself, ‘What technologies help me do that?’ This is not about today’s problem. This is going to be an ever-present situation. We live in this hyper-volatile and hyper-dynamic environment, and I don’t expect this to die down anytime soon. So we need to be thinking about it in those terms, with technology as an enabler to help us be ready for those changes as they come about. Use the technology to free up more time to be human. If you spend an extra two hours trying to manage, you take away those two hours from talking to your customers, vendors, and team members. Technology gives you back those two hours. Then, your people can talk to other people. We are all human. Humans are better at interactions than any technology. AI is not there yet. I don’t think it is ever going to be there. I don’t think it will ever read a face and say, ‘Hey, you’re in pain, right?’ We humans can easily do that. So, the best use of our time is to create that human touch. Technology is good at doing things, so use it that way, and then use your people to elevate their game and have a more humanistic approach to our interactions with your partners.”
In the end, it’s not about tariffs. It’s not about change. That will always be with us. It’s the nature of the last-mile. To sum up Rao’s advice, it’s this: Prepare yourself to ride with the tide. Solidify your relationships with your customers. Then, you’ll be ready for whatever disruptions hit next.
