Consumer Trends

Delivery services have room to improve, consumers say

More than 20% of delivery customers encounter problems every time they order, a new survey found.
Photo courtesy of GrubHub

A vast majority of consumers have experienced a customer service issue when ordering delivery, and more than 2o% encounter problems every time they order. 

That’s according to a new study by First Orion, a phone call technology company. In a survey of 2,000 consumers, it found that more than 70% had a problem with an order that required customer service, indicating there is still room for improvement from delivery providers that have attracted lots of new users during the pandemic.

Late delivery was by far the most common problem, with 50% of consumers saying they had experienced that. Other issues were:

  • Incorrect order (37%)
  • Food was cold/not fresh (36%)
  • Driver needed directions (33%)
  • Food never arrived (26%)
  • Delivery driver attitude or behavior issue (14%)

And when things go wrong with an order, consumers expect it to be addressed quickly: 93% said they want their problem resolved in 10 minutes or less. Eighty percent would prefer that contact to come in the form of a phone call, First Orion found.

Third-party delivery is a complex operation, and the survey illustrates how easy it is for things to go wrong. But it also reveals an opportunity: As delivery usage grows amid a highly competitive third-party delivery market, the service that can best iron out these problems is likely to win customers.

Among the consumers surveyed, 64% used Uber Eats, 46% used DoorDash and 33% used Grubhub. Thirteen percent ordered directly from a restaurant.

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