7 Ways to Reduce Delivery Delays for Your Business

Most delivery businesses in Nigeria still use phone calls, WhatsApp, or notebooks to manage orders. This causes a lot of problems.

Riders get confused. Customers wait too long. Packages show up late or not at all.

That’s bad for business. People get upset, stop ordering, and tell others to stay away by leaving a bad review.

But here’s the good news: late deliveries are not just about bad roads or traffic. A lot of delays happen because the delivery system isn’t working well. And that’s something you can fix.

In this post, we’ll show you 7 simple ways to stop delivery delays and keep your customers happy.

Let’s get started.

1. Digitize Your Delivery Management Process

Right now, most small delivery businesses in Nigeria still use phone calls or WhatsApp to take orders. Some even write things down in notebooks. This might work for a few orders, but when things get busy, it causes big problems.

Orders get lost. Riders don’t get clear instructions. Customers don’t know what’s happening.

That’s how delivery delays start. And the more it happens, the more people stop trusting your service.

What does “digitize” mean?

It means using one smart system like Dora to manage everything in one place:

• Create delivery requests
• Assign jobs to riders
• Send updates to customers
• Track deliveries in real time

Real example:

Femi runs a small courier business in Abuja. He used to spend hours on WhatsApp trying to tell riders where to go. When he switched to Dora, he saved over 5 hours a week just by assigning jobs with a few clicks. His customers also started getting delivery updates without him needing to call them. That’s what improve logistics efficiency really looks like.

Why it works:

• No more missed messages
• Customers stay informed
• You can check delivery progress any time
• Riders don’t get confused

Bottom line:

If you want to avoid delivery delays and offer fast delivery in Nigeria, stop doing everything by hand. Start using tools that make delivery simple, fast, and clear for everyone.

2. Assign the Right Rider for the Right Job

Even if you have great riders, delivery can still go wrong if the wrong rider gets the wrong job.

Let’s say you send one rider to Ikorodu, Ikeja, and Ajah all in one trip. That’s a lot of traffic, long travel time, and tired legs. Now imagine another rider only goes two streets away. That’s not fair and it’s not smart.

When riders are not assigned properly, deliveries slow down.

What smart assignment looks like:

• Give riders deliveries close to each other
• Don’t give too many orders to one rider
• Choose riders who know the area well

This makes it easy to pick the right rider fast no phone calls, no mix-ups.

Why it helps:

• Riders waste less time and fuel
• Orders go out faster
• Customers are happier
• You run your business smarter

Quick tip:

Check rider history to see who delivers fastest and where they do best. That’s how you improve logistics efficiency over time.

3. Route Optimization is Non-Negotiable

In cities like Lagos or Port Harcourt, traffic can turn a short trip into a two-hour problem. If your rider takes the wrong route or stops too many times, your delivery gets delayed no matter how fast they ride.

That’s why you need to plan the best route before the trip starts.

This is called route optimization. It means using a tool to find the fastest, smartest way to get all your packages delivered.

Without it:

• Riders waste time in traffic
• Fuel costs go up
• Customers wait longer

Why this works in Nigeria:

• You avoid known traffic spots
• You plan smarter drop-offs
• You save fuel and time
• You give fast delivery Nigeria customers expect

Quick tip:

Use apps or platforms that suggest routes and let you batch deliveries. Dora does both in real time.

4. Improve Communication Across the Board

Many delivery problems start with one small thing: poor communication.

The rider didn’t get the correct address.
The customer didn’t know when to expect the delivery.
You didn’t know the rider was stuck somewhere.

When no one knows what’s happening, everything slows down.

Common mistakes:

• Relying only on WhatsApp or voice calls
• Sending the wrong info or forgetting to send updates
• No backup plan when someone doesn’t respond

How to fix it:

• Use a system that sends automatic updates to riders and customers
• Make sure addresses, phone numbers, and order details are correct from the start
• Let customers track their package without having to call

Dora does this for you:

• Sends text and email updates to customers
• Shows riders full delivery details
• Alerts you if something is delayed

Why this matters:

• Customers don’t get angry waiting
• Riders don’t waste time calling for directions
• You stay in control of the whole process

Quick tip:

Before confirming an order, double-check phone numbers and addresses. A small mistake can turn into a big delay.

5. Track KPIs and Use Delivery Data to Improve

If you don’t track how your business is doing, you can’t fix what’s going wrong.

Many delivery businesses just “go with the flow.” But if orders are always late or customers keep complaining, you need to look at the numbers. These numbers are called KPIs short for Key Performance Indicators. They help you see what’s working and what’s not.

Important delivery KPIs to track:

• Average delivery time – How long it takes from pickup to drop-off
• On-time rate – How many deliveries arrive as promised
• Rider performance – Who’s fast, who’s always late
• Customer complaints – What people are saying

Why this helps:

• You can spot slow riders or problem areas
• You learn which days or times cause delays
• You get better at planning future deliveries
• You improve logistics efficiency over time.

Quick tip:

Check your KPIs once a week. Even 10 minutes can show you how to make better choices and avoid delivery delays.

6. Set Clear Delivery Expectations with Customers

Sometimes, customers expect their package in one hour — but you know it’ll take three. When what they expect doesn’t match what you deliver, they get upset. Even if the package arrives, they feel like it’s late.

That’s why you need to be clear from the beginning.

What clear expectations look like:

• Tell customers the delivery time before they order
• Give time ranges (e.g. “between 1 PM – 3 PM”)
• Let them track their delivery in real time
• Send updates if something changes

What happens when you don’t:

• Customers call and text nonstop
• Riders get frustrated
• You lose trust even if you did nothing wrong

Why this helps your business:

• Builds customer trust
• Reduces support calls and stress
• Makes your service feel reliable even when roads are busy

Quick tip:

Always under-promise and over-deliver. If you say 2–4 hours and it arrives in 1, the customer is impressed.

7. Automate Your Workflow to Save Time and Reduce Errors

Doing everything by hand takes time. And when you’re busy, small mistakes can lead to big delays.

You forget to assign a rider.
You send the wrong delivery address.
You forget to message the customer.

That’s where automation comes in. It means using smart tools that do the work for you so you don’t forget, miss, or delay anything.

What you can automate:

• Assigning riders to orders
• Sending SMS or email updates to customers
• Tracking delivery status in real time
• Creating reports at the end of the day or week

Why automation matters:

• Fewer mistakes
• Faster response time
• Less stress for you and your team
• Happier customers every time

Quick tip:

Start small. Automate one thing (like customer updates), then add more over time. You’ll save hours each week.
Conclusion: Small Fixes, Big Results

Delivery delays don’t just “happen.” They come from small issues poor planning, slow communication, manual mistakes that build up fast.

But the good news? You can fix them.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Use smart tools to manage deliveries
• Send the right rider to the right job
• Plan better routes to save time
• Keep everyone riders and customers in the loop
• Track what’s working (and what’s not)
• Be honest about delivery times
• Let automation do the hard stuff