How to reduce failed deliveries on pay on delivery in Nigeria

Why pay-on-delivery orders fail

When a rider marks an order failed, the reason usually falls into one of a few groups:

• The customer changed their mind between ordering and delivery, often because nobody called them for a day or two.
• They could not be reached: wrong number, phone off, or they don’t pick up unknown numbers.
• The address was incomplete, so the rider spent the window searching.
• The day did not suit them: they are at work, travelling, or waiting for salary.
• They never meant to buy: impulse clicks, pranks or a competitor checking your offer.

Each group has a different fix. Recording the reason for every failed trip is how you find out which one is hurting you.

1. Call within the hour

Interest fades quickly. A customer who ordered from an ad at 9 am is still thinking about the product at 9:30; by the next day they may have bought elsewhere or forgotten. Give every new order a first call time shortly after it arrives and make sure someone owns it.

If several people confirm orders, split them fairly and visibly. Orders that sit in a shared inbox wait for the slowest person.

2. Confirm three things, not one

“Do you still want it?” is not enough. On the confirmation call, agree:

1. The delivery date, chosen by the customer, written on the order.
2. The full address with a landmark: street, area, nearest bus stop, a building colour or a known business.
3. The amount to pay, including the delivery fee, so there is no surprise at the door.

An order without an agreed date should not be dispatched. It is the single most useful field on the order.

3. Remind on the day

A short call or WhatsApp message on the morning of delivery catches changes of plan before the rider sets out. Riders should also call before arriving, from a number the customer can recognise.

4. Know who you are dealing with

Keep a history for every phone number: orders placed, delivered and refused. Then act on it:

• Repeat buyers who always accept can be dispatched with confidence.
• Numbers with refusals deserve an extra confirmation, or a small part payment before dispatch.
• Duplicates (same number, same product, still open) should be merged before two riders go out.
• Known pranksters go on a blacklist so their orders are held automatically.

Be careful not to treat every new customer as risky. Someone with no history is simply new.

5. Decide what happens after a failure

Agree a rule with your riders: when a delivery fails, the goods stay with the rider until the office decides to retry on a new date or bring them back. Record the reason every time. Then, each week, look at:

• Failure rate by state or area: some areas need a partner rather than your own rider.
• Failure rate by call rep: a high rate often means rushed confirmations.
• Failure rate by product and ad: some offers attract curious clicks rather than buyers.

A short checklist

• First call within the hour, with a named owner for every order
• Date, address with landmark and amount agreed on the call
• Reminder on the morning of delivery
• History checked for refusals and duplicates before dispatch
• A reason recorded for every failed trip, reviewed weekly