Navigating Peak Delivery Times for Cannabis Delivery Services
Kenny Hall
July 9, 2024
With cannabis delivery seeing a major boom during the COVID-19 lockdowns, many cannabis delivery suppliers were caught off-guard. Across the US, there was a 59% increase in online cannabis sales and deliveries, and a 44% increase in first-time deliveries. With that kind of rapid expansion in a burgeoning market, many business owners have been trying to play catch-up to maximize their ability to deliver products quickly and reliably.
What Are the Peak Delivery Times for Cannabis Delivery Services?
Unsurprisingly, the peak delivery times for cannabis delivery services are afternoons and evenings, with the biggest rush occurring between 4 PM and 9 PM. Besides the typical evening rush, weekends and holidays are also known as peak demand times, with 4/20 and the Super Bowl being some of the busiest days of the year. Basically, if your customers don’t have to work, expect a bump in delivery orders.
By understanding your customers’ shopping habits and predicting peak delivery times, cannabis delivery services can maximize customer satisfaction while reducing time, energy, and money spent on maintaining a robust delivery platform. As of 2024, more than 90% of California cannabis customers have used a delivery service, and 60% state that it is their preferred purchase method.
What Technologies Improve Cannabis Delivery Services?
Knowing and doing are, sadly, two different things. So, how can you actually optimize your delivery schedule? Luckily, there are several tried-and-true technologies out there aimed at exactly that.
In California, any cannabis delivery vehicle is required by law to have a GPS tracker installed. While this is a great tool for businesses to monitor driver performance and keep an eye on their precious cargo, this same information can help your customers get the most out of their delivery experience.
First, GPS tracking ensures that drivers follow the best possible route. Modern GPS services can update in real-time to provide detours around traffic jams or unexpected road conditions. Additionally, real-time tracking keeps customers informed of their order’s status and expected delivery time. While your customers probably don’t need to be able to watch a live update of the driver’s progress, knowing that your order is en route is a huge bonus.
Additionally, integrating customer communication tools such as SMS messaging or in-app push notifications can enhance the customer experience by allowing you to send automatic notifications about order confirmations, delivery status, and any changes in the delivery schedule.
But it’s not just customer communication that matters. Allowing your staff to seamlessly communicate with each other can allow issues to be dealt with before they become problems. KayaPush’s chat feature enables teams to communicate directly with each other in-app via group and 1:1 chats.
How Can You Optimize Cannabis Delivery During Peak Hours?
If you’re not offering reliably fast deliveries, your competitors are. What can you do to stand out from the pack and make a name as the most reliable cannabis delivery service? It all starts with optimization. Aside from the above mentioned technologies, there are a handful of best practices that any delivery business — be it cannabis or pizza — can benefit from.
Data analytics are a powerful tool for any logistical work and allow business owners to spot patterns in customer demand and anticipate rushes before they happen. By taking a predictive approach (as opposed to a reactive one), it’s possible to prepare in advance, guaranteeing that you have everything in place to deal with a surge in demand.
Another area that is often overlooked is setting up a proper staffing strategy. A well-trained and flexible workforce allows for rapid up-scaling as needed during rush hours. This could involve a range of options, such as hiring part-time drivers or using a pool of on-call employees to handle unexpected surges in orders. By training (and retaining) your staff to be versatile and efficient during peak hours, you can make sure that all of your orders go out on time and get where they need to be.
Best Practices for Managing Cannabis Delivery Services
All the technology and training in the world can only take you so far if you’re not following industry-standard best practices. Effectively managing a cannabis delivery service is vital for maintaining compliance, ensuring safety, and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Training Delivery Staff
Like all staff, delivery drivers need to be trained on all state and local laws regarding cannabis sales. Things like age verification, product handling SOPs, and even the best ways to get from point A to point B are all crucial knowledge for your drivers.
Regulatory Compliance
Beyond state laws, each municipality may have its own rules and regulations regarding cannabis delivery. Ensuring that your drivers (and in-store staff) are aware of these differences might just save you a lot of time and money by avoiding any issues. Compliance includes taking measures such as maintaining accurate records of every delivery, ensuring all licenses are up-to-date, and adhering to transportation laws, such as limits on the amount of cannabis a driver can carry at one time.
Safety Measures for Delivery Staff
It should go without saying, but ensuring that your delivery drivers can do their jobs safely is of paramount importance. Many of these overlap with California statutes such as equipping all delivery vehicles with GPS trackers, providing a locked area for secure storage, and limiting the amount of product and cash being transported are all good first steps.
Level Up Your Cannabis Delivery Services
By knowing your customers’ needs and implementing industry-standard best practices, you can get the most out of your cannabis delivery service by ensuring rapid and reliable deliveries. However, nobody can run every aspect of a business alone. Contact KayaPush to book a free demo of our software and learn how we can help you level up your cannabis delivery service business!
