It started with rideshare: a live map showing your car approaching in real time. Simple, powerful, addictive. That single innovation didn’t just improve transportation — it reshaped customer expectations forever.
Today, we track everything:
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A pizza from oven to doorstep
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A technician on the way to fix our cable
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Birthday flowers arriving at Mom’s office
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Our own arrival at the store for curbside pickup — with staff ready and waiting
Real-time tracking is no longer a novelty. It’s the new normal in ecommerce, delivery, and field service. Most companies already offer some kind of order or appointment tracker — or they’re building one now. The good ones provide live location and ETA updates. The best layer on customer control and interaction: rescheduling, click-to-chat, employee photos, and more.
This is all part of last mile delivery. But there’s something even more powerful hiding in plain sight.
The Moment Everyone Misses
Think about what you do after receiving a “Your order is on the way!” message.
You click the tracking link.
You watch for a few seconds.
Then… boredom sets in. You swipe away. Open Instagram. Check your email. Move on.
But for those few seconds, you had their full attention.
Most companies waste this moment. The best ones don’t. They use it to add value, offer something extra, or drive repeat business — all while the customer is still tuned in.
What You Can Do in That Moment
This isn’t about interrupting the experience. It’s about enhancing it. Start with questions like:
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Can we offer a complementary product or upsell that can be delivered on the same trip?
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Can we simplify repeat orders, making reordering as easy as one tap?
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Can we surface tools like MyAccount or loyalty rewards directly inside the live tracking experience?
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Can we shift the pickup moment into an order-ahead-and-dine-in flow — offering customers speed and experience?
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Can we extend delivery beyond the home — to offices, gyms, events — even if no one is there?
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Can we partner with other brands to surprise and delight customers while they wait?
Rethink What’s Possible in the Last Mile
With today’s location intelligence, you’re no longer limited to tracking. You can transform the waiting moment into something memorable — and profitable.
So the next time your customer is staring at their screen, watching a dot move toward them, ask yourself:
What are you doing with that attention?
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