Giant Eagle Aims to Slash Delivery Driver Wait Time in Half
Giant Eagle Inc. has embarked on an expanded partnership with Flybuy, an omnichannel location platform by Radius Networks, to improve last-mile delivery and reduce delivery driver avoidable wait times by 50% or more.
Building on Giant Eagle’s success with Flybuy Pickup, the extended collaboration will now streamline operations for third-party delivery drivers and offer the same seamless and efficient grocery pickup experience. With real-time alerts integrated into the Flybuy dashboard and picking app, Giant Eagle has cut wait times and improved associate coordination to provide faster and more reliable service to customers and delivery drivers alike.
The average industry wait time for grocery delivery drivers to pick up an order is under 10 minutes, but some drivers have reported delays that can lead to reorders and late delivery for the end customer. Further, longer wait times can prevent delivery drivers from maximizing their earning potential, since most gig workers are paid by the order, rather than by the hour. Often, wait times can be even longer in regions with a limited number of drivers, who need to deliver group orders.
Flybuy’s AI-powered location technology helps identify which driver is arriving for particular order(s), dramatically improving driver selection and coordination. According to the company, its seamless communication and instant visibility have reduced the wait time for delivery drivers to an average of less than 2.5 minutes. This enables end customers to get their food faster, while delivery drivers are quickly in and out of the designated curbside pickup parking spots, allowing them to maximize their earning potential.
“At Giant Eagle, we are always exploring opportunities to increase efficiency and convenience by leveraging cutting-edge technology to enhance the customer experience,” noted Heather Feather, the grocer’s senior director of strategy, e-commerce and innovation. “Using Flybuy for delivery has helped lower wait times for our guests, building their confidence that their fresh groceries will be delivered quickly and reliably.”
“Flybuy has greatly reduced delivery driver wait times, wrong orders and missed items, which directly impact refunds and repeat business,” said Marc Wallace, CEO and co-founder of Washington, D.C.-based Flybuy. “We are delighted to provide Giant Eagle team members with higher-fidelity location updates and delivery driver ETAs to facilitate a faster order handoff and further optimize their e-commerce operations.”
Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle has more than 470 stores throughout western Pennsylvania, north central Ohio, northern West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. The food retailer is No. 42 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2024 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Top Regional Retailers.
