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Go Beyond the Drop-Off: How Last-Mile Delivery Builds Loyalty with Darren Kawalsky from Deliver in Person and Hawk Steele from Starshipit | #463
In this episode of Add To Cart, we chat with Darren Kawalsky, Chief Commercial Officer at Deliver in Person, and Hakan (Hawk) Steele, Partnerships & Sales Manager at Starshipit, about transforming last-mile delivery into a loyalty driver. Darren shares how Deliver in Person’s focus on reliability and 99.6% on-time rate—helps brands build trust from the doorstep and beyond. Hawk discusses Starshipit’s integration with Deliver in Person and how their real-time tracking and branded updates keep customers informed, while reducing support calls. Together, they discuss game-changing return options, like Deliver in Person’s “wait-and-try” service, and explore why the last mile is far more than just logistics.
This episode was brought to you by:
About your guests:
Darren Kawalsky has over 25 years of experience spanning startups, scaleups, through to multi-billion-dollar global corporations. As a 3x Founder, Corporate Executive, & Advisor, he has a unique 360 degree perspective, with deep expertise across Retail, eCommerce (B2C & B2B), FMCG, Consulting, Logistics, Technology & AI. During his career, he’s worked closely with some of the largest, high-profile, elusive & fastest growing brands like Amazon, eBay, LVMH Group, JD.com, Samsonite, Kogan, IKEA & many more.
Hakan (Hawk) Steele is Starshipit's Sales & Partnership Manager and has over 11 years of experience in logistics, working with hundreds of retail businesses including Showpo, Meshki, Lorna Jane and Billabong, to streamline their shipping and fulfilment operations as they scale. As a founder of a small business himself, Hawk understands many of the challenges SMEs face today. With a proven track record in both operational excellence and strategic development, he thrives on delivering innovative solutions that propel business success.
About your host:
Nathan Bush is the host of the Add To Cart podcast and a leading ecommerce transformation consultant. He has led eCommerce for businesses with revenue $100m+ and has been recognised as one of Australia’s Top 50 People in eCommerce four years in a row. You can contact Nathan on LinkedIn, Twitter or via email.
Please contact us if you:
- Want to come on board as an Add To Cart sponsor
- Are interested in joining Add To Cart as a co-host
- Have any feedback or suggestions on how to make Add To Cart better
Email hello@addtocart.com.au We look forward to hearing from you!
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