Your company’s logistics are in charge of ensuring that the entire process, from the moment the order is placed until the moment the product is received by your customer, goes seamlessly. This process, while mostly seen as an infrastructural matter, actually plays a huge part in the overall customer satisfaction. The quality of the project is just one part of the user experience. How and when the item arrives is just as important. Whether it gets misplaced or damaged in transport is another. Overall, improving your customer service in logistics is a pivotal matter and here are several ways you can do this.
Table Of Contents
1. It starts with the placement of an order
First of all, you need to allow your buyers to make a purchase without having to register. This will encourage more people to buy from your store. Also, make sure to avoid giving promises you know you can’t fulfill. Surveys show that people care less about same- or next-day delivery if the price is right. Seeing as how these items are usually shipped across the state (or even continent) this is more than reasonable. Just make sure to make an accurate prediction on when the item will arrive and try your best to never breach it. Speaking of which…
2. Keep track of these deliveries
The next step you need to take is to ensure that you keep track of all these deliveries. This can be achieved through a fleet management system, which heavily relies on the GPS system. Sometimes, it’s even wise to give the customer a chance to track the delivery route of the shipment so that they can be at ease and have a more accurate ETA on the arrival of the said shipment. It also helps you notice potential risky on-road behavior of your drivers, which will give you a chance to rectify the problem as soon as it happens.
3. Outsource logistics
Sometimes, the enterprise will lack the tools and expertise to handle their logistics on their own. In these scenarios, outsourcing logistics to a third-party freight logistics company is the most sensible choice. This way, you can rest assured that someone with experience in handling both logistical and bureaucratic aspects of the delivery system. Keep in mind that you probably have enough administrative tasks, as it is. This way, you will put a massive part of your logistical chain into someone else’s (reliable) hands.
4. Special schedule and handling
There are some shipments that require a special schedule. Some items need to be delivered on a specific date. Others require handling with care. Make sure to flag these shipments in order to avoid confusion. The key thing is that everyone involved needs to pay special attention to these items. Sometimes, missing a scheduled date of arrival makes the shipment completely useless. If the client ordered it for a special occasion or anniversary, missing the shipment date means ruining the entire shipment. In this situation, damaging the item in the process and sending a replacement simply won’t cut it.
5. Send regular notifications
A lot of people have no trouble with delays and complications as long as they’re notified about this. However, bothering your customers too much is always a bad idea. Instead, you need to make a priority list and make an administrative decision of problems and delays big enough to send the notification. The last thing you want is for people to start dreading these notifications, so, make sure to notify them when everything is going accord to plan, as well. This process can be automated so that it takes as little effort as possible. Still, it can mean the world to a concerned customer.
6. Work on accuracy
There are always going to be some missed or late deliveries but you need to do your best to reduce this number to a minimum. How do you do this? Well, we’ve mentioned several ideas already. First, avoid promising same-day deliveries when you don’t have to make them. By hiring more people or finding other ways to reduce the workload, you’re automatically reducing the likelihood of a mistake. These mistakes will not only cause you to suffer financially but also run your reputation into the ground. This is just one reason why increasing accuracy helps your business in the long run.
In conclusion
In the end, you need to understand the importance that improving customer service in logistics drastically enhances your business model. It increases the number of return customers and even increases the average value of every subsequent order. In general, it enhances the credibility of the enterprises and makes the business more reliable. This means that planning for the future and forecasting growth becomes an easier and more dependable task. With minuscule investment in your customer service in logistics, you get to reap all of these benefits and more.