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Three Ways to Provide Best Customer Experience in the 3PL Industry

Debbie Bunting

When it comes to customer service in logistics, one common theme I have found in my 25 years in the 3PL industry is that every leader at all levels has a need to focus on providing the best overall customer experience.  Whether you lead a team or are just interacting with internal customers, the need to provide the Best Customer Experience is critical to succeeding in an ever-commoditizing market.

The answer to achieving great customer service in logistics may not be as hard as you think.  It starts with the people on your team.  You need people who are passionate about what they do.  As a leader of a customer service team, it has been my primary focus to foster that passion. If they don't like what they're doing, how can they provide the Best Customer Experience?

People that are passionate, especially in stressful situations, will do better if their overarching focus is on providing the Best Customer Experience. Teaching your team to remain passionate after dealing with a disappointed customer or stressful situation should be ultimate goal for every team leader.

But what about your existing team, what would be their answer to the question?  What is the Best Customer Experience?

Here are three things that you can do to help your team.

Describe what you mean by "Best Customer Experience"

Does your team really know what you expect from them in terms of the Best Customer Experience?   Great customer service is not isolated to one function or department. Sharing ideas, scenarios or good old fashioned round table discussions should help cultivate teamwork and ensure that everyone is working toward the same goal.  Your team can't meet expectations if you have not made the expectations clear and simple.

Provide solutions or alternatives

Providing answers to customers is one of the most important activities for your team.  When the customer calls with a challenging situation, we must be able to provide solutions or alternatives.  We need to teach associates to identify situations where a solution or alternative needs to be the next step in the process.  For leaders, being part of the solution or suggesting an alternative can provide the confidence your team needs. 

Assess critical customer interactions

Did your solution or alternative provide the Best Customer Experience?  Make it a habit to end your assessment of the situation by asking yourself or your team this question. Ask your staff to put themselves in your customer's shoes.   If they were the customer, would they have been completely satisfied with your company's response?  

When the above principles have been indoctrinated into your team it will improve not just the customer experience but will increase job satisfaction among team members.

 

http://www.weberlogistics.com/blog/california-logistics-blog/author/debbie-bunting

 


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