In an industry where you are only as good as your last shipment, everything you do should be centered around current and prospective customers. Connie Elder, CEO and founder of Peak 10 Skin, said, “Excellent customer service is the number one job in any company! It is the personality of the company and the reason customers come back. Without customers there is no company!” Set yourself apart from the competition by coaching and practicing quality customer service. Follow these four elements of customer service to build and maintain a lasting customer relationship.
Customer Service Expectations
As a customer, you’ve most likely heard the phrases, “I can’t,” “There is nothing I can do,” or “I don’t know what to do.” How can you provide quality customer service if you don’t know how to? Customer service should be addressed from both a humanistic and a systematic perspective. Providing quality service involves more than just displaying wherewithal and couth; it also involves customer-centric processes and policies.
Lead your team to success by establishing, implementing and managing customer service expectations.
A Proactive Approach
Few things are more frustrating to a customer than receiving updates on their shipment after the fact, or even worse, hearing it from somebody besides you. An individual that is truly focused on customer service will anticipate potential obstacles and do everything possible to avoid them. However, as we all know, things don’t always go as planned. Survive the inevitable issues by continuously being proactive. Sometimes the only things that you actually have control over are how and when you communicate to your customer.
Ramp Up Your Efforts
Scott Cook, businessman and co-founder of Intuit, simply stated,
“Instead of focusing on the competition, focus on the customer.”
In the competitive landscape of logistics, it’s crucial that you don’t lose sight of who keeps you in business. The continued trust that your customers have in you and your services are the two things that will sustain you. As your business continues to grow, so should your customer service. Don’t assume that you are doing everything right for your customers, as even your top accounts will expect improved service.
Customer Alignment
With the focus on continuous customer service improvement, your ultimate goal is to become truly aligned with your customers. The more you know about your customer, the more strategic your customer relationship can become. True customer service isn’t just transactional. True customer service is a mutually beneficial partnership in which both parties are actively involved.
The only thing that separates you from your competition is customer service. Lee Cockerell, former executive vice president of operations for Walt Disney World, stated,
“Products and services can easily be replicated. So, if your company’s competitive advantage is based on products and services alone, you are at risk. But if it’s based upon products, services, and quality service, then you’ll have a competitive advantage that’s very difficult to match.”
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The England Logistics Temp-Controlled LTL division offers a range of services to best fit your needs. Our tailored loads and 24/7 customer service will guarantee your refrigerated shipment will arrive in an efficient and timely manner. By offering reliable support, coast-to-coast services and competitive rates, the England Logistics team is prepared to get your loads where they need to go. Learn about Temp-Controlled LTL’s Customer Experience Initiative HERE.