ED 47: January-February 2013

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44 ma r k E t in t E l l i gE n C E Delighting through Warehousing Ja n | FE b <strong>2013</strong> En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t How Innovative Warehouse Services Will Positively retain Customers’ Loyalty
Picture this: a new order arrives at your warehouse, another order for delivery. An order from the customer services department goes to the sales department and from there to the warehouse manager. The warehouse manager assigns someone to proceed with the order. From the area zone and the shelf, to the pack station, then to the loading area and ultimately to the customer’s doorstep (be it retailer, wholesaler or the final consumer). Such operations, as simple or as frequent as they are, have a critical impact on the company’s buying and selling experience but most importantly they have a significant impact on your customers’ anticipated service, which will eventually lead to their delight and ultimately to their loyalty. As a result, even the operation within the warehousing environment should be viewed as an indispensable function of extended customer services. Here are four essential tips of how improved warehouse services could assist warehouse personnel in their endeavour of achieving better customer services and contributing to their company’s optimised performance. 1. Be courteous and provide information regarding the order. The warehouse manager or the storekeeper can follow up and provide necessary information on a customer’s order. This simple measure could be accomplished by sending an email, by making a phone call or by sending a SMS, supported by a little “Thank you for your order” note. A simple: “Mr James your order has been dispatched; you should expect delivery at your store within the next 30 mins”. It certainly goes out of the ordinary approach and “Mr James” for sure will be pleased to receive such personalised service. This gesture will add tremendous value to your customer’s or distributor’s relations with the company and most likely it would not cost you anything. 2. Make your delivery order appear as an added value or a reward to your customer. Some warehouse departments may feel that they have accomplished their aim, since the customer has already made the purchase. Yes, but nowadays, it is not enough. Go the extra mile. Go ahead and delight your customer. Thank your customer by including a discount coupon for his next order, or include your latest catalogue or your promotional flyer/leaflet, which will enable him/her to get a clearer insight of your product portfolio. You may entice them to give you another order sooner than later. 3. offer appropriate and easy ways for customers’ feedback. Always provide plain and simple ways for your customers to contact you for their feedback and continuously seek their suggestions. Put in place various easy and convenient contact ways (i.e. social media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn or email, telephone, SMS) to ensure that your customers can remain in contact with you at all times. Aim for the highest customer satisfaction in your dealings with them. Introduce monthly or bi-monthly customers’ surveys, which will provide you with the required feedback and most importantly with ways and means to improve your ma r k E t in t E l l i gE n C E services in dealing with them. You may consider a token reward for those customers who frequently participate in your surveys. Spare no effort to delight them, or they will move their business elsewhere. 4. Make any product returns a vital point for feedback and further action. Product return is an important part of the warehousing process in dealing with customers. It is not something that warehouse personnel would look forward to, but it is a very important part of the business. Use this point to gather vital information which will help you to prevent future product returns. Ask your customers to give you as clearly as possible all the reasons for the product(s) they are returning and aim to further improve your ways by learning from such cases. conclusion In today’s business environment, ensuring that each and every customer remains “delighted” for as long as possible would not only require effort from the sales department’s operating area, but it should encompass and be a focus point for the total business operation. Therefore, along with other departments, the warehouse operation and its service to customers could and should be an value-added element in the endeavour of delighting customers and ensuring their much-desired loyalty. petros n. Zenieris Business consultant-trainer the Business criterion Ja n | FE b <strong>2013</strong> En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t 45
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ED 47: January-February 2013

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