ED 47: January-February 2013

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 2013
En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t
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