The proliferation of fax machines in the 1980s and email in the 1990s raised consumer expectation for quick turnaround more than any previous technology change. Today, on demand viewing, text messaging and mobile applications are taking those expectation levels up another very significant notch. These days, social media even plays a large role in terms of receiving and viewing customer service reviews.
When you provide a product or a service, consumers have come to expect you to know something about them and their interests. They expect customized messages designed just for them. They expect on-time delivery, real-time response, and all-time great performance. In short, they want what they want, when they want it, and how they want it. They don’t want to wait for it, and they expect you to deliver on what you have promised.
If the service you’re delivering is delivery itself – that is, shipping and delivery of personal, business or household items such as, furniture, artwork, antiques, computers or just packed boxes – providing great customer service is essential to achieving happiness for both the shipper and the customer. The following are three simple tips gathered from customer feedback that help to define customer expectations.
Educate
Most consumers will use a shipping service or company infrequently so they are unfamiliar with the options or costs. They might be shipping a recently purchased antique or passing family heirloom on to the next generation.
It is important that this customer have phone and electronic access to an experienced staff that can guide them through the pluses and minuses of shipping such a fragile or personal item. For example, the customer service specialist on the other side should be able to advise consumers on how to pack an item, insurance requirements, the availability of inside pickup and delivery, and a myriad of other details that may not have occurred to the consumer.
Creating a FAQ page on your site is also a great resource for consumers and businesses before they ship a product.
Communicate
Customer service at any company needs to always establish correct rates and regulations when communicating with the public. Most shipping companies, for example, base their rates and charges on minimum weights, from 1,000 to 2,500 lbs. On the other hand, long distance small move specialists can have a minimum as low as 100 lbs. The consumer wouldn’t know the difference and end up paying more if customer service isn’t there to help her.
Having an open line of communication between any company and consumer is extremely important for retention and positive reviews.
Follow Through
A customer’s request is not complete until his/her package is actually delivered, undamaged, on time and at the price quoted. Follow up with the customer to make sure everything went as planned. That, too, is part of the service a shipping/moving specialist provides.
Get to the root cause of any problem that is encountered, and fix the problem, not just the cause. Finally, be sure to treat every new customer as if they were going to be a customer for life.