In the shipping industry, many variables can either positively or negatively impact your company. From fluctuating fuel prices to increased competition and changing customer demands, staying ahead of the curve may seem impossible. However, with strategic planning and appropriate preparation, your shipping company can not only survive these difficult times but also thrive in them. Here are five strategies you can enact to keep customers happy and protect your profits in the shipping industry.
Improve your tracking and transparency
When a client places an order, there is usually a certain level of anxiety associated with waiting for the delivery. It can be difficult to manage this anxiety because it is hard to know exactly when your shipment will arrive. Improving your tracking and transparency is one way to keep customers happy and reduce the number of calls you receive from concerned customers. One way to improve your tracking process is by using a service that provides you with on-time updates on the status of your shipments. This will help reduce the customer’s anxiety and feel more secure about their order.
There are various services present that can offer you this information at a low cost. Another way to improve customer confidence in your shipping company is by providing detailed notifications about the status of their shipments. This includes notifying them 24 hours before the shipment departs, when it arrives at its destination, and when they should expect their package to arrive at their doorstep. Increasing transparency ensures that customers’ questions are answered quickly, which also helps keep them happy. The more information customers have about their shipments, the less anxious they are as they wait for their packages to arrive. You can do this by providing detailed notifications about the status of their packages before they ship or after it has been delivered. Also, you may use a pallet quilt to maintain your product’s temperature levels all through the shipment.
Change your metrics
If you’re in the shipping industry, it’s important to consider changing your metrics. Your metrics should be focused on what your customer wants, not what they need. This means that customer satisfaction and retention are more important than customer acquisition. If you focus on satisfying and retaining your current customers, you won’t have to spend as much time and resources acquiring new ones.
Offer same-day shipping
With the growth of e-commerce, many customers are now expecting same-day shipping on certain products. This is less a demand and more a preemptive measure to protect their business. When shipping items with a higher profit margin, you may want to invest in offering same-day shipping. You can offer this service by partnering with other companies or investing in a drop shipper. A drop shipper simplifies fulfilling orders because all they do is ship your products out when an order comes in and then send you the bill. Offering next-day delivery at no extra cost will keep satisfied customers coming back for more. You’ll also be able to beat your competitors by one day and will be able to offer ways for customers to expedite their orders for an additional fee if needed. When choosing a package, some of the basic factors are durable, secure, simple to use, and affordable.
Establish a strong relationship with your carriers
You should always have a close relationship with the carriers you work with to ensure that they know any changes that might affect your company. You can do this by setting up regular meetings or phone calls. Besides, it would be best to ask them questions about their business and their outlook for the future. This will aid you in maintaining changing carrier requirements, which is important as many carriers are now charging for fuel charges.
Increase employee engagement and empowerment
Empowering your staff members to increase their engagement is the first step toward maintaining a happy customer base. With more autonomy and responsibility, your employees can take on shipping challenges with increased confidence and reassurance. This strategy will boost morale and productivity in the short term, but it will also have a long-lasting positive effect on your company’s culture.
Today, shipping has become an integral part of your business. Customers want to feel like their purchase is worth the cost and that it will arrive quickly and in perfect condition. The five strategies you can use to ensure that your customers are happy and prevent costly shipping include: Changing your metrics, tracking, and transparency, offering same-day shipping, and increasing employee engagement and empowerment.
