Customers are the lifeblood of any business. They are the reason we all have jobs and they require and deserve our full attention and efforts. The key to stability in any company, but especially in the trucking industry, is customer diversity. The saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket” is fitting here. If the bulk of your operations rely on one or two large customers, losing one can cripple a company. We’ve seen this happen to other carriers. That’s why we must focus on not just gaining customers, but keeping them by providing excellent customer care.
Customer service entails helping customers by providing the information they need and want when they need it and troubleshooting any issues with products or services. Customer care goes beyond this by ensuring customer issues are resolved while supporting their emotional needs and giving them a sense of connection and positivity with the company. Customer care is the responsibility of everyone in the company, not just the customer service representatives. Here are a few reasons why providing excellent customer care is so important.
Improves Brand Reputation – think about it, how often do you write reviews for products or services you’ve used? When you do, are you more likely to write a review when you’ve had a bad experience or a good experience? In general, more people are eager to leave negative reviews than positive ones because negative experiences generate more emotion and you want to express that in a way you know how. But when things go well, you just expect that’s how a transaction should go and leave it alone. Only when a product or service is exceptional do most people leave a glowing review, but those are the ones that stand out and lead to good Brand Reputation and loyalty. Your demeanor and efficiency in resolving problems helps build trust and your reputation. Build an experience that sets you apart from other providers. Having a good reputation also helps you attract new customers.
Strengthens Customer Trust – it’s the companies that go above and beyond that build trust. When you’re treated like your opinions matter and are given the time to explain any issues, that’s when you are more willing to trust the company and patronize them again.
Reduces Company Abandonment – how often do you look at reviews before choosing a product or service company? Most people take negative reviews seriously and providing a good overall customer experience reduces the amount of people who will disregard your company when making purchase decisions. Learn how to appreciate and handle negative feedback, respond in a constructive way, apologizing and providing solutions to prevent issues in the future. Customers will drop companies that provide negative experiences and studies show it doesn’t take too many of those experiences before they look for another provider.
How to Implement Good Customer Care:
- Make customer satisfaction a part of the company culture and ensure employees are trained to provide great service.
- Monitor your customers (our customers send metrics related to on-time pu/del., etc); use this information to pinpoint areas to improve.
- Anticipate customers’ needs and implement proactive problem solving. It’s always better to fix a problem before it becomes a major issue. And it’s always better to notice it and work toward resolution before the customer does.
- Reward customer loyalty. In our case, it would be helping them out with expedited or last-minute requests to help them service their vendors/customers.
- Personalize the relationship. Get to know your customers individually, learn how they want to do business and tailor your customer care to their needs and preferences. Some are more hands-on and want more personal interaction, and others prefer more efficient and brief interactions.
While we in the office handle most of the direct customer contact, as drivers, you are the face of the company every time you make a pickup or delivery. You can provide great customer care by embodying MK’s core values. Maintain a helpful nature while exhibiting friendliness, empathy, and a willingness to help whenever needed. We frequently get calls and emails from shippers and receivers complimenting our drivers on their helpful demeanor and friendliness and we are always proud to receive those messages. Please remember that a great attitude and hard work for our customers is what keeps us in business and if you encounter issues, reach out to the office team to help resolve them.
