Day-to-day business of a logistics company consists in guaranteeing its goods and merchandise arrive in optimum condition and on time from their origin to their destination. Wemight think, therefore, that the most important thing for these companies is the condition and transport of the goods. However, behind these products and goods they find concerns, needs and customer’s expectations.

Thanks to logistical companies, entrepreneurs and freelancers can forget about transportation, distribution and shipment management details, and focus on other essential tasks for the growth and scalability of their business. But to make this relationship between customer and logistics company work, there must be a simple, effective and fluid communication between both of them.

Particularities of customer service at a logistics company

Logistics Is a very special industry. Managing the various stages of the supply chain for thousands and thousands of items every day is a complex task. When the relationship between a logistics company and customer Is closer it is easier to adjust profit margins, resolve unforeseen events, manage incidents and improve every process a product goes through in its shipping cycle.

In short, offering quality customer service can make the difference and have a positive impact on the logistical business and on the own business of the customers it works with. It is a win-win situation.

At the same time, in the logistics sector, time Is really important: shipment cancellations, label printing, merchandise held up in customs, etc. These types of urgent incidents must be solved as soon as possible.

Typically, companies offer customer service by telephone. Of course, having a personal conversation with a manager is rewarding and helpful, however, depending on the volume of business, the lines can easily become saturated and waiting times get longer. This undoubtedly leads to customer discomfort.

A fast and efficient omnichannel service has a direct impact on the quality of service and, therefore, it is advisable to have different points of contact with the user and maintain the maximum in them so the customer experience become satisfactory. This is what is known as a:

Omnichannel strategy: keys to improve customer service

Specifically, this is the type of strategy followed by one of our partners: the logistical company Genei, a technology company specialized on management of national and international shipments, which offers e-fulfillment services and wich success is backed by its figures.

To find out how they approach this strategy and, in particular, how they work with customer service, we asked them to tell us what guidelines they put into practice. These are the key points they highlighted:

– Homogeneous communication: In order to work with different points of contact in customer service, it is essential to have a very clear and aligned strategy. If there is a conflict between messages sent through different channels, customers feel confused, lost and even angry. Messages must be clear, short, simple and unique. Especially with the complexity of the industry.

– Continuous training: Whether it’s through a DM on Instagram, a chat query, a Twitter mention or a phone inquiry, customer service people need to deliver a service that lives up to expectations. To do that , they need to know the ins and outs of the industry. While more complete and up-to-date their knowledge is, it will be better the response they Will provide to the customer and, consequently, the customer will be More satisfied

– Response rate: In the world of logistics, it is often the customer who contacts the logistical company. On the other hand, the type of service and the urgency of some procedures require very short response times. Logistical companies must continually review and work to shorten waiting times and offer a quality service.

– Automation of frequent queries: Having a partner like Livebeep, who can help shorten certain recurring procedures is a great advantage. There are many customers who request simple and very similar queries. Identifying these requests and implementing filters and automatisms helps to speed up processes. For example, if the first queries are filtered through an intelligent chatbot with quick responses, managers can offload work and move forward faster. The customer receives an efficient and agile service. On the other hand, agents have more time to devote to other queries, More complex, that require fuller dedication.

– Review of successful conversations: From successful experiences we can draw interesting keys to improve customer service. To do this, we must be willing to change and learn continuously. Reviewing what we have worked on in the past can help us to proceed successfully in similar situations and also inspire us to overcome new challenges.

– Closeness and empathy: When a customer feels that he/she is personally and closely attended, he/she feels more understood and supported. It is also important to practice active listening and detect not only the customer’s mood (to respond appropriately) also possible trends in the sector and processes to be improved. working on close and empathetic communication, customer service agents are able to take the conversation to a relaxed and more productive place.

– Useful communication: it is possible that sometimes it is not the customer who contacts the logistical company, it can be the other way around. It is important not to fall in this case in a saturation or information overload. Communications should always be useful for the customer. Spam should not be abused.

– Be careful with words: you should not lose your manners. In logistics, there can be complex situations that are difficult to resolve and they generate stress in customers and in the agents that attend them. They should not get carried away by emotions and should always try to maintain a careful language and use a calm tone.

– Responses visibility: It is important to be clear about which topics can be discussed in public and private communications. Agents must ensure the protection of customer data (avoid publishing personal data, shipment tracking numbers, etc.) and know how to identify when a query can help other customers in a similar situation.

Genei is a logistical company operating in more than 170 countries in partnership with leading agencies at home and abroad. Individuals as well as freelancers and entrepreneurs can benefit from its services. If you are thinking about shipping or scaling up your business, Genei is always a good choice – test their customer service and ask for information about their services

If you want to implement omnichannel customer service in your company, register and start your free trial.