Improving Customer Service Part 2 by Timothy D. Brady - Freight Bill ...

One thing more important than the cost of your hauling service to any shipper is the perceived and actual value they receive. Quality service is what will establish the highest value to the customer.

Here?s the list of actions which need to be part of your Customer Service Strategy:

• Treat?your employees and drivers as you want your customers treated. Human?nature is such that the greater respect and consideration given to a?person, the more likely they will reciprocate to others. It?s very important you create a ?do as I do, not just as I say,? approach to?working with your employees and drivers.
• Create a seamless communication link between all departments in your trucking?company and your shippers. Be sure everyone with a ?need to know? is in?the information loop. This means the dispatcher, the salesperson who sold?the hauling services, the truck driver, the safety director and the motor carrier owner are all in the loop.
• Always?ensure if a customer has a problem?that isn?t resolved by the employee?handling it, the customer is directed to an executive in the company who?has the final word. This executive should be no more than the third person?with who your customer speaks. Don?t set up customer service ?brick?walls,? as this will create a dissatisfied shipper. Think how frustrating?it is when you call to resolve an issue with a company if you have to?repeat the same problem to each person up the customer service ladder.?Each one is apologetic; ?feels your pain,? but tells you it?s company?policy preventing resolution, or you should write a letter to a PO Box?without a specific person to whom to address it. Or you spend an?inordinate amount of time listening to scripted responses and apologies,?but your issue is in the same place it was when you started. Or when you ask the ?Customer?Service Representative? you?re speaking with if you could talk to a?manager or director, you?re informed the manager will tell you the same?thing. That?s a ?Customer Service Brick Wall,? and as a small motor?carrier, you can?t afford to build this wall in your business.
• Regularly?contact your list of shippers who?ve used your motor carrier and ask them?whether they?ve had any unresolved issues. While you could do this in an?e-mail survey, calling those shippers directly will make a big impression?on them. And person-to-person communication is always the winning hand.
• Place?the calmest, most cool-headed person in your office in charge of customer?service. We all know there will be a shipper that can?t be pleased, no?matter if you had his cargo transported by the driver in his sleeper?s?bunk. But if you have someone in your office who can deal with that?shipper if he or she becomes obnoxious, rude or threatening without becoming?the same in return, you?ll have superior customer service, even if it?s?only that one person.

What are the steps to building a solid customer service routine? Like any workable plan, you begin with a solid strategy for communication:

Don?t let the unexpected surprise the customer. There are always situations and events over which your company and the driver have no control. When one of these occurs and affects a load, immediately contact all parties. They may not be happy with what?s happened, but it gives them opportunity and time to make necessary adjustments to their plan.

Anticipate potential problems and have solutions for these problems to be presented to your shipper if they should occur. Not much else can sour a shipper?s attitude towards a motor carrier more than an avoidable, preventable mishap. Although the shipper may never see the driver doing all the activities required for operating safely, the net result is the safe delivery of his shipment.

Establishing solid customer service communication and being sure everyone within your company follows through in a consistent manner will help ensure your success. Unhappy customers will tell everyone what a lousy experience they had; satisfied customers will tell you what a great job you did, Raving Fans will tell everyone what a great operation you have. And this is what keeps your trailers filled to capacity with excellent-paying tonnage. Improving customer service with clear communication adds value to your company; value adds revenue to the bottom line.

Drive long and prosper, and remember: It?s not what you charge a customer, but the value you provide for the price.

Timothy Brady ?2013

To contact Brady go to www.timothybrady.com

For more information on Trucking Business Courses go to: www.truckersu.com

Source: http://www.cash4truckers.com/blog4truckers/2013/03/improving-customer-service-part-2-by-timothy-d-brady/

Chris Lighty