Keeping your customers satisfied is not just about ensuring that the products they receive are up to scratch; you need to think about how every stage of the process, from the initial purchase to the delivery itself, meets or exceeds modern expectations.
If this is an ambition you hold but you aren’t sure what improvements to make, here are some actionable ideas that will impress customers and offer other benefits as well.
Have Clear, Accurate Delivery Tracking
The last-mile delivery tracking can be beneficial, both in terms of managing your fleet and also keeping customers in the loop about the whereabouts of their goods throughout the journey to their doorstep.
Clarity and accuracy are essential in this context, as if your delivery tracking is too basic, or doesn’t provide adequate info on the precise delivery window, then it can actually increase customer anxiety as opposed to reducing it.
Actively Ask For Feedback
Factoring in customer feedback requests before the delivery has arrived is helpful, as it lets you pick up on any pain points which occur while the goods are in transit, or in the run-up to the order being placed.
Conversely if you only ask for feedback after the order is in their hands, they might be less compelled to take the time to tell you if everything has gone smoothly, or they might have forgotten the foibles they encountered along the way.
You can even integrate feedback requests into the aforementioned order tracking process, which could also allow you to respond to concerns in real time, rather than letting them fester.
Add The Personal Touch
In the ecommerce age, it’s all too easy for customers to feel like they are buying products from a faceless retailer, rather than an organization which values them as an individual.
This is where personalization comes into play, allowing you to engage with buyers directly as people, rather than as mere entries on a database of orders.
From the way that products are recommended to shoppers on your site, to the use of their names in email communications and beyond, the personal touch will make a big difference in how your brand is perceived.
It also pays to be consistent in the tone you use, so make sure you think about how this matches with your brand identity, and also consider the training that sales and support staff will need to stick to this in a cohesive way.
Provide Community Resources
Another option for making customers feel like they are part of something special and bigger than themselves is creating community resources that brings them together with other acolytes of your brand.
This is most obviously achievable via social media, although having a knowledge base, forum or community section on your website itself should also be considered. If customers have questions to ask, or they just want to chat with one another, such resources will be invaluable.
Keep Your Promises
The quickest way for customer delight to turn to disgruntlement is if you promise to provide something, then fail to follow through on it.
Even if the promise is not a tangible benefit, missing out on it could create real consternation in customers who would otherwise be loyal.
It’s all about building and maintaining trust, and striving to better yourself if you have fallen short in any way.
Wrapping Up
You can connect with customers in so many ways today, that the delivery process should really be the icing on the cake of the consumer experience. If you recognize this, then you are well on the way to business success.
