Customer satisfaction is extremely important in today's economy where the vendors have to work hard to win new business as well as to keep their existing customers. If a company fails to satisfy their existing clients there are many other vendors who would like the opportunity to win the business. The need to ensure customer satisfaction is crucial for a service driven industry like freight forwarding & logistics.
Use of technology is rapidly changing the entire world of logistics making it faster, more reliable and responsive. Information technology allows the tracking of shipments both on the supply side and the delivery side of business operations. The use of cloud technology is providing logistics companies with the speed and agility to find new ways to create and deliver values. Cloud ERP software integrated with CRM and Visibility Portal is a cost-effective method for improving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Process Standardization
With well defined process flows and integrated operations freight and logistics companies can create process standardization for critical logistics functions. Standardized processes help in simplifying operations and avoid costly mistakes. It also helps in saving time and efforts of the employees resulting in much higher efficiency.
Improve Customer Experience
Freight forwarders and logistics companies must address their customers quickly and more efficiently to improve customer experience of their organization. With automation features of comprehensive logistics software customers can be offered numerous facilities such as -
Online access to View, Edit and Approve Bill of Loading drafts
Online order booking through the customer service portal
Online access to financial information like Outstanding Payments, Statement of Accounts
Visibility - Automated, Real-time, Interactive
Customers are generally worried about the status of their cargo and most of the customer queries received at any logistics company are for the enquiry of the cargo status. Visibility portal created using freight and logistics ERP software can provide real-time information of cargo status to the customers. Interactive and automated visibility portal reduces most of the load from customer service departments and yet helps customers with exactly what they want and when they want. Another advantage of such portals is that the employees are now less burdened with queries from customer about their cargo status.
Communication - Quick, Accurate & Timely
Communication has the paramount importance in logistics industry due to its fast moving nature. Many logistics companies and their customers are deprived of availability of right information to right person at right time. Electronic communication capabilities of freight and logistics software eliminate this problem and allow access and sharing of important information. Automatic alerts can be created to notify important events across the forwarding cycle. Logistics companies can also schedule periodic shipment status reports to update the customer with latest information. Both logistics companies and their customers are well informed about all activities like Booking Confirmation, ETA of Freight etc. through automated notifications.
Customer Engagement through CRM
CRM helps in managing the entire customer life-cycle from inquiry to client acquisition and service requests. Yet, the greatest advantage is to analyze CRM data to understand what customers actually value and look for. Effective use of CRM provides timely customer insights to engage the customers with your organization. Freight and logistics companies can use the CRM data to improve their responsiveness and communication with their top customers.
Customer Satisfaction is not just a goal but an attitude that takes top-down approach starting with top management. Technology can be used effectively to build better and long-lasting relationships with your customers.