For logistics service providers (LSPs) and transportation companies, creating a positive customer experience is the Holy Grail. Ultimately efforts to improve customer experience streamline processes through supply chain automation and eliminate redundancy, promote business profitability and help you make ensure your company can meet the needs for each tendered shipment.
In fact, consider these seven ways transportation companies can improve the customer experience for both their business-to-business (B2B) and direct-to-consumer (D2C) customers.
1. Centralize Supply Chain Management
A centralized supply chain refers to a system in which all company resources are relegated to one central hub. This allows for resources of transportation companies — like vehicles — to be streamlined to one specific location and relegated evenly. This cuts down on confusion and limits the necessity of middle management and more hires, which translates to more total profit for your business and a better experience for your customers overall.
As further explained by Inbound Logistics, “carriers are provided access to the transportation management system (TMS) so they can select from a list of available appointment types and times. Appointment times, pickup and/or delivery appointments, and other scheduling data can be set in the order management section of the TMS and transmitted via EDI, prior to offering a load to a carrier.
Moreover, the system disallows scheduling if the pickup or delivery requested can’t possibly be achieved given the parameters in the TMS for appointment time/day, product availability transit times and other critical considerations.”
Furthermore, centralized controls provide more information to improve customer experiences.
2. Limit Unnecessary Check Calls for Freight
Check calls can be stressful. In the modern era, they are quickly becoming less necessary for transportation companies. The use of technology allows customers to see where their freight is always located through GPS tracking and real-time updates. This means that you can avoid taking check calls and your customers can avoid the hassle of making the call in the first place.
There are a handful of apps that allow for real-time checks for freight transportation that make it easy and feasible for both the customer and driver to use.
3. Eliminate the Hassle of Physical Paperwork, Improve Customer Experience
4. Use Automation to Reduce Confusion Over POD and More
Automated emails and mobile notifications make proof of delivery (POD) easy for transportation companies. No longer will important documents get lost in the shuffle; you can streamline your customer’s experience by removing the obstacles that can come with other POD methods. Plus, it provides an instantaneous way to notify and show customers when a package has been delivered.
5. Streamline Freight Tendering by Sharing Customer Data From the Moment of Ordering
6. Reduce Confusion by Keeping Everything in Context
7. Offer Transparent Traceability From Origin Through Delivery
Increase Efficiency, Improve Customer Experience
Time is truly money in the modern supply chain, and transportation companies need to be much more proactive about working to increase transparency and boost automation. Doing so will help improve customer experience and achieve cost savings.
Working with a proven provider of advanced supply chain management technology solutions puts you on the path to achieving this goal.