Art van Bodegraven was, among other roles, chief design officer for the DES Leadership Academy. He passed away on June 18, 2017. He will be greatly missed.
Everybody's got a customer service story, and it's rarely a happy one. The surly or inattentive clerk. Pressing "1" on the handset over and over again in search of a human voice—with a recorded voice telling you just how important your business is to rub salt in the wounds.
Those homely daily experiences illustrate that there aren't many players in business today who really get what customer service is about—or how it can translate into competitive advantage.
But why is customer service important in the context of supply chain management? It's simple. The supply chain doesn't really begin with sourcing and procurement, as some would have it. It begins with customers—their demands and those of their customers, their profiles, their locations, and their buying habits. Customer service dictates where we locate facilities, how we design distribution networks, and what processes and technologies we deploy and employ.
As for who these customers are, from the standpoint of supply chain operations, it can be just about anyone. We may be dealing with end-consumers. Or maybe our customers are other businesses—manufacturers, distributors, retailers, etc. At minimum, other departments inside our company—and the people in them—are our individual or functional customers. We'll focus here on some consumer examples, but the concepts and principles apply to customer relationships throughout the supply chain.
What is customer service, really? If you ask a group of people, you'll find there are a number of thoughts on the topic. But only once in our lives has anyone spontaneously come up with the answer that makes the most sense to us. A guy attending our Supply Chain Short Course at Georgia Tech stood up and simply said, "Everything." And he meant it. Everything. Everything that a customer might see, touch, or hear, before, during, and after a transaction is part of customer service.
At the retail level, for example, that would mean the look, feel, and smell—and location—of the store, the availability and display of goods, and the knowledge, helpfulness, and attitude of associates. On a Web site, it would include the site's appearance and ease of use by customers, whether they're placing orders or seeking answers to questions. And for call centers, it would encompass telephone service clarity and speed, complaint resolution, and staff knowledge.
What should customer service be about?
What do customers want? It might seem that they want the sun, the moon, and the stars, but research has shown that they really have only a few basic expectations:
Quick response/recognition. Whether it's in the store or on the telephone, no one wants to wait to be acknowledged or recognized, and no one wants to wait (five minutes tests the upper limit) for a response following recognition.
Human contact. The fact remains that people like the social experience— and flexibility—of dealing with other people, especially when there's a problem.
One-call problem resolution. This may be the gold standard for both "fixes" and information, but it's certainly not unachievable. And remember, costs go up—and customer confidence drops—with each succeeding call.
Expeditious solutions. That doesn't necessarily mean same- or next-day service, but it does mean a reasonably timely—and reliable—response. You're better off hitting a consistent three-day commitment than promising something in one day and delivering in two.
Positive attitudes. A smile in the voice goes a long way toward disarming an irate customer.
Technical knowledge. That means knowledge not just about products and how they work, but also of customer service processes and how they work. A representative who can lead a customer through the company's internal resolution process can make a business friend for life. Much of the above refers to the service department's daily interactions with customers. But true service leaders build customer service into the fabric of the company in ways that make doing right by the customer nearly automatic. They anticipate what customers might seek, as when Ford Credit mailed customers in Florida payment-forgiveness notices after the 2004 hurricanes. They empower employees at all levels to fix problems and correct errors and omissions. They focus on overall results—and the value of "customers for life" rather than on the cost of a single event or solution. They treat customer service as an investment, not a cost, and understand that customer service is a differentiator and competitive advantage.
Does this pay off in today's dog-eat-dog world? Some research indicates that customer service leaders enjoy better-than-average stock price performance. Think about some recognized leaders, the image conjured up by the name, and the quality of experience you've had with them: Infiniti in automobiles, Ritz-Carlton in hospitality, Nordstrom in retail, L.L.Bean in consumer-direct. Then think about how most people feel about the legacy airlines. Customers at all levels can tell the difference between those who talk the talk and those who walk the walk.
Consider the customer, then invest
The customer service all-stars also consider how changes in business practices will affect their customers. Well-designed technology, for example, can leverage the human investment in customer service. But poorly designed Web sites and automated menus can sabotage everything you're trying to accomplish. Before investing in a particular piece of technological wizardry, figure out what you want it to accomplish. Is it to reduce labor costs? Handle the easy, routine stuff in order to free up skilled humans for the sensitive and difficult issues? Increase responsiveness and augment other information and service channels? Or—and it really seems this way sometimes—is it to provide the appearance of a customer service commitment without investing in substance and reality?
Off-center technology includes Web sites that are organized logically (to a technology professional, anyway) but are not aligned with customer behavior; sites that are difficult to navigate; sites with rigid search capability; menus that don't raise the most common options immediately, regardless of their "logical" positioning or sequence; and menus that don't offer an avenue for all possible options.
Offshoring is another decision to approach with care. Its relatively low cost is seductive, for sure. And there are real issues domestically in finding qualified and motivated staff at any cost. But anyone considering an offshore solution for elements of the customer service equation must determine customers' sensitivity to the dynamics of problem solving with someone with a different cultural background. There is also the question of when spoken English may not be perceived to be English—on either side of the exchange.
Finally, there is the tragedy of enterprises that are committed to customer service, are willing to spend money on it, but are tone-deaf regarding what customer service truly is. Misdirected customer service can be worse than bad customer service. Customer service is crucial, yes, but you can go too far. Ask yourself these questions. How much service should you lavish on "C" customers, for instance? Do you need to deliver the next day to customers who would be thrilled to get things in two or more days? What is the point of "delighting" customers who are buying commodities on price alone? Who has the courage, and the wisdom, to tell the customer he or she is wrong, and that there's money to be made doing things a different way? Have you met the basics of service before striving to "exceed the customer's expectations"?
Do take time to consider the importance of satisfying customers in all phases of the supply chain. It's what we are here for, and serving customers in all dimensions of a commercial relationship can help to fulfill all of our core reasons for being in business.
In their 2006 book, Satisfaction: How Every Great Company Listens to the Voice of the Customer, authors Chris Denove and James D. Power IV echo many of our contentions. Most significantly, they argue that there is a clear link between customer satisfaction and profitability. Simply put, the bottom line is that customer service is all about, well, the bottom line.
E-commerce activity remains robust, but a growing number of consumers are reintegrating physical stores into their shopping journeys in 2024, emphasizing the need for retailers to focus on omnichannel business strategies. That’s according to an e-commerce study from Ryder System, Inc., released this week.
Ryder surveyed more than 1,300 consumers for its 2024 E-Commerce Consumer Study and found that 61% of consumers shop in-store “because they enjoy the experience,” a 21% increase compared to results from Ryder’s 2023 survey on the same subject. The current survey also found that 35% shop in-store because they don’t want to wait for online orders in the mail (up 4% from last year), and 15% say they shop in-store to avoid package theft (up 8% from last year).
“Retail and e-commerce continue to evolve,” Jeff Wolpov, Ryder’s senior vice president of e-commerce, said in a statement announcing the survey’s findings. “The emergence of e-commerce and growth of omnichannel fulfillment, particularly over the past four years, has altered consumer expectations and behavior dramatically and will continue to do so as time and technology allow.
“This latest study demonstrates that, while consumers maintain a robust
appetite for e-commerce, they are simultaneously embracing in-person shopping, presenting an impetus for merchants to refine their omnichannel strategies.”
Other findings include:
• Apparel and cosmetics shoppers show growing attraction to buying in-store. When purchasing apparel and cosmetics, shoppers are more inclined to make purchases in a physical location than they were last year, according to Ryder. Forty-one percent of shoppers who buy cosmetics said they prefer to do so either in a brand’s physical retail location or a department/convenience store (+9%). As for apparel shoppers, 54% said they prefer to buy clothing in those same brick-and-mortar locations (+9%).
• More customers prefer returning online purchases in physical stores. Fifty-five percent of shoppers (+15%) now say they would rather return online purchases in-store–the first time since early 2020 the preference to Buy Online Return In-Store (BORIS) has outweighed returning via mail, according to the survey. Forty percent of shoppers said they often make additional purchases when picking up or returning online purchases in-store (+2%).
• Consumers are extremely reliant on mobile devices when shopping in-store. This year’s survey reveals that 77% of consumers search for items on their mobile devices while in a store, Ryder said. Sixty-nine percent said they compare prices with items in nearby stores, 58% check availability at other stores, 31% want to learn more about a product, and 17% want to see other items frequently purchased with a product they’re considering.
Ryder said the findings also underscore the importance of investing in technology solutions that allow companies to provide customers with flexible purchasing options.
“Omnichannel strength is not a fad; it is a strategic necessity for e-commerce and retail businesses to stay competitive and achieve sustainable success in 2024 and beyond,” Wolpov also said. “The findings from this year’s study underscore what we know our customers are experiencing, which is the positive impact of integrating supply chain technology solutions across their sales channels, enabling them to provide their customers with flexible, convenient options to personalize their experience and heighten customer satisfaction.”
Transportation industry veteran Anne Reinke will become president & CEO of trade group the Intermodal Association of North America (IANA) at the end of the year, stepping into the position from her previous post leading third party logistics (3PL) trade group the Transportation Intermediaries Association (TIA), both organizations said today.
Meanwhile, TIA today announced that insider Christopher Burroughs would fill Reinke’s shoes as president & CEO. Burroughs has been with TIA for 13 years, most recently as its vice president of Government Affairs for the past six years, during which time he oversaw all legislative and regulatory efforts before Congress and the federal agencies.
Before her four years leading TIA, Reinke spent two years as Deputy Assistant Secretary with the U.S. Department of Transportation and 16 years with CSX Corporation.
Krish Nathan is the Americas CEO for SDI Element Logic, a provider of turnkey automation solutions and sortation systems. Nathan joined SDI Industries in 2000 and honed his project management and engineering expertise in developing and delivering complex material handling solutions. In 2014, he was appointed CEO, and in 2022, he led the search for a strategic partner that could expand SDI’s capabilities. This culminated in the acquisition of SDI by Element Logic, with SDI becoming the Americas branch of the company.
A native of the U.K., Nathan received his bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering from Coventry University and has studied executive leadership at Cranfield University.
Q: How would you describe the current state of the supply chain industry?
A: We see the supply chain industry as very dynamic and exciting, both from a growth perspective and from an innovation perspective. The pandemic hangover is still impacting decisions to nearshore, and that has resulted in a spike in business for us in both the USA and Mexico. Adding new technology to our portfolio has been a significant contributor to our continued expansion.
Q: Distributors were making huge tech investments during the pandemic simply to keep up with soaring consumer demand. How have things changed since then?
A: The consumer demand for e-commerce certainly appears to have cooled since the pandemic high, but our clients continue to see steady growth. Growth, combined with low unemployment and high labor costs, continues to make automation a good investment for many companies.
Q: Robotics are still in high demand for material handling applications. What are some of the benefits of these systems?
A: As an organization, we are investing heavily in software that will allow Element Logic to offer solutions for robotic picking that are hardware-agnostic. We have had success deploying unit picking for order fulfillment solutions and unit placing of items onto tray-based sorters.
From a benefit point of view, we’ve seen the consistency of a given operation improve. For example, the placement accuracy of a product onto a tray is far higher from a robotic arm than from a person. In order fulfillment applications, two of the biggest benefits are reliability and hours of operation. The robots don't call in sick, and they are happy to work 22 hours a day!
Q: SDI Element Logic offers a wide range of automated solutions, including automated storage and sortation equipment. What criteria should distributors use to determine what type of system is right for them?
A: There are a significant number of factors to consider when thinking about automation. In my experience, automation pays for itself in three key ways: It saves space, it increases the efficiency of labor, and it improves accuracy. So evaluating which of these will be [most] beneficial and quantifying the associated savings will lead to a “right sized” investment in technology.
Another important factor to consider is product mix. With a small SKU (stock-keeping unit) base, often automation doesn’t make sense. And with a huge SKU base, there will be products that don’t lend themselves to automation.
With any significant investment, you need to partner with an organization that has deep experience with the technologies that are being considered and … in-depth knowledge of the process that is being automated.
Q: How can a goods-to-person system reduce the amount of labor needed to fill orders?
A: In most order picking operations, there is a considerable amount of walking between pick faces to find the SKUs associated with a given order or set of orders. Goods-to-person eliminates the walking and allows the operator to just pick. I have seen studies that [show] that 75% of the time [required] to assemble an order in a manual picking environment is walking or “non-picking” time. So eliminating walking will reduce the amount of labor needed.
The goods-to-person approach also fits perfectly with robotic picking, so even the actual picking aspect of order assembly can be automated in some instances. For these reasons, [automation offers] a significant opportunity to reduce the labor needed to fulfill a customer order.
Q: If you could pick one thing a company should do to improve its distribution center operations, what would it be?
A: Evaluate. Evaluate the opportunities for improving by considering automation. In my experience, the challenge most companies have is recognizing that automation is an alternative. The barrier to entry is far lower than most people think!
Toyota Material Handling and its nationwide network of dealers showcased their commitment to improving their local communities during the company’s annual “Lift the Community Day.” Since 2021, Toyota associates have participated in an annual day-long philanthropic event held near Toyota’s Columbus, Indiana, headquarters. This year, the initiative expanded to include participation from Toyota’s dealers, increasing the impact on communities throughout the U.S. A total of 324 Toyota associates completed 2,300 hours of community service during this year’s event.
The PMMI Foundation, the charitable arm of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, awarded nearly $200,000 in scholarships to students pursuing careers in the packaging and processing industry. Each year, the PMMI Foundation provides academic scholarships to students studying packaging, food processing, and engineering to underscore its commitment to the future of the packaging and processing industry.
Truck leasing and fleet management services provider Fleet Advantage hosted its “Kids Around the Corner Foundation” back-to-school backpack drive in July. During the event, company associates assembled 200 backpacks filled with essential school supplies for high school-age students. The backpacks were then delivered to Henderson Behavioral Health’s Youth & Family Services location in Tamarac, Florida.
For the past seven years, third-party logistics service specialist ODW Logistics has provided logistics support for the Pelotonia Ride Weekend, a campaign to raise funds for cancer research at The Ohio State University’s Comprehensive Cancer Center–Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute. As in the past, ODW provided inventory management services and transportation for the riders’ bicycles at this year’s event. In all, some 7,000 riders and 3,000 volunteers participated in the ride weekend.
After years in the military, service members and their spouses can find the transition to civilian life difficult. For many, a valuable support on that journey is the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) SkillBridge program. During their final 180 days of service, participants in the program are connected with companies that provide them with civilian work experience and training. There is no cost to those companies while the service member continues receiving military compensation and benefits.
Both sides benefit from the program. “We’re proud to work with SkillBridge to give back to our military veterans for the bravery and sacrifices they’ve made for all of us,” Troy Pederson, director of training and development at LiftOne, a Hyster-Yale dealer and established SkillBridge employer, said in a release. “In the last year, we’ve helped 10 SkillBridge interns transition from military to civilian life, and the value and positive impact of the program can’t be overstated. At LiftOne, we’ve gained so much from the experience and diverse mix of technical and leadership skills of our SkillBridge candidates.”