The importance of keeping the customer informed.
The Expectation
The delivery date is today between 10am to 9pm, and you arrange your schedule to ensure that you are home. You have been expecting this package for a month, and you are anticipating how you will be enjoying yourself “unboxing” the product.
It’s almost 9pm, and you are still hopeful that probably you are the last stop. Due to the higher load during the festive period, the team is also rushing, and you want to be more understanding. You fall asleep, and it’s already 7am the next day when you open your eyes. You rushed to the door to check on the delivery, and there was nothing! If you are the customer, will you be frustrated?
The REAL issue
With the pandemic and the protocol that we need to follow, it’s is understandable to face this kind of challenge. The pandemic might have also taught us to be more forgiving and accepting of such delays. However, this is no excuse for not keeping customers informed. Such delay happened to me recently, and I can’t keep my customers posted as I was not receiving updates from the delivery company. The deliveries are 2–3 days late, and in two extreme cases, there is a week’s delay.
The issue is not about the logistic arrangement; the problem is empathy and keeping the customer informed. One could have given the affected parties a call and timely updates on the situation. Customers appreciate the active engagement, and I believe that most of the customers are understanding. Only a tiny handful will make things difficult for the operations. It is accommodating and finding a way so that all parties win. While we are customers, we can also be the service provider; what goes around comes around.
Let’s go for win-win
So, when there’s a delay, accept that things don’t go according to plan. Then, actively engage the customer to make the subsequent best alternative arrangement. The majority of the customers will be appreciative. Don’t let the minority bring you down, and don’t aim to make everyone happy unless you are a professional clown or ice cream seller.
