Having the right warehouse equipment in your facility isn’t just about making your job easier (although it does!). It’s also about providing a high level of customer service. Today’s marketplace is dominated by those who can provide the best customer service, and that goes beyond things like a friendly voice on the telephone.
The Customer Service Your Warehouse Can Provide
- Accurate inventory levels for your warehouse. When they shop online, they want to be assured that what’s on the website is what is available in the warehouse. It reflects poorly on your company when a customer places an order which has to later be canceled due to an inventory mistake. You’re likely to lose their business.
- Speedy processing of their order. It’s frustrating to place an order and then watch as nothing happens with it for days on end. Customers want to see action and know that their order is being processed as quickly as possible.
- Speedy shipping to their door. While to some extent you don’t have control over how fast your shipping partners move, you do control how quickly that order gets out the door.
- Receiving the correct items in their order. Customers don’t want to open up a box and find the wrong items inside. Accurate picking is vital to making the best impression on customers.
- Quick processing of their returns. If an item does have to be returned, customers want to get their refund or exchange as quickly as possible. While returns are never a positive experience, processing them quickly can make a great impression on a customer and bring them back for repeat business.
The Role of Warehouse Equipment in Customer Service
- Accurate inventory numbers start with pallet shelves and carton racks that are organized and warehouse systems that have accurate inventory levels.
- Speedy processing happens when pickers are able to move through the warehouse quickly and have the tools and equipment they need to process orders faster.
- Speedy shipping happens when orders are processed and moved out the door and onto a truck as quickly as possible.
- Getting the correct items happens when warehouse shelves are clearly labeled and organized for quick identification.
- Quick returns processing happens when you have the right area to get those returns processed and the shelving needed to keep it all organized.
So where does your warehouse rank in terms of providing top-level customer service? Take a look at your numbers for last year. How long did it take to process an order on average? How long did it take you to process a return? What was your order fulfillment error rate? If you see areas that could be improved, it might not just be an employee training issue; it could be an issue with the warehouse equipment you are using.
Our warehouse equipment experts can help. Get in touch with our team today and we’ll help you identify the areas of your warehouse that could be improved and give you a step-by-step plan to make them better. You can reach us over the phone or through our website today.
