Customer service is often the deciding factor when selecting a courier service provider. But how can we know what really goes on behind the scenes? A SKYCOM Courier customer service representative tells us about courier service operations from their experience. Their perspective offers transparency into the step by step journey and portrays what people want to know – what happens when you put in an order? And how can you know you can trust your courier?
“It’s like a 400-meter relay”
Doc Couey was a public school math teacher for 25 years. As a teacher, before he could teach material, he had to understand it himself. After two years at Skycom Courier, Doc has developed a perspective on courier services that can teach us all something.
Customer service representatives, or CSRs, become well acquainted with our customers. Because they speak to them all day, everyday, CSRs come to really understand the customers and their needs. So I shouldn’t have been surprised when Doc dropped some wisdom on me after I asked him, “What is it you think our customers want to know about the courier service process?”
He told me, “It’s like a 400-meter relay.” Oh, this is going to be good, I thought. He went on, “Customers want to know that each order will be done to their specifications. They want to trust their item(s) will be picked up and delivered in a timely manner. We can instill that trust by sharing a simple overview of our process – tell them it’s a four point relay.”
He was right. Customers can trust a courier service that is transparent about their process. Using a simple analogy, Doc shared with me his perspective on how the whole courier process works.
1) On your marks
“A customer has a problem. They come to us for the solution.” Doc illustrates how the relay begins with the customer’s purpose. “Maybe it’s a medical specimen, or a bank deposit. Customers call us to transport something- to solve their problem.” They call in, they speak with a CSR and the CSR submits an order ticket, or baton, to be handed off at the next leg.
Meet Doc, one of our CSRs, pictured speaking with a customer.
2) Dispatchers know how to pass the baton with exceptional form
The dispatchers are in charge of assigning jobs to drivers, and monitoring routes and order statuses. They play an integral role in seeing orders through to last-stop delivery. “CSRs coordinate with dispatchers to ensure the customers individual needs are met. Passing-off orders to dispatch is methodical.” Doc tells us, “Every customer is different. Their unique needs in every order need to be conveyed to the dispatchers.” Dispatchers are then responsible for strategically passing the baton to the next point in the relay – drivers.
3) Drivers are a lot like third legs
Continuing the analogy, Doc explains that “Drivers are fast runners and do well under pressure. By far, this is the most critical part of the courier relay.” He tells me that “every part is important, but if the pickup and drop off subvert a customer’s expectations, then what’s the point?” We can’t very well offer courier services if nobody wants them. Kinda like the third leg’s ability to make that homeward turn, this is where we’re able to provide the solution to the customer’s problem.
4) It’s like an anchor leg, but it’s an anchor team
We liken the anchor leg’s final strides to our final efforts to exceed a customer’s expectations. The anchor leg is fast, bringing the baton (an order) to the finish line (an invoice) quickly and gracefully. CSRs work with accounting to “verify” every order by reviewing chain of custody, timeliness, order type and billing costs. “Customers shouldn’t have to worry whether or not their orders are executed according to their requests. We make sure the orders are 100% correct before billing.” After verifying every customer’s account, invoicing completes the relay. “This is our strong finish. Customer satisfaction continues to be our first objective all the way to the end.” In Doc’s experience, transparency into account activity and billing fosters the Skycom-Customer relationship.
“Just like that, we’re ready for the next relay.”
“When customers know what we do, they can trust us”
“Customers deserve to know everything about their account.” Doc has unique insights into what helps a customer to trust us. His perspective on the order process demonstrates the Skycom Courier team’s thoughtfulness in our efforts to create a meaningful customer experience.
We’re lucky to have Doc on our relay team!
We want managing your account to be easy, with seamless transitions from one order to the next.
Don’t have a Skycom Courier account? Visit RTDLogistics.com to learn more about our services.
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