In today’s climate, perhaps no element is more critical to customer service than an efficient supply chain. Customer expectations for prompt delivery of their orders has grown to near-impossible levels, heightened by the ease of use of ecommerce and the promise of faster and faster shipping turnarounds. Meeting those expectations can seem like a tall task. When you fall short, it blemishes your reputation and customers may turn their back on you for good.
On the flip side, however, those companies that emphasize their supply chain demonstrate a commitment to top-tier service that leads to higher customer satisfaction, creating value for both your business and your customers. Customers reward your efforts, remembering your service when it’s time to make another order. Embracing the challenges of maintaining an efficient supply chain is one of any business’ best weapons for creating return business and standing out from their competition.
Distribution Technology, a third-party logistics provider with 1.2 million square feet of organized public warehouse space in Charlotte, North Carolina, can help your business build and maintain a supply chain that serves as an integral part of your customer service.
Speed of delivery
Efficiency means an effective, smooth-running at every step of the supply chain – from order fulfillment to the last mile of delivery. Problem areas that emerge need to be addressed promptly and prevented from becoming ongoing obstacles. An efficient supply chain avoids hiccups that slow delivery, ensuring your products move quickly without stalling out at any step of the process. If a customer expects a delivery by a certain date, their view of your business will depend on whether you hit your mark, especially if there is urgency to their order. For instance, they will remember your company for the wrong reasons if their delivery doesn’t arrive in time for a birthday or holiday. Similarly, if you are a business-to-business provider, meeting the supply needs of your clients on time is a must. Otherwise, you will cost them money – or cause damage to their reputation, which may prompt them to look for another supplier, even if your product is superior.
Accuracy of delivery
Of course, it doesn’t matter how quickly your deliveries arrive to your customers if the order is wrong. An efficient supply chain does not just lead to speed. It also limits errors, strengthening accurate order fulfillment, distribution and billing. Efficiency enables orders to be tailored to meet each customer’s unique specifications without leading to slowdowns and confusion in the supply chain. Customers receive the right product, the right assortment and quantity of the product, all delivered to the correct address and arriving in good condition. Working with a 3PL such as Distribution Technology, your business can deliver on your promises. If you say a product will arrive by a certain date, it will arrive as indicated.
Manage inventory for ebbs and flows
Inventory management is at the core of any efficient supply chain. When handled properly, expert inventory management ensures that you will never promise products to customers that you cannot deliver or run out of products when they need or want them the most. A 3PL such as Distribution Technology that offers public warehousing will help your business navigate the ebbs and flows of demand to meet your customer’s expectations. You will know when to replenish your inventory quantities at the optimum times and plan ahead for shifts in demand. Efficient inventory management means eliminating time-consuming processes and embracing flexibility and responsiveness so that you can adapt quickly to your customers’ ever-changing preferences and behaviors.
Value
Customer satisfaction isn’t only a reflection of your product and your service, of course. How much they pay for your product and service also plays a major role in the way they feel about your brand. An efficient supply chain is crucial to offering your product at a price that your customer will find affordable. When your supply chain operates at a high, efficient level, you can save costs on that key component of your business and avoid needing to raise prices to pay for that stage of the process.
As one of the top-ranked 3PLs in the country, Distribution Technology understands the ever-changing demands, seasonal pressures, and unpredictability you face in your business, so our warehouses are designed to meet your fluctuating needs. Our North Carolina-based network of facilities hold a wide range of products across many sectors of industries and are equipped with temperature-controlled, food-grade, secure storage — as well as additional storage for chemicals and a designated area for hazardous or flammable materials. For more information, contact us today.