GLOBAL SERVICE TO ENHANCE DHL OPERATIONS

DHL Express has launched new services which are set to be customer-oriented and efficient. This was said recently by the Head of Customer Service for DHL Sub-Saharan Africa, Gloria Torres who said that due to these lower satisfaction levels affects a consumer's experience, businesses within the service industry need to constantly look to truly exceed a customer's expectations to peak satisfaction during the process of delivering a service and this is often achieved through a seamless and positive customer experience.

She said that when it comes to services that consumers utilise, the satisfaction delivered as a result of the service rarely increases to the same extent once the service experience has come to an end.

She pointed out that the recently released Global Service Survey by Interactive Intelligence Group Inc. highlights the importance of a positive customer experience.

"It revealed that 64 per cent of consumers would tell others when they had a positive customer service experience and that 45 per cent of consumers tend to make purchase decisions based solely on customer service," she said.

"The professionalism and attitude of a company's employees, especially in the services industry, can have a massive influence on a customer's experience and perception of service and in turn, how a customer promotes the company to other potential customers.

Customer service therefore plays a significant role in a business' bottom line," says Torres. She adds that the world of logistics is a key area where customer satisfaction levels need to be managed.

"When a customer is paying you to deliver something within a specific timeframe, the upside, at first glance, is limited. You can get it there on time, in one piece.

But according to Torres, that's what the customer expects, adding that even getting it there earlier might not be welcomed. She gave an example of when the customer is not at home or their warehouse is not yet ready to take receipt of more stock.

"Add to this the numerous interactions a customer has with diverse interfaces in many service companies and another important dimension comes into play: Human relationships. In most businesses - even in today's digital, automated world - there are still numerous people who provide different aspects of service to the customer.

From the account manager who makes the pitch, the booking agent who takes an order and the operational employee who delivers the service, right through to the billing department that issues the invoice and follows up on payment - every single person can impact customer service levels.

It is for this reason that we at DHL see huge potential to help service companies deliver additional value beyond what a customer is paying for," she said. She said further that there are three keys areas which DHL believes are crucial and mentioned one of them as ensuring that the voice of the customer resonates throughout the organisation which is essential to great service.

She pointed out that initiatives, such as the Net Promoter Approach (NPA) management tool, which measures promoters and detractors among the customer base and proactively sources feedback from them, can have a huge impact in identifying areas for improvement and enabling the company to make the necessary changes to enhance their offering and continually offer better ways to deliver excellent services to customers.