Balancing Exception Management and Customer Satisfaction
For ecommerce fulfillment, exceptional customer service is not just about getting orders right but how you handle exceptions when things go awry. It’s critical to have systems to navigate shipment exception challenges and create customer experiences that foster loyalty.
For ecommerce fulfillment, exceptional customer service is not just about getting orders right but how you handle exceptions when things go awry. It’s critical to have systems to navigate shipment exception challenges and create customer experiences that foster loyalty.
Q. How critical is exception management for ecommerce brands?
A. Have you had bad service from your favorite restaurant? Maybe they forgot to deliver the fries. Even the best places get it wrong every once in a while. The future of the customer relationship depends on what happens next.
It’s the same game for ecommerce fulfillment. Nobody wants failures, but the reality is that for any high-volume operation, exceptions will happen.
Packages get lost or damaged; extreme weather causes delays, and orders are mis-picked. It doesn’t matter what caused the error or whose responsibility it is to fix the issue. The customer ordered a product from a brand, and the brand’s reputation ultimately suffers.
Q. What’s the best way to respond to problems with orders?
A. If an order goes wrong—the shipment is lost, an item is left out of the box, or the wrong color—own the problem. If possible, correct it before the customer notices. Customers will remember how you fixed the situation and how they felt about it.
This perception highlights the importance of collaboration among all players in the supply chain to ensure exceptional customer experiences and brand integrity for all involved.
Q. How do exceptions happen?
A. Orders can slip through the cracks. Imagine a small parcel carrier fails to scan the package after it has been put on the carrier’s truck. The warehouse has picked and packed the order, and the warehouse management system and order management system believe the order has shipped.
However, no tracking information registers for the shipment and the parcel carrier is not aware of physically receiving the product. Often this means the shipment will be lost. It may be weeks before anyone realizes there is a problem until the customer complains.
Q. What’s the best way to manage exceptions?
A. First, be proactive. Use software to identify exceptions, such as if an order shows no movement in 24-48 hours. Investigate to resolve the issue before the customer knows there is a problem. Set internal standards for quick reaction to problems. Recovery standards may vary by product value, such as whether you send a new package with an expedited carrier to meet the original delivery window or notify the customer of a delay.
Mistakes happen. How you respond to and resolve those mistakes will determine whether your customer stays loyal. Make sure your customers get their fries.
Peter Davis is the vice president and general manager of fulfillment at WSI, bringing a blend of experience in logistics, business, and corporate law. Davis works across teams, with the goal of using an interdisciplinary approach to identify gaps and drive previously unseen solutions. WSI’s commitment to this approach is a key reason for its success in delivering reliable and insightful fulfillment services over the past six decades.
