Logistics is an essential part of the supply chain. It’s much more than simply getting an item from A to B; the way in which goods are delivered can ultimately make or break a customer relationship.
At Crown SDS, we know how integral a logistics provider is to your business’s reputation and we pride ourselves on giving our customers a best-in-class experience, every time. Steve Rushton, Director at Crown SDS, shares his view on how logistics is essentially your reputation delivered.
Why is logistics such an important part of the supply chain?
An integral cog in a business’s supply chain, logistics is often closely linked with customer satisfaction. At the core of logistics operations is making sure goods are transported efficiently, on time and in good condition to the right location. Delays and missing or damaged goods will not only result in an unhappy customer, but it can have detrimental effects on the whole supply chain — and, in turn, the business’s reputation.
Imagine this situation: a car dealership has a multitude of customers urgently waiting on a new car battery which is needed to repair their vehicle. The courier service used by the car dealership has had a major delay on getting those necessary car parts over. This results in a load of unhappy customers for the car dealership, which will then negatively impact their brand reputation — at fault of the courier service. This example shows how much of a key role logistics providers play in maintaining a good business reputation for their customers.
So, the question is, how can courier providers ensure that their customers can maintain a first-class reputation? Or another way to phrase it would be, what attributes should business look for in a courier provider to ensure they remain credible and trusted?
Reliability
It goes without saying that reliability is key in maintaining a well-oiled supply chain. The timings of shipments are often sensitive, so having a logistics provider that can be called upon to deliver to deadlines is important.
Choosing providers that have innovated their practices to ensure the utmost reliability is recommended. At Crown, we have invested in modernising our business infrastructure and internal systems. Our IT capabilities mean that we have highly effective route planning, GPS tracking and real time updates. This technology allows us to increase our flexibility, improve our communication, and prepare for peak seasons.
We are also proud to offer ‘Dedicated same day’ and ‘Dedicated overnight’ courier services, which provide businesses with the resource to adapt to changing levels of demand. That means that deliveries won’t be late, so your customers remain happy.
Agility
More than ever, we’re living in a world that requires flexibility — particularly after Covid-19. This means that logistics providers have to adapt to the unique needs and challenges of their customers.
There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ logistics service. For example, compare a pharmacy to a retail company: the focus for a pharmaceutical company would be having a quick response time, whereas a retail company may need cost savings and warehouse consolidation to be a top priority.
At Crown SDS, we offer all our customers a bespoke solution, mapping out the delivery process and optimising the delivery lines, to ensure our customers get a service that’s tailored to them.
Customer service
Business author Kate Zabriskie once said: “The customer’s perception is your reality.” — and that’s why customer service is so critical in logistics operations.
As a logistics provider, we see customer service functioning in two strands: firstly, ensuring that the businesses that choose and trust us to transfer their goods are satisfied through every step of their experience with Crown; and, secondly, ensuring that the recipients of those transferred goods are met with prompt and professional service. It’s both these strands that can have an impact of business reputation.
Crown takes pride in the professionalism of its team and are proud to be a trusted driver network that businesses can rely on seamlessly provide customers with a consistently high level of customer service, visibility of information and prompt deliveries.
Our vision is to be the market leader in providing bespoke logistical solutions across all industries, by setting the standard and exceeding customer expectations, through investing in IT and people.
We are immensely proud to have two ‘National Courier Award 2020’ winners within our office and driver teams, both recognised with a prestigious award for continually delivering an outstanding level of service.
Discover more about our logistics and distribution services or get in touch to see how we can help your business maintain a first-class reputation.