Courier Customer Service Can’t Be Emphasized Too Much

No matter in what industry you work, customer service is universally recognized as one of the most important factors in retaining clients. You can find advice on the topic all over the web, in newspapers and publications (including Courier Magazine). Recently, however, Courier Magazine’s editors found a writer who summed up the key points so succinctly that it seemed we would be doing readers a disservice if we didn’t share her tips.

Liz Tahir, the writer, is an international marketing consultant, speaker and seminar leader based in New Orleans. She focuses on helping companies be more effective and profitable. You can check out more of her tips at her website: http://www.liztahir.com. In the meantime, review a summary of her top-10 tips (and read the complete article here.

1. Remember there is no way that the quality of customer service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it.

2. Realize that your people will treat your customer the way they are treated. Employees take their cue from management.

3. Do you know who your customers are? If a regular customer came in to your facility, would you recognize him or her?

4. Do your customers know who you are? If they see you, would they recognize you? Could they call you by name? A visible management is an asset.

5. For good customer service, go the extra mile. Include a thank-you note in a customer's package; send a birthday card; clip the article when you see their name or photo in print; write a congratulatory note when they get a promotion.

6. If you have a retail front, are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 seconds upon entering? Is it possible they could come in, look around, and go out without ever having their presence acknowledged?

7. Give customers the benefit of the doubt. Proving to him why he’s wrong and you’re right isn’t worth losing a customer over. You will never win an argument with a customer, and you should never, ever put a customer in that position.

8. If a customer makes a request for something special, do everything you can to say yes. The fact that a customer cared enough to ask is all you need to know in trying to accommodate her.

9. Are your customer service associates properly trained in how to handle a customer complaint or an irate person? Give them guidelines for what to say and do in every conceivable case.

10. Want to know what your customers think of your company? Ask them! Compose a "How're We Doing?" card and leave it with them at each delivery.

Bush Truck Leasing Accepting Pre-Orders for 2011 Ford

Bush Truck Leasing (Cincinnati), a national provider of lease programs and transportation services for the courier industry, announced it is accepting pre-orders for the 2011 Ford F-59 Super Duty Commericial Walk-in.

“This is a great new option for package delivery and courier routes,” stated Lenny Wright, president of Bush Truck Leasing. “The GVW (gross vehicle weight rating) ensures you can handle the cargo and the gas engine makes it much more cost-effective.”

The Ford F-59 features:

•6.8-liter Triton V-10 gasoline engine, a TorqShift five-speed automatic overdrive transmission, four-wheel anti-lock disc brakes and premium Bilstein shock absorbers

•Truck Option @ 19,500 GWVR; 178-inch wheelbase, 18-foot aluminum body

•Truck Option @ 22,000 GVWR, 208-inch wheelbase, 22-foot aluminum body

Ford unveiled the F-59 chassis at the 2009 National Truck Equipment Association (NTEA). Bush Truck Leasing has already received preliminary F-59 units for evaluation and completed trucks are expected to be ready for delivery by early Fall.

Education Is Especially Critical in Developing Trust With Medical Clients

Trust is one of the cornerstones of developing good relationships with customers. Trust becomes even more important, though, when you are working with deliveries of medical materials.

“Often, there’s only one chance to do it right,” says Mark Spivack, owner of Xcel Delivery (Tucson, Ariz.), in an article in the September 2010 issue of Courier Magazine. Spivack has had great success in handling deliveries of specimens and other medical products, but he doesn’t take his success for granted. He works to make sure his crew is educated on the demands of this specialized industry segment.

“We work to make sure our drivers know everything that must take place when they’re picking up a specimen—how to handle it, how not to handle it; if there’s a spill, who to call,” Spivack said.

To meet that goal, Spivack regularly educates his staff on HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations when it comes to handling medical deliveries.

Want to duplicate Spivack’s success in your area? Getting educated is the first step. Courier Magazine can help.

Courier Magazine is offering a webinar, “How to Add Medical Services to Your Operation,” on Aug. 26. This webinar will provide you with the insight you need before diving into the medical sector of the courier industry.

Ken Arnold of Integrity Corporate Services, LLC (Colorado Springs, Colo.), will deliver a comprehensive presentation on the topic. Arnold has extensive knowledge of the medical courier industry and has played host to numerous medical courier-training sessions.

Courier Magazine webinars are designed to educate business owners on a variety of freight and logistics topics. Each session has been thoroughly planned and instructed by some of the top minds in the industry. Courier Magazine webinars can advance entry-level messengers to top-level executives in any company.

Cost (per phone line): $25 for Courier Magazine subscribers and $35 for non-subscribers.

Don’t delay in registering because the number of phone connections is limited. Call 816.283.3946 to sign up or visit our registration link.