Trucking’s #1 Most Influential Department

Before we discuss customer service and sales let’s highlight 5 impressive statistics related to customer service:

1. 89% of consumers have stopped doing business with a company after experiencing poor customer service. (RightNow Customer Experience Impact Report)
2. 42% of service agents are unable to efficiently resolve customer issues due to disconnected systems, archaic user interfaces, and multiple applications. (Forrester)
3. A customer is 4 times more likely to buy from a competitor if the problem is service related vs. price or product related. (Bain & Co.)
4. It takes 12 positive customer experiences to make up for one negative experience. (Parature)
5. 70% of buying experiences are based on how the customer feels they are being treated.  (McKinsey)

The trucking industry is the backbone of American commerce; without it the economy would seize up faster than an oil-less engine. The words blue collar, hardworking, tough, driven and dedicated describe 99% of people working in trucking. From CEO’s to drivers, this industry is built to last. These qualities are admirable and get the job done in almost every role at a trucking company. However, there is one department that must be focused and attuned to the needs of the customer. This department is built on listening, problem solving and empathy; it also happens to be a trucking company’s best sales tool and brand builder. That is the customer service (CS) department.

From pick-up to delivery no one knows more about a shipment than the CS department. Your trucking company is your brand, and customer service is the #1 way customers interact with your brand. The CS Reps take customer calls, email quotes, arrange pickups, schedule appointments, resend invoices and complete 1,000 other tasks daily. To be truly successful they need 360-degrees of visibility on the most relevant, up to the minute information on every aspect of a customer’s account. This is why trucking companies (especially LTL trucking companies) that are considering implementing a new trucking software or transportation management system (TMS) should make sure that there is a specific solution/module dedicated to the customer service department and its unique needs. The demands of today’s customers requires that carriers share real-time, end-to-end progress updates on their shipment. A CS Rep needs to efficiently access accurate information by simply typing in a PRO #, customer name, or email address. There is no time to go searching through paperwork or calling a driver to get updates. Access to real time information is more important than it has ever been before – today’s customers demand it.

A good CS Rep, assisted by great software, can easily influence whether a customer chooses to work with your trucking company, or decides to continue “shopping”.  If a CS Rep can’t quickly produce the answers to questions the customer is asking, gives inaccurate, outdated information, or takes forever to follow up with the shipper – you can bet that shipper will be using a different carrier for their next freight shipment. This is why carriers need a CS solution that can:

CS teams need technology tools to not only help them be successful but to help drive repeat business and attract new opportunities. Carriers are in the business of problem-solving, and CS reps are the front line in that effort. Help your CS team turn problems into profitable solutions.  At Roadvision our LTL Trucking Software for Customer Service helps your CS team deliver an amazing customer experience every time. If you would like to learn more about what our LTL trucking software can do for you, please click below.