It's Good to Operate in the Black. But If You Drop the Ball, Your Sales Could Go Black in an Entirely Different Way. Choose 3PL Companies That Up Your Sales
Black Friday was so-named because it is supposedly the first day of the year in which the average retailer can finally start to see a profit. It’s good to operate in the black. But beware. If your fulfillment partner drops the ball, your post-Thanksgiving sales could go black in an entirely different way. 3PL companies should launch you beautifully into the critical holiday season, not bar the way.
Every third-party screw-up reflects directly on your brand. Damaging your reputation can have worse long-term effects than racking up costly returns. 3PL companies can fail you and your customers in several ways, but these three are most dangerous:
Customers have questions, especially when they’re ordering gifts. They want advice, from someone who knows your products inside and out. They expect agents to respond lickety-split and know their stuff. If your fulfillment partner can’t do that, your customer’s experience is off to a rocky start.
With today’s advanced technologies that integrate inventory and warehouse management with customer care, there is no excuse for misstating product availability or other information to customers. And there is no excuse for back-end mistakes. Nonetheless, sloppy pick and pack processes happen, and when they do your customers are beyond unhappy to receive the wrong stuff. Or broken stuff. Or leaking containers. That was a gift they ordered on Black Friday!
Just as bad, too many 3PL companies fail customers by delivering packages that look like no one cares, because they didn’t. Shouldn’t your customers receive something that is not only correct inside but looks so inviting it’s a joy to open? Yes!
Getting the wrong order is maddening enough, but waiting around for an order that never arrives on time drives customers over the edge. That gift they ordered on Black Friday that arrived wrong or late? It was a Hanukkah gift, and Hanukkah comes early this year. Now they don’t have time to re-order. They will have to select a different gift, and you can bet it won’t come from your company.
The right fulfillment partner should have your back every day of the year. No matter what. You need to know if your customer care or pick and pack operations are helping or hindering your brand loyalty and business growth. Taking this free needs assessment will put you in the picture, as they say. Armed with clear insight into your current efforts, you’ll be in the ideal position to choose a better fulfillment house and avoid costly Black Friday failures.
May we suggest USA Fulfillment? Contact us to find out what it’s like to partner with a 3PL company that won’t fail you or your customers.
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