CUSTOMER SERVICE IN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

CUSTOMER SERVICE IN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT

(Special Case During Covid-19 Pandemic)

INTRODUCTION

Customer service is the way logistics interfaces with marketing and as such represent the output of the firm’s entire logistics effort. The concept of customer service arrives when a customer demands any product and he demands when he feels need of it.

Customer Service is a process that provides value added benefits to the supply chain in a cost-effective manner. Customer service is a big challenge in today’s life and it literally means bringing customer back. The role of customer service is to provide time and place utility in the transfer of goods and services between buyer and seller. In this pandemic time it is very difficult to provide goods and services to the customers when there is no production. The goods are transported through supply chain to customers so that the time and place utility can be used properly. There is no value in the products and services until it is in the hands of consumer. The most important thing is that the consumer should like the product which is available to him because customer/consumer is the king of the market. If a person likes any product then he will promote our product by referring that product to others as well, simultaneously if a person does not like the product and get the product when another product has fulfilled his need then he will spread his negative reviews about that product in the market.

Main Phases of Customer Service

1. Companies are trying to acquire new customers by promoting their products in the market. 
2. Companies are providing their products which were earlier stored in their warehouses.
3. Companies are trying to meet their customer requirement by providing goods to their footsteps.
4.  Companies enhance the relationship between them and their customers so that their existing customers may get benefit from it. 
5. Through customer service companies are trying to retain their profitable customers for life. 
6. Through customer service, companies are able to build close cooperation and partnering relationships with their customers.
7. It involves the integration of marketing, sales, customer service, and the supply chain functions of the organization to achieve greater efficiencies and effectiveness in delivering customer value. 

Practical Examples of some prominent companies:-

1. Amazon is also providing goods and services to their customers so that their needs can be fulfilled and they may get food or grocery products for their smooth survival. Amazon also donates their huge funds in order to relief organizations as well as public. They increase their grocery capacity delivery from Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market as quickly as possible. They also enhances cleaning in all their stores so that their stores would be able to work as disinfectant. They are focusing on high-priority items to ensure the fastest delivery of household staples, medical supplies and other high demand products coming into their fulfilment centres. They are also providing their products at reasonable prices and contribute to the environment during this crisis. They are also contributing to the environment by various ways like they are donating 8,200 laptops to the Seattle Public School Students who do not have access to any device at home. They are all also hiring 1,00,000 part time and full time employees  and looking for talent in every community where they operate. They are also providing an option of ‘unattended delivery’ where the customers do not prefer to come in contact with others. 
2. Grofers are also providing their services to their customers in such a difficult time. Grofers will give their customers transparency around stock levels. They provide stringent checks for safety on your order. They are stay committed to their most affordable prices even their goods are entirely stocked out situation. They are also taking various precautions in packaging and delivering. They are also implementing necessary precautions advised by World Health Organizations (WHO) on prevention of COVID-19. Now, their supplies are passing through different areas where crowd may not be found anywhere. They are also maintaining their supply chain in such a way that does not leads to anything related to offline footfall on stores. The delivery personnel are being monitored and their crates are washed and disinfected after every usage. As they are having fewer options of delivery so the customer should expect a few days of time from order to delivery. They are also avoiding the act of Cash on Delivery as it may be a source of transfer of virus from one person to another. 

7R’s of Customer Service

1. The Customer should get the right product whatever he has been demanded. If the customer has ordered some grocery then he/she must get that particular grocery.
2. The right product must be delivered to the right customer instead of any other person. 
3. The customer should get the product at the right time which means the time that company said delivery would take place. But it is very difficult for them to deliver in such pandemic time so the company should take proper time. 
4. The customer should get the product at the right place so that the satisfaction level of customers could be maintained. 
5. The company should deliver the product in right condition which means product should be in right position free from any kind of damage. 
6. The company should provide the product at right cost to the customers; they shouldn’t think to get benefit of any such pandemic.
7. The company should provide the product in right quantity so that the need of customers can be fulfilled in an effective and efficient manner. 

Conclusion

It’s important for a logistics company to know the market, so the company can provide the correct level of convenience to customers. This enables the logistics manager to recognize customer service requirements and to attempt to fulfil those demands. In such a situation by segmenting the market, the logistics company can easily determine which customers will be most profitable, thus showing the company which customers should receive higher level of convenience. Thus, there is a need to cooperate with each other so that customer needs can be managed/maintained.

AUTHOR: 

GINNIE KATHURIA

(49170104, BBA 6 SEMESTER)