10 Warning Signs of Logistics Demise
Poor logistics management can spell disaster for a business. The ability to track, move, store, and maximize shipping costs can mean the difference between success and failure. But how do you know when it's time to consider an overhaul of your current logistics approach? To help, we'll explore 10 warning signs that may indicate your logistics management could use a boost.
1. Too many call transfers
If a customer calls to place an order, or to ask a question, they should not have to navigate a gauntlet of transfer after transfer. Every business has their own specific contact center setup, but that doesn't mean the customer should have to wait while their call is transferred from the warehouse to the customer service line and then back to the warehouse. Not only is this process time consuming, but it can lead to confusion and miscommunication, which can lead to inaccurate orders being filled, or customer service complaints falling through the cracks.
2. Inaccurate orders
Whether it's due to miscommunication, lack of staff training, or simply bad luck, incorrect orders arriving to customers can be a huge drain on time and resources. Additionally, it can seriously hurt your customer relations and brand reputation. To ensure customers get what they expect, you key metrics should have tight inspection and continual improvement methodologies in place.
3. High customer returns
Similarly, if customers are returning too many of your products, it can be a red flag for logistics. With customer returns comes the need for better quality control and inspection processes, as well as more efficient warehousing and shipping processes.
4. Poor customer service
When customers want answers about orders, deliveries, returns, refunds and more, they should get prompt, helpful service. Managing customer service and support goes hand in hand with managing the logistics of a product, from the initial order to final delivery. Numbers like average call wait-times, customer satisfactions scores, and time to resolution can all be benchmarks to help you determine if your current processes are up to par.
5. Difficulty tracking shipments
Your customers should be able to easily track their orders. If the process is too arduous, or they can't find the information they need, they're likely to become frustrated and vocalize their grievances. Investing in innovative logistics technology - like Qiktruck - can be essential to streamline the process and help customers easily access the information they need.
6. Unreliable shipping partners
The better relationship you have with your shipping partners the smoother the shipping process will be. Unreliable shipping partners lead to customer complaints, delays, and unnecessary costs. Developing partnerships with reliable logistics providers who understand your business needs, provide excellent customer service and establish reliable routes and transit times, can alleviate many of these issues.
7. High transit times and costs
If transit times and costs are too high, customers may hesitate to purchase products from you. To keep costs low and shipping times high, you need to scale up and integrate your logistics systems and processes with the right providers.
8. Too much manual paperwork
If you still rely heavily on manual paperwork and processes, you may be missing out on real-time and cost efficiencies. Automating your invoicing, documentation, billing and other paper-based processes can streamline and save a tremendous amount of time.
9. Lack of warehouse visibility
If you can't see inside your own warehouses or have difficulty monitoring product movement, you may have a serious logistics problem. Investing in tech to track uses, workers, and inventories can give you far more insight into what's going on inside your warehouses, allowing you to make real-time decisions and adjust quickly when problems arise.
10. Difficulty managing short-term inventory
For those who order on demand, itoften can be difficult to manage short-term inventory needs. To stay agile and make sure customers get what they want, when they want it, you must have a strategy in place. This can include coordinating with different manufacturers, actively managing warehouse inventory, setting up stock distribution networks and much more.
Conclusion
Logistics management is key to a successful business. Keeping an eye out for warning signs is the first step to making sure that your logistics processes remain effective. From tracking customer calls to tracking warehouse inventory, the right technology mapped to a strong strategy can help make sure that your logistics operations stay optimized and profitable.
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10 Warning Signs of Logistics Demise
Poor logistics management can spell disaster for a business. The ability to track, move, store, and maximize shipping costs can mean the difference between success and failure. But how do you know when it's time to consider an overhaul of your current logistics approach? To help, we'll explore 10 warning signs that may indicate your logistics management could use a boost.
1. Too many call transfers
If a customer calls to place an order, or to ask a question, they should not have to navigate a gauntlet of transfer after transfer. Every business has their own specific contact center setup, but that doesn't mean the customer should have to wait while their call is transferred from the warehouse to the customer service line and then back to the warehouse. Not only is this process time consuming, but it can lead to confusion and miscommunication, which can lead to inaccurate orders being filled, or customer service complaints falling through the cracks.
2. Inaccurate orders
Whether it's due to miscommunication, lack of staff training, or simply bad luck, incorrect orders arriving to customers can be a huge drain on time and resources. Additionally, it can seriously hurt your customer relations and brand reputation. To ensure customers get what they expect, you key metrics should have tight inspection and continual improvement methodologies in place.
3. High customer returns
Similarly, if customers are returning too many of your products, it can be a red flag for logistics. With customer returns comes the need for better quality control and inspection processes, as well as more efficient warehousing and shipping processes.
4. Poor customer service
When customers want answers about orders, deliveries, returns, refunds and more, they should get prompt, helpful service. Managing customer service and support goes hand in hand with managing the logistics of a product, from the initial order to final delivery. Numbers like average call wait-times, customer satisfactions scores,
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