Last week I discussed the importance of developing a rock-solid routine in the performance of your customer service, and how this applies to everyone whether you own the company or are a lease trucker or company driver. The importance of providing excellent customer service on a consistent basis is the number one activity which will help you retain your current customers and provide opportunities to bring new ones on board.

To set you apart from the crowd, there are additional components, special activities necessary for a successful customer service plan. The idea here is to go beyond satisfied customers and create raving fans.

1. Quality, Quality, Quality. Think in terms of creating, doing, and providing quality in every facet of your operation.  
2. Exceed your customers’ Expectations. Don’t just meet your shippers’ needs; go the extra miles to create more value in your services, making you more valuable to them. 
3. Clean, Neat, and Uniform. When you and your equipment meet these criteria it gives your shipper the confidence of knowing they picked the right company to haul their goods. First impressions are lasting, but if you don’t maintain or improve on that first impression you will eventually be sent searching for other loads.  
4. Show everyone in your organization Cares about the shipper’s load, time, personnel, property, and money by watching all the details. Details mean everything, from how the load is secured; being there when you’re expected, being courteous with both the shipper’s and receiver’s employees,  keeping off the grass, just kissing the dock with your trailer, and being aware mistakes, delays and accidents cost everyone.  
5. Have the entire load be Uneventful. The only events that happen are the ones that are planned and known in advance. Have a deliberate routine and follow it.

The objective here is in developing a quality-based activities list for your operation, because how customer service is provided helps create a habit. “If it goes on my trailer, it becomes my responsibility to insure the shipment, the shipper, the receiver, the trucking company and/or broker are receiving the very highest level of service possible.” In simple terms, if you accept the load regardless of what it pays, or what you think of the parties involved, and you provide your highest quality of service—just like you don’t have to remember what you said when you tell the truth, there will be no second guessing on the level of service provided.

By creating a consistent routine utilizing the activities listed above, your success will grow. Remember satisfied customers will tell you what a great job you did. Raving Fans will tell everyone else, keeping your trailer filled to capacity with excellent-paying tonnage.

Those walls, which you’ve built stone by stone, will house your thriving, successful, profitable trucking business.  

Good loads and safe roads, everyone.

Timothy Brady
©2009