Shipping materials are all about details
Some time last year I wrote a blog entitled, What is Excellent Customer Service? The answer to that question is: It’s the company’s ability to consistently and constantly exceed the expectations of its customers.
Companies attain it by maintaining a good relationship with customers, being honest, understanding their customers better, and comprehending the specifics of issues that arise. It also encompasses double—no, make that triple—checking everything you’re doing for them, and being available days, evenings, even weekends, to take calls and answer emails.
There’s one other thing that is an important part of delivering excellent customer service. It’s so significant that I’m making it the subject of this month’s Ferrante Speaks newsletter— shipping materials and delivery expectations. Happy reading and Happy New Year!
If you’d like to read the aforementioned blog just click on the title, What is Excellent Customer Service?
Why are shipping materials and delivery expectations so important?
On time delivery of your printed materials is an essential aspect of customer service by the commercial printer. That means exceptional attention to detail, from preproduction to your door or on the conference floor.
What does “on-time and delivered safely” mean?
Just about every company brochure and website will claim that your printed materials packages will be delivered safely and on time. However it is my experience that not every company’s idea of “on time and delivered safely” means the same thing. It reminds me of the word “quality”. Everyone uses the word “quality” but what does it really mean for each individual company? It means a lot of different things, and not all of them are necessarily beneficial to you.
The same can be said about on time and delivered safely. However, in the business of printing and delivering collateral materials, it had better mean exactly what the company and you have agreed to from the outset—your printed materials will be shipped on such and such date and they will arrive on such and such date at the predetermined location, no ands, ifs or buts about it.
The show must go on, and your printed materials had better be there when it does.
Shipping printed collateral marketing materials to a show, event or conference on time is vital. To ensure that nothing ever falls through the cracks, the process and the promise of shipping and receiving from your printer needs to be more than just sending you a tracking number, then leaving it up to you to trace and receive your printed materials. That way of doing business may be OK if delivery isn’t critical, but in the case of most business dealings, time and place are what it’s all about. All information needs to be checked from the get-go and not left to chance. Many printing companies get entrenched in the technicalities of the job, but fall short on the equally important task of meeting your shipping materials requirements.
Ferrante doesn’t take shortcuts.
A great work ethic and a willingness to do what needs to be done, minus the shortcuts taken by far too many companies is what sets printers apart. Possessing the ability to handle surprises and react at a moment’s notice is also key to receiving your printed materials on time and at the correct address. Please take the time to read several of our case studies. They prove the point that excellent customer service in the delivery of printed materials is what it’s all about, especially in how much it is appreciated Events printing services, Event conference meeting and Trade Show Materials.
Keep the conversation with us going and growing
Thanks for reading this month’s Ferrante Speaks newsletter and learning about how shipping materials are all about details and follow-up.
If you’d like to learn more about the way we think around here at Ferrante & Associates, give us a call at 339 222-9232 or email us. Also check out our past blogs and sign up for our Ferrante blogs delivered by email and follow us on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
