Another super snippet from our new DIY Guide to Order Fulfilment – Top Ten Tips.

Here’s no. 7:

It depends on the value/size/weight of your item, but you’ll need to consider whether you should ship products on a “tracked” service – this means that you can follow parcels through the delivery system until they are delivered to the customer. Tracked delivery services are more expensive than the basic service, but there is much less chance of the item going astray. One unhappy customer can outweigh many happy shoppers and not all customers are born equal. Whilst the majority of citizens are law abiding, there are always one or two who are happy to spin a bit of a yarn in order to get a free order. It’s worth remembering:

• Three quarters of customers would recommend a company for an on time arrival
• Most customers blame the company if a delivery or service is late.
• Frustrated customers complain to friends and in social networks about their negative waiting experience.
• The longer a customer waits for an order, the lower the overall customer satisfaction rating.
• Who’s word against who. If a customer calls you to say they haven’t had a delivery, can you prove they have? If you can, can you provide a realistic expectation of how long it will take to provide an update?