5 Ways Customized Fulfillment Keeps Customers Coming Back
Getting customers is only half the battle for your brand. Keeping them is key to sustained growth. Repeat customers not only mean increased business over time, but they spend an average of 67% more when they do make a purchase. That means you cannot afford to let customers slip through your fingertips. Flexible, customized fulfillment strategies are key to keeping your customers. They create a smoother customer experience, allow you to meet the unique needs of each customer, and build overall loyalty to your brand. Check out these five key strategies to help you implement a flexible fulfillment strategy that makes the shopping experience memorable and encourages repeat business.
1. Personalize Packaging and Delivery Options
Customers each have their own preferences when it comes to packing and delivery. Allowing them to customize those options helps make the unboxing experience more exciting and the entire process more memorable. Personalization enhances brand perception and creates a unique customer experience that fits each one’s needs, encouraging loyalty to your brand.
Customized Packaging
Customized packaging can make a huge difference in how customers view your brand. Some of them are eager to open branded packaging that lets them know as soon as the package arrives that it’s coming from you. Others are highly invested in eco-friendly options that make them feel good about the buying experience.
You will also have customers who want gift-ready options that are perfect for sending to friends and family members. Those personalized options can make each package feel a little more special, raising customers’ excitement in your products and improving their opinion of your brand.
Delivery Choices
Provide customers with the options they need to make the shipping experience as smooth as possible. That may include:
- Expedited shipping that will get their orders to them as soon as possible
- Delivery scheduling so that items arrive when they need them or when they can plan to be home to intercept them
- Store pickup, which allows customers to swing by and get their orders sooner–and gets them into your store
Over the last several years, customers have become highly invested in brands that allow them to choose how they get their items. Providing those critical delivery choices can make a huge difference.
2. Optimize Inventory for Fast and Accurate Fulfillment
Today’s customers expect fast, reliable fulfillment. They don’t want to wait for weeks for a package to arrive. Instead, they want it to arrive as soon as possible so that they can start using their products. Optimizing your inventory makes it much easier to get products to customers when they need them, reducing cart abandonment and encouraging repeat purchases.
Inventory Visibility
Keep real-time stock updates to avoid out-of-stock disappointments. Customers who make a purchase only to receive an “out of stock” notification hours later may quickly turn to your competitors for their current and future purchase needs. When you provide them with clear inventory information, on the other hand, they’re more likely to adjust their purchasing plans while browsing your store.
Localized Warehousing
Position products closer to high-demand areas to enable faster shipping options. Choose your warehouse locations carefully. If you have a large business, you can have multiple warehouses positioned across the country, allowing you to get products to customers at the right times more efficiently.
3. Flexibility for Order Changes and Customization
Your customers are unique. You may have built customer profiles that give you a better overall idea of what your target customers need, but each one will have its own specific preferences and requirements. Flexibility in order changes and customization builds customer trust and satisfaction, showing that your brand values individual needs.
Allow Modifications
Where possible, allow modifications after orders are placed. After customers take the time to think about their purchase, they may change the specifics of their orders. Allow them to change colors or sizes, add products, and make other changes to the order to decrease the odds of returns and increase the odds that customers will make further purchases.
Special Requests
Where possible, use fulfillment strategies that accommodate special requests or kitting needs. Allowing room for special requests can make a big difference in overall customer satisfaction.
4. Leverage Data for Predictive Fulfillment
Personalized, predictive fulfillment minimizes stockouts and targets customers with relevant offers, increasing loyalty. Today’s brands have the capacity to collect more information on their customers than ever. Using the right strategies can help you use those to your customers’ advantage.
Predictive Analytics
Use data on buying habits to anticipate demand and adjust inventory to match seasonal trends. While you can’t fully predict every move your customers are going to make, you can learn their buying habits and likely needs and make sure you have the inventory you need on hand to match those demands and requirements.
Personalized Promotions
Send offers for restocks or related products based on previous purchases. Customers often need just a little nudge to bring them back to your website and convince them to make another purchase. Those offers can remind them of your brand and encourage them to get on top of making those purchases rather than putting them off for later.
5. Provide Transparent and Real-Time Tracking
Make sure that customers know where their orders are and what’s going on with them. Don’t wait until customers get frustrated to provide them with updates! Transparent fulfillment reassures customers and reduces delivery concerns, building trust and loyalty.
Tracking Capabilities
Offer customers full visibility into their orders with real-time tracking and status updates. Send out notifications when needed so that customers always know where their order is in the pipeline and they can keep up with it if needed.
Proactive Communication
Notify customers of delays as soon as they happen. Challenges can arise in the fulfillment process. Keeping customers informed of those delays increases their overall confidence in your brand and allows them to make key decisions about their next steps with your product. When you provide information about delays, offer a clear path to resolution. Give customers options for returns, alternate products, or waiting on the one they want to arrive so that they can make the right decision for their specific needs.
Start Improving Customer Fulfillment to Increase Repeat Business
Customized, flexible fulfillment improves customer satisfaction and strengthens brand loyalty. Take a look at your current fulfillment strategy. Is it meeting your needs and those of your customers? Partnering with a specialized 3PL could enhance customer experience and loyalty. Contact Symbia Logistics today to learn how we can help you accomplish your fulfillment goals, improve flexibility, and more.
