unit_3_Logistics Customer Service

Unit Three Logistics Customer ServicePart One Text Logistics Customer ServiceI. Customer Service ProgramWhat is customer service?Customer service is what your business delivers to achieve customer satisfaction. Some businesses deliver physical products and may not see themselves as being a service business. However, their customers still measure the business on the service that they experience both pre-sale and after-sale. So customer service is an increasingly important part of a business activities.A customer service program consists of standards and training. All staff follow these standards to ensure that service is maintained at the necessary level to keep your customers happy.Why is it important?The goal of customer service is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is what the customer feels subjectively and sometimes irrationally. There is all the difference in the world between a customer being satisfied and being not dissatisfied. Marketing has moved from transactional marketing to relationship marketing: Transactional marketing focused on attracting new customers and simply getting the sale. Relationship marketing focuses on getting customers and keeping them in the longer term using a combination of marketing, quality and customer service.Excellence in customer service, using the idea of relationship marketing, can help you to retain customers. This means: They are less likely to go to your competitors in the increasingly competitive markets where customers have more choice than ever. As satisfied customers, they will recommend you to others, resulting in an increase in new business. It is said that it costs up to 10 times as much to win a new customer than to keep an existing one. They are less likely to tell other people of bad experiences. Customers experiencing poor service are likely to tell up to 20 people about their experience, which is not a good advertisement for your business. This may deter others from even trying you out, and so you will not get the chance to impress them, even with the best or most innovative products and services.By focusing your attention on the customers that have the highest potential lifetime value, you can improve profitability. Your staff will feel good because of the environment and atmosphere that lead to happy customers. This can help to attract further new customers over time.What should you do?Marketing is about identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer needs. It applies to the products you offer as well as to customer service delivery. To introduce a customer service program, you need to take 4 main steps:1. Identify your internal and external customers.2. Identify which of your external customers are the most valuable.3. Find out what level of service customers want.4. Develop customer service standards and a program to provide customer satisfaction and help build loyalty.II. Customers Logistics Service Expectations and Their Satisfaction Customer satisfaction is fundamental to business. The degree to which customers are satisfied determines whether customers make additional purchases and recommend the company and its products to others. Improving the quality of logistics service is particularly important because it increases customer satisfaction, which in turn heightens the occurrence of strategic partner and corporate profitability. In logistics, increasing attention is being paid to the aspects of logistics policy that can increase customer satisfaction. An important determinant of customer satisfaction is how well the product performs. However, in competitive markets, achieving a competitive advantage by providing a product with outstanding performance is difficult. Since the major players are each striving to gain market share, product performance becomes similar. Similarly, price parity can be achieved with amazing speed. Businesses can, however, have a positive impact on customer satisfaction by providing outstanding logistics services. Since high levels of logistics services are not easily copied and are sometimes ignored as a competitive tool, they can be successfully used to develop a sustainable competitive advantage.The primary determinant of customer satisfaction is the gap between customers expectations of logistics service performance and actual logistics service performance. Specifically, logistics managers should understand and shape the customers pre-purchase logistics service expectations in order to increase customer satisfaction. Logistics managers can increase customer satisfaction by focusing on specific post-purchase customer interactions. For example, if a customer is dissatisfied with logistics service performance, logistics managers can increase satisfaction by listening to and promptly responding to the customers dissatisfaction.Providing superior logistics service has been used to develop a strategic advantage by many firms. Firms should not, however, attempt to provide outstanding logistics service on all dimensions. To do so will be expensive, and it is likely that resources will be wasted on services that are unimportant to customers. Thus, it is critical to monitor and attempt to understand customers expectations regarding logistics service when developing and adjusting logistics service policies.Studies on logistics service requirements have had a long tradition. The following attributes are consistently ranked as very important by customers:1.) Availability of Item-the ability of the supplier to satisfy customer orders within a specified time.2.) After Service and Backup-the ability to quickly replace defective or damaged items and subsequent follow up to determine if user is happy with the purchase.3.) Efficient Logistics Service Communications-the ability to quickly and intelligently handle customer queries about the product or service.4.) Paperwork-the ability to efficiently and accurately complete necessary paperwork that cater to the customers systems.5.) Delivery Time-the ability to supply goods within the committed time with little variation.Over time, customers gain experience with various logistics services providers and develop expectations with regard to what level of logistics service they should receive. The success of logistics service programs is largely dependent upon how closely customers expectations of the services parallels the actual level of service provided. Logistics service expectations, however, exist in association with the other components of the marketing mix. Thus, in competitive markets, it is critical for firms to understand customers logistics service expectations, as well as other marketing mix variables. This understanding of expectations is a key strategic element for gaining a sustainable competitive advantage.Customers have expectations of logistics service performance before they buy the product. The level of logistics service can be better than expected, equal to expectations, or worse than expected. It is difficult to entice new or maintain current customers if these customers have relatively low expectations of the sellers logistics service, i.e., lower than their actual service. In such a situation, the seller should attempt to raise these expectations by touting their actual service levels. However, if a customer has high initial logistics service expectations, i.e., higher than actual logistics service, the company should lower the expectations to realistic levels so as to reduce post-purchase dissatisfaction or improve the service. It is important to determine the source of the high expectations. Research has found that it is partly because salespeople are not accurate about what their customers want and have a tendency to inflate their companys performance levels. Thus, managers should monitor salespeoples communications with their customers. Similarly, an examination of the expectation formation process has revealed that the exaggerated information source originates with another media-direct mail. Although having higher expectations than actual logistics service may entice customers to try a firm once, it may ultimately lead to lower overall satisfaction. Ultimately, lower satisfaction with logistics services reduces customer loyalty, leading to lower repeating purchases. Logistics service expectations that are equivalent to actual service levels may lead to lower initial sales, compared to service expectations that are higher than actual levels. This situation, however, also results in higher satisfaction, and ultimately, greater repeating purchases. Since repeating purchases is a key success factor, the firm and its salespeople should help build realistic logistics service expectations. However, in an extremely competitive environment or when attempting to build market share with new customers, the company and its salespeople may not be ready to reduce the expectations of their logistics service for fear of losing an order to a competitor. In this situation, the company should provide customers with data on its logistics service levels versus its competitors. As long as the selling firm is in a relatively strong position, the data can help reduce the customers expectations for the entire industry while retaining relatively high expectations for the selling company.A written logistics service policy should be provided to all customers. This helps customers develop realistic expectations of logistics service and allows for greater satisfaction with the service they receive. Written logistics service policies also enable all employees in the organization to be aware of the minimum service standards required so that they can set appropriate objectives for their own performance, which leads to increase in customer satisfaction and retention as well.New words and expressions:achieve ti:v v. accomplish, attain, reach完成, 达到, 实现advantage dv:ntid n. the quality of having a superior or more favorable position优势, 有利条件anticipate ntisipeit v. to feel or realize beforehand; foresee预期, 预料atmosphere tmsfi n. a particular environment or surrounding influence气氛, 氛围attribute tribju:t n. a quality or characteristic inherent in someone or something属性, 特征availability veilbiliti n. the quality of being at hand when needed可得到，可取得cater keit v.( cater for.) provide what is desired or needed满足需要, 迎合combination .kmbinein n. a collection of things that have been combined结合, 联合component kmpunnt n. element, factor成分，组成部分defective difektiv adj. having a defect; faulty有缺陷的, 不完美的delivery dilivri n. the act of delivering or distributing something递送, 交付determinant dit:minnt n. an influencing or determining element or factor决定因素dimension dimenn n. aspect；element方面；因素entice intais v. lure, tempt诱惑, 诱使equivalent ikwivlnt adj. equal in value, force, or meaning等价的,相等的fundamental .fndmentl adj. of or relating to the foundation or base; elementary基本的,根本的gap gp n. a conspicuous difference or imbalance差距，悬殊heighten haitn v. increase the quantity, degree or intensity增高,提高,加强identify aidentifai v. to ascertain the origin, nature, or definitive characteristics识别,认明,鉴定ignore ign: v. to refuse to pay attention to; disregard不理睬, 忽视inflate infleit v. fill with gas or air to make it swell; exaggerate, aggrandize使膨胀；过分地或不合适地夸大或夸张loyalty lilti n. the state or quality of being loyal忠诚, 忠心outstanding autstndi adj. superior to others of its kind; distinguished显著的；卓越的paperwork peipw:k n. work involving the handling of reports, letters, and forms文书工作parity priti n. equality in amount, status, or value相等，等值profitability .prfitbiliti n. the quality of affording gain or benefit收益性,利益率retention ritenn n. the act of retaining something 保持，保持力reveal rivi:l v. To make known (something concealed or secret) 显示，揭示，透露strive straiv v. to exert much effort or energy; endeavor努力,奋斗,力争 sustainable ssteinbl a. capable of being sustained可支撑的, 可持续的tout tat v. to promote or praise energetically; publicize吹嘘，吹捧as long as on condition that; provided that 只要；如果in the long term in the distant future 在长期内to be aware of to have knowledge or realization of sb/sth 知道，明白，意识到to consist of to be composed or made up of sth 由.组成或构成to focus on to concentrate on 集中于某事物with regard to in connection with sb/ sth 关于，至于Special terms:after service 售后服务competitive advantage 竞争优势competitive market 竞争市场customer expectation 客户预期customer interaction 客户相互作用customer order 客户订单customer satisfaction 客户满意customer service 客户服务delivery time 交货时间direct mail 直接邮寄广告lifetime value 终生价值market share 市场份额, 市场占有率marketing mix 营销组合physical product 产品product performance 产品性能relationship marketing 关系营销strategic partner 战略伙伴transactional marketing 交易营销Notes to the text:1.The goal of customer service is customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction is what the customer feels subjectively and sometimes irrationally. There is all the difference in the world between a customer being satisfied and being not dissatisfied. 客户服务的目标是客户满意。客户满意是客户在主观上的感受，有时是无理性的。感到满意的客户与不满意的客户之间有着天渊之别。 In the sentence, the adverb “irrationally” means “without reasoning”. The phrase “all the difference in the world” means “天渊之别, 大不相同”. For example:A little perseverance makes all the difference between success and failure. 能否坚持一下，是成败的关键。2. Relationship marketing focuses on getting customers and keeping them in the longer term using a combination of marketing, quality and customer service. 关系营销强调综合利用营销、质量和客户服务的手段来获得和在较长一段时期内留住客户。3. As satisfied customers, they will recommend you to others, resulting in an increase in new business. It is said that it costs up to 10 times as much to win a new customer than to keep an existing one. 当客户满意时, 他们就会把你介绍给别人, 导致新的业务的增加。据说赢得一个新客户的成本要比保持一个已有的客户高出十倍之多。In the sentence, the phrase “ up to” means “as many as”(多至). For example: This hotel can accommodate up to 500 guests. 这旅馆可供达500位来宾住宿。4. Customers experiencing poor service are likely to tell up to 20 people about their experience, which is not a good advertisement for your business. This may deter others from even trying you out, and so you will not get the chance to impress them, even with the best or most innovative products and services. 那些体验了糟糕服务的客户有可能把他们的经历告诉二十个人，造成对企业的负面宣传。这种情况甚至可以阻止别人试用你的产品，即使你的产品是最好的或最具创新性，你也没有机会打动他们。 In the sentence, the phrase “deter from” means “prevent or discourage from acting”. For example: I was deterred from emigrating by the thought of leaving my family. 我舍不得离开家, 所以决定不移居国外了。5. By focusing your attention on the customers that have the highest potential lifetime value, you can improve profitability. 通过把注意力关注在那些具有最高潜在终生价值的客户身上，你就能够改善企业的收益性。6. Marketing is about identifying, anticipating and satisfying customer needs. It applies to the products you offer as well as to customer service delivery. 营销就是识别、预见和满足客户的需要。它不仅适用于你所提供的产品，而且适用于你所提供的客户服务。7. Improving the quality of logistics service is particularly important because it increases customer satisfaction, which in turn heightens the occurrence of strategic partner and corporate profitability. 改善物流服务的水平是尤其重要的，因为它可以提高客户的满意度，而客户的满意度又可以促进战略伙伴关系的形成和公司的收益性。8. However, in competitive markets, achieving a competitive advantage by providing a product with outstanding performance is difficult. Since the major players are each striving to gain market share, product performance becomes similar. Similarly, price parity can be achieved with amazing speed. 然而，在竞争市场上，通过提供具有卓越性能的产品来取得竞争优势是困难的。因为主要的竞争对手都在力图赢得市场分额，不同厂家的产品性能会变的雷同。同样，各个厂家的价格也会迅速的达到势均力敌。9. The primary determinant of customer satisfaction is the gap between customers expectations of logistics service performance and actual logistics service performance. 客户对物流服务水平的预期与实际物流服务水平的差距是客户满意的主要决定因素。10. Firms should not, however, attempt to provide outstanding logistics service on all dimensions. To do so will be expensive, and it is likely that resources will be wasted on services that are unimportant to customers. 然而，公司不应当试图提供全方位的杰出物流服务。这样做不仅代价昂贵，而且有可能把资源浪费在一些对客户不重要的服务方面。11. The success of logistics service programs is largely dependent upon how closely customers expectations of the services parallels the actual level of service provided. 物流服务项目的成功在很大程度上取决于客户的服务预期与实际接受的服务水平的接近程度。12. It is difficult to entice new or maintain current customers if these customers have relatively low expectations of the sellers logistics service, i.e., lower than their actual service. In such a situation, the seller should attempt to raise these expectations by touting their actual service levels. 如果客户对卖方的物流服务预期较低，也就是说低于真实的服务水平，那么就很难吸引新的客户或留住当前已有的客户。在这种情况下，卖方应该通过竭力赞许自己的真实服务水平，从而来试图提高客户的服务预期13. Research has found that it is partly because salespeople are not accurate about what their customers want and have a tendency to inflate their companys performance levels. 研究已发现这种情况部分上是因为销售人员对客户的需要把握不准确，而且有对公司业绩水平夸大的倾向。14. Alt