When return logistics is part of the purchasing process, customer satisfaction increases and this positively influences the economic results of the company. In some sectors, such as fashion, returns are around between 30 and 40%, which is around 4% of company expenses and 15% of CO 2 , only in our country.
Data that make effective return management , taking into account:
- Return logistics
- customer experience
The return of orders can be a headache for small and medium-sized companies, but a well-defined return logistics strategy will improve business results.
Today we are going to talk about the 3 keys that will mean the success of return logistics for your business, so that you can adapt it and put it into practice to improve your economic data and the customer's shopping experience.
Speed
Speed is one of the points that customers value the most when making an online purchase or receiving an order at home. Speed in:
- The collection of the product to be returned
- Return of repaired products
- When you receive your purchase refund
As far as the collection of the product is concerned , it is important that the company has established the maximum period for which they will go to your home and that the hours are extensive on the part of the company.
You can also study the possibility that the client himself returns it on his own or by leaving it at a collection point .
Lastly, the customer who sends a product to be repaired also seeks to be able to return it in the shortest possible time, especially if he uses it daily.
In any of the two cases, what the customer is looking for is to have, as quickly as possible, the refund of his order .
Working effectively on this part of reverse logistics management will make the customer want to buy in our physical or online establishment. Therefore, communication with the client is also essential.
Fast and efficient process
Designing a returns management workflow will help get returns done not only as quickly as possible, but also in the most efficient way.
Thus:
- All agents involved in return logistics have to be well informed of what their role is and where they are in the return chain.
- It has to be fully automated. Having return logistics tools that help us manage the data extracted from these returns and do so in real time, will help us optimize space in the warehouse, make the best decisions in case of unforeseen events and know how to react to different return circumstances. of customers.
- Effective warehouse management , where all products are registered (both those that go out, as well as those that enter and are returned) and there must always be a space for returns. This will allow us to store the returned products in good condition and put them on sale in the store, as soon as possible.
- Effective stock control, and at this point the percentage of possible returns or the request for similar products, but with other characteristics, as happens with clothing, where many customers return the product to receive others of a different size or of another colour. Giving these clients the fastest possible response will be one more point in favor of being able to retain them.
Communication with the customer
More than 60% of customers read the return policy before deciding to order. Therefore, that it is well written and easy to understand, will make a difference when making the purchase.
In addition, it has to be visible and transparent, so that the client does not feel disappointed if the agreement is not complied with later.
From the return logistics of a company, the customer also expects to be informed about the status of his order, that is, if the company has received the return or if they are going to send him soon the product that he has ordered repaired.
This is in terms of the customer, but as far as your business is concerned, it is important that you are interested in knowing the reason for the return of the products.
Carrying out a simple survey with the most frequent answers and leaving space for other options will help you obtain this data and help the client feel heard.
Data visualization will help us improve those points where we are failing. One of the most common is usually the lack of description of the products, or that it is incomplete. In turn, this will reduce the number of future returns.
Therefore, working on the description of the product sheets , making them answer all the questions of the customers, will reduce the return of orders.
conclusion
Our customers continue to buy in our business, the status of the brand depends on effective return management, as well as reducing additional product costs for them and improving the economic data of the business .
