The promo industry is still coping with the lasting effects of the pandemic. So, what can you do? You can stay informed and prepared! Today we’re going to take a look at five tips for setting proper expectations with customers when it comes to supplier disruptions.
When you are talking to clients or making product recommendations, it’s important to position yourself as an expert. Expert tip: ASK! Ask suppliers about their delivery timeline and, as a best practice, build some cushion to that in case unexpected delays occur. Items should arrive early than late.
Transparency is critical! Always be clear and as accurate as you can when it comes to details about inventory, shipping delays, and delivery estimates. Expert tip: Be cautious about providing an exact delivery date unless you are 100% sure about it. Do your best to give accurate estimates and let your clients know that things could change. Expert tip: When providing solutions for your clients, have a plan B, or a 2nd item selected in case the first item has an inventory issue or a production delay!
It can be hard to admit that you don’t have complete control over something, but it’s better, to be honest and set realistic expectations.
Try to keep clients as updated as possible. Let them know where their order is in the process. Expert tip: Be FIRST! We all hate bad news, but sharing those unfortunate details with your clients BEFORE they come to you and ask, is a better customer experience. Don’t risk losing a client by ghosting them!
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned...whether it is a shipment that gets delayed, or the wrong product is shipped, things happen! Expert tip: Do your best to make it right! Ask your client what would be their ideal resolution, and do what you can to accommodate! In these situations, compassion and understanding will go a long way. People won’t always remember what went wrong, but they will NEVER FORGET how you made it right!
When you are researching products, make sure you are doing your due diligence to see if a supplier is reliable. Expert tip: AIA provides our distributors with a vetted list of MVP Suppliers. If you are thinking about using a supplier you have not worked with before, check out their industry reputation and recent reviews to see if they are a good partner to work with.
If you need help staying on top of supplier and supply chain updates, partner with the promo experts at AIA. Join our community today!