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How To Notify A Customer Of A Delayed Online Order And Still Retain Loyalty

A man engaged in marketing conversation on the phone while operating a computer.

No matter how carefully you take care of your ecommerce business, unfortunately, no one is immune from the situation when the goods do not arrive to the client on time.

There can be many reasons: the supplier failed, delivery was delayed by the transport company, the courier fell ill, and so on. The situation is difficult but manageable. Let's figure out what and how to behave to maintain customer loyalty.

Report problems to the buyer

The first and most important thing to do is to notify the client about the situation that has arisen immediately. Do not hope that everything will resolve itself. Do not forget: a person can take time off from work to meet a courier, or go to a neighboring city where the pickup point is located. This is not only an inconvenience but also causes direct financial losses. In addition, your product can be ordered as a birthday gift, and then the delivery time is of the utmost importance. And if you warn the client in time, he may have time to buy a similar product in another store.

The worst thing you can imagine is when a disgruntled customer calls you first.

A call beforehand makes it possible to choose the right words and explain everything to a person. Besides, the initiative here is in your hands. You can calmly explain everything, and the client will listen, and even thank you for the warning.

Explain why this happened

Many entrepreneurs think that the buyer is not interested in why this happened. Giving reasons for the delay can show the client that you understand the situation and are in control. In addition, you can shift the focus and move some of the blame to the partner: a transport company, a courier service, or a supplier.

For example, you own a car rental company. You provide rental cars of various brands and characteristics. In addition, the client can take a rented car for any time he needs, ranging from an hour to several months. A client ordered through your website to rent a car in Sharjah monthly. He chose a particular vehicle presented in your fleet in a single copy. But the previous tenant of this car at the last moment decided to extend the lease for another two days. In this case, you'll need to explain everything to the client in this way and help him solve this issue (we will talk about this in more detail later).

The primary condition is to be honest with the buyer.

Apologize to the customer.

Honesty, proactivity, and transparency are key when dealing with ecommerce shipping delays. Keeping the customer informed promptly and making sure they feel valued and respected can go a long way in helping to maintain customer loyalty. By providing honest and timely updates, customers can feel like they are being taken seriously and that their issues are being handled. Additionally, being transparent and proactive with customers can help to alleviate their concerns and make them feel like their issues are being addressed constructively and efficiently.

Could you inform the customer of the action taken?

For a person to order from you further, you need to convince him that this will not happen again. For example, the delay occurred due to the transport company's fault. Could you tell us that you sent an official letter to the transport company with a request to clarify the situation? And they answered that there was a failure in the program, which has already been eliminated.

It is essential to be honest with the person. If you have not done anything, you do not need to voice it.

Could you offer the client options for solving the problem?

The customer can immediately cancel the order. But this is not a reason to forget about him forever. If the buyer is ready to wait, he remains loyal to you. Or the timing is optional to him. But there are other options:

  • invite the person to pick up the order themselves, if possible. Let him come to the store or warehouse;
  • offer to meet the courier on the neutral territory;
  • tell him where he can buy the same product.

Make amends

The most crucial step if you want to retain a customer. There are many options here:

  • offer a discount on the order or next purchase;
  • make shipping accessible;
  • present an additional product to the main one. For example, to a smartphone – inexpensive headphones.
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