Customers are what keep us in business. Having a customer experience strategy will focus on customer service and satisfaction to ensure repeat orders and continued business—a strategy every business should have in place for business consistency and growth.
So how do you make the most out of your customer service without taking away the human-to-human connection and interaction we crave? By transitioning function from service empowerment to customer empowerment. Empowering your customers encourages proactive order management which also requires a digital solution for order visibility, such as a customer portal within your MES or ERP system.
The surface finishing industry has long been reliant on manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to outsource their needs for surface finishing. However, with the ever-increasing demand for prompt and efficient supply chain processes, customer expectations have become more critical than ever before. In this age of instant gratification, customer satisfaction is contingent on timely communication and complete transparency in the service delivery process.
Fortunately, digital solutions are now readily available in this previously outdated industry, and customers are demanding more visibility. A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) or Job Shop Software as it is known in this industry, is an ideal solution that offers a secure customer portal. Steelhead Technologies' job shop software is a prime example of this solution, as it allows customers to access their order status through a secure online portal. This eliminates the need for customers to call or wait for a response from the administrative team at the service organization, thereby providing real-time visibility and improved communication.
Increased visibility is not only advantageous for the customers but also for the service provider. It helps in building trust and improving customer loyalty. A study conducted by the MIT Sloan School of Management found that supply chain visibility could boost consumer trust and even sales. The study revealed that customers tend to trust a company more when it offers greater transparency and visibility into its supply chain processes. Furthermore, the study showed that companies that adopted transparency and visibility in their supply chain processes experienced a sales increase of up to 20%.
Transparency and visibility in the supply chain process can also help companies identify and mitigate risks more effectively. By tracking every step in the supply chain, companies can quickly identify any bottlenecks or delays and take appropriate action to resolve them. This proactive approach can help companies to avoid unexpected delays, which can lead to unhappy customers and lost business.
In addition to customer satisfaction and risk mitigation, transparency and visibility in the supply chain can also help companies to reduce costs. By having a clear view of the supply chain process, service organizations can identify inefficiencies and areas that require optimization with solutions such as job costing and profit margin analysis. This can lead to reduced costs and improved profitability while saving time on the administrator’s end running back and forth to the production floor to relay order updates to a customer on hold.
To sum up, the surface finishing industry is no exception to the growing demand for transparency and visibility in supply chain processes. Customers are demanding real-time visibility and efficient communication, and digital solutions like Steelhead Technologies' MES system can help provide that. The benefits of transparency and visibility in the supply chain process are manifold, including increased customer satisfaction, improved trust and loyalty, sales growth, risk mitigation, and reduced costs. As the demand for supply chain transparency and visibility continues to grow, companies that adopt these practices will gain a competitive edge and thrive in today's business landscape.
For more information or to get a demo of the job shop software, contact our sales team at sales@gosteelhead.com.