Surviving Supply Chain Disruption as an Ecommerce Brand

In the first part of How to Survive Supply Chain Disruption, we talked about the causes behind the current crisis. We also covered steps that you can take to ensure that your ecommerce business can not only survive but thrive during the disruption.
 
In the second part, we’re going to talk about one key component of thriving during a supply chain disruption: customer communication. Meanwhile, we’re making an emphasis on customer experience during supply chain disruptions.
 
Keeping in communication with your customers not only keeps them in the loop, but it can also help build trust with your ecommerce business. These are a few of the best practices to consider for customer communication during supply chain disruptions.

Make Communication a PriorityCommunicating with customers should be a top priority during a supply chain disruption. When a status changes for an order or shipment, the customer should be one of the first to know. Customers expect real time updates to their orders. Simply providing a tracking number isn’t enough.

Consider Automated CommunicationIf a product is delayed or goes on backorder, consider using automated emails to inform about updates. This is a quick and efficient way to communicate with customers about the status of their order. Best of all, they won’t feel as if they are in the dark.

Keep Customer Experience in MindCustomer communication is one of the top elements of overall experience. Not to mention, unhappy customers are likely to share their negative experience with up to 15 other people.

Always Follow UpAre you adequately following up with customers about the status of their orders? An action as simple as a follow up can make a big difference when it comes to customer experience. In fact, 97% of companies don’t follow up with customers to make sure they are satisfied with their experience.
 
Offer a Human ElementBrands offering a human element to their communication process can instill trust in customers. Showing that you are available and reliable can make the process of working with your company feel more human. The good news is that there are several different ways to achieve this experience, ranging from SMS text messages to chatting in real time with your customers via your website.
 
When customers are looking for support, some may prefer to chat online. While a bot can fill the gaps in some cases, it’s best to have a human on the other end to address concerns. This is especially true during supply chain disruptions, as the customers are expecting real-time responses.

​Communication is Key During Supply Chain DisruptionsIn a digital world, there are countless ways to touch base with your customers. Keeping communication at top of mind is critical. This is because a whopping 70% of customers may not shop with you again if shipment delays are not communicated.
 
The good news is that 94% of customers are willing to give you more time to deliver your order, as long as you communicate promptly. Meanwhile, 99% of customers expect to receive a communication from you if their item is delayed. During supply chain disruptions, keeping customers in the loop can make a big difference in customer satisfaction and returning to shop with you in the future.