How to Adopt a Customer-Centric Approach for E-Commerce Businesses

The age-old question of whether the customer is always right has left much uncertainty in the air for many businesses. At a time of instant reviews, abiding by this advice does appear to make a solid business stance for e-commerce companies. However, as a business owner, it is plausible to say that you know first-hand the nitty-gritty details compared to the everyday consumer. But as demands for e-commerce services continue to rise due to the pandemic, customer service is pushed to the limelight as the key differentiator amongst brands. As such, pairing your expertise with a different perspective of the “customer is always right” philosophy is necessary. A customer-centric approach thus becomes an important strategy to ensure that customers receive the best experience, care and support.

What is a customer-centric approach?

As much as customer-centricity is a concept often preached by companies, many fail to put it into action due to the large-scale change that it calls for. More than the delivery of good customer service, a customer-centric approach puts the customer’s needs and requirements at the forefront of business operations. Establishing a healthy relationship between the brand and the consumer through efficient identification of their needs and providing them with the best personalised experience defines a customer-driven business. 

Why is it crucial to put the customers first?

For one, companies that excel at customer satisfaction thrive while others struggle to keep afloat. 58% of respondents of an EConsultancy survey agree that being customer-centric is the most important characteristic in establishing a truly digital-native culture. In an era where online shopping platforms and e-commerce retailers are sprouting, customers should be able to reach out for support, pay for and receive services through multiple channels. This easy access to all products, services, and answers will support a top-notch experience so much so that receiving an equal level of efficiency, customer support, and convenience from other e-commerce companies seems unimaginable – an essential aspect for customer retention.

Take, for example, LEGO’s success in recapturing the toy market after being at the brink of bankruptcy. Launching the LEGO Ideas platform, the brand created a real community experience by allowing its fans to submit ideas and concepts for new LEGO sets. No longer closing off its innovation process, it created a culture around consumer wants and needs, facilitating the brand’s dominance in customer satisfaction despite the rise of strong competition. Utilising such methods of co-creation elevates levels of brand engagement and customer loyalty. 

How DHL Expresses delivers good customer service

At DHL Express, we put ourselves in the customer’s shoes to build a customer-centric culture. Regardless of the size of a client’s shipment, our team of certified international  customer service representatives works to serve with passion and speed. Also investing in technology and other creative solutions, our networks have been optimised and services streamlined. Through user-friendly tools such as MyBill and Track & Trace, customers can manage all their shipments at their convenience on our one-stop platform as well.

Understanding that modern customers expect hyper-personalisation from e-commerce businesses, we do not just rely on the experience of our qualified customer service representatives. Evolving with technology, we’ve introduced a one-stop shipping solution – MyDHL+. An innovative online application that is extremely customer-centric, we create a unique experience tailored to the needs of each customer. From reviewing past shipments on a customisable dashboard to creating shipments on multiple platforms, tools like these complement our objective of creating a frictionless user experience.

Being customer-centric is not a short-term strategy to hook prospects and drop once business goals are met. Doing it right by the customer is vital in attaining high retention rates, and hitting greater revenue. Create an account with DHL Express and let us help you meet your customer demands and needs efficiently.