The e-commerce industry has grown rapidly over the last few years, fueled by changing consumer trends during the pandemic. Today, it is a trillion-dollar industry, with retail e-commerce sales amounting to US$5.2 trillion in 2021, reports Statista. While this trend creates new avenues for businesses to venture into the e-commerce global market, it also creates competition. Hence, businesses looking to capitalise on this development must devise smart strategies and e-commerce best practices to achieve a competitive advantage.

In this regard, one strategy, in particular, is crucial: ensuring good customer service. The quality of one’s customer service is often a key factor that makes businesses stand out and ensures the loyalty of customers to a particular brand. To this end, this article discusses the importance of a customer-centric approach in e-commerce and how DHL Express’ commitment to this principle built a strong customer relationship with consumers.

The importance of a customer-centric approach in e-commerce

Consumers today are tech-savvy and aware of the diversity of options they possess when purchasing products and services online. Good customer service is often the difference in their decisions to make a purchase and remain loyal to a brand. A key strategy to ensure this is to adopt a customer-centric approach. Customer-centricity translates to putting the specific needs of these e-commerce customers and seeking to meet these requirements at the forefront of business operations. Identifying their needs and striving to deliver personalised experiences are the hallmarks of a customer-driven and customer-centric company.

The importance of a customer-centric approach cannot be stressed enough as it establishes a healthy customer relationship between the consumer and the brand. In the competitive e-commerce space, it is vital that customers must be able to access efficient customer support, make payments for and receive services through various channels or they can easily look for alternatives. Ensuring convenient accessibility to products, services, and answers will not just boost sales but strengthen brand loyalty. According to findings by leading customer service software firm Zendesk in 2022, 81% of consumers mention that a positive e-commerce customer service increases the chances of them making a repeat purchase. A consumer-centric service, therefore, wins the trust of potential customers, resulting in increased customer retention and loyalty. 

How DHL Express offers the best e-commerce and shipping experience for customers

The expansion of e-commerce has led to growing expectations among customers, and the logistics industry has also had to adapt to these significant changes in the post-pandemic world. Beyond the delivery and receipt of one’s purchase, customers expect hyper-personalisation and tailored experiences according to each of their needs. 

DHL Express tackles these challenges and ensures quality customer service via the following e-commerce customer service best practices:

• Quick customer support: At DHL Express, a team of certified and passionate customer service representatives provide prompt e-commerce customer support around the clock with various digital touchpoints for our customers to contact our customer care services.

• Technologies: DHL Express also invests in various advanced technologies and creative solutions to provide customers with the best e-commerce and shipping experience. Working closely with various e-commerce-as-a-service platforms, our shipping solutions streamline the various logistics processes and optimise services to enhance user experience.

• User-friendly tools: Furthermore, DHL Express delivers good customer service by empowering its customers with tools that are easy to use for our customers. These tools allow users to track and trace their shipments during transit. Customers are also able to manage their shipments and payments on one platform through resources such as MyBill and Track & Trace applications.

• Providing customers with a one-stop shipping solution: MyDHL+ delivers users a personalised experience tailored to their needs. Users may create customised dashboards and obtain relevant information regarding their past and present shipments on MyDHL+. Moreover, MyDHL+ offers a multi-platform interface, allowing users to choose from a wide array of services and customisable options. The blend of these features creates a seamless user experience. 

A customer-centric approach will guarantee that your business does not just hit short-term objectives, but guarantees growing customer retention rates and the possibilities of increased revenue. Open a DHL Express account today and let us fulfil all your business and customer needs efficiently.