Did you know that the Post Office allows packages to be marked delivered 24 hours before they are delivered?
It doesn’t make much sense...does it? AND for those of you who are fulfilling eCommerce orders, we know that it can take a lot more than 24 hours.
In fact, I just worked with a customer who received her package 11 days after the delivery notification!
Even though most packages eventually show up, the combination of uncertainty and delay is incredibly frustrating, particularly for a customer who purchased an item for a specific need.
We know that lost packages are one of the most frustrating parts of eCommerce fulfillment and we have you covered! Here’s our Do’s and Don’ts for how best to respond to these types of customer inquiries:
DO kindly let your customer know that this is common and that most packages are delivered within 3 days.
DO ask your customer to check with their neighbors and look around their property. Someone recently “delivered” a package to the ditch in front of my house. Sometimes packages are left at my detached garage door. Once a package was even tossed out in the field next to my garage. You may also want to describe what the package looks like to help customers track the package down if it has actually been delivered.
DO file a service request with the USPS. These service requests go directly to the recipient's local Post Office. Some local Post Offices will respond and actually try to help you. Others will never respond so be prepared that this may fail but I have found that it is worth a try.
DON’T bother filing a Mailing Mail Search or Claim. The Post Office will say that the package was delivered and not pursue your request.
DON’T refund your customer for at least 7 days. Create a policy that you wait 7 days to refund the package. Most packages will show up so delaying the refund will likely buy you the time needed for the package to be delivered. Oh and before you hit the refund button, directly ask the customer if they have received the package.
DON’T reship the order for 3 days unless the customer desperately needs the item sooner. If your customer is willing to wait, let them. Oh and if you do decide to reship the order, be sure to specifically ask the customer to let you know if they receive the lost package. Most customers will comply if you ask them!
We hope these tips help you figure out how to speak with customers who didn’t receive their package but if these tips just remind you of how sick and tired you are of responding to pick, pack, and ship customer concerns, keep in mind that Key Fulfillment Solutions loves helping you take care of your customers and we offer customer service email monitoring.
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