Panther Warehousing is helping one of the UK’s largest independent electrical retailers, RGB, to keep its customers happy by providing a responsive delivery service that ensures goods arrive safe and sound.
RGB is a 27-year-old family-run business based at Seven Kings, Essex, which can boast the BBC, ITV, QVC, Alliance & Leicester, Delmonte Group and West Ham Football Club among its customers.
With a 10,000 foot square electrical showroom at Ilford, Essex and a thriving online business, the company has grown from strength to strength in a competitive market by recognising that excellent customer service is key to its success.
Since turning to Panther, the specialist white-glove, two-man delivery company, earlier this year, RGB has been particularly impressed with Panther’s communications with customers and its extremely low rate of returns for goods damaged in transit.
Dennis Digwa, Director of RGB, said: “A lot of businesses don’t appreciate the impact a damaged item has on the customer – it can lose them a customer forever. Poor delivery reflects badly on the business, not just the carrier.
“Many customers, if they have a bad delivery experience, simply won’t come back, so it is extremely important to select a carrier you can trust, one which places the same emphasis on customer satisfaction as you do.
“Panther is a true extension of our customer service – its drivers act as our ambassadors and we are delighted with the service they are providing. We are receiving excellent customer feedback.
“In order to stay ahead of the game in this sector you have to be professional and treat every customer as if they are going to come back. The only reason why customers come back is outstanding service.”
Panther Warehousing, based in Northamptonshire, has expanded rapidly since taking the decision to specialise and bring next-day delivery to the white-glove, two-man delivery sector. It was named this year in the FT’s top 1,000 fastest growing companies in Europe, as well as again being listed by the London Stock Exchange as one of Britain’s Top 1000 Companies to Inspire Britain.
Responding to customer demands, Panther has extended its service to be even more flexible and responsive, launching its Solo, one-man assisted service, 10pm cut-off times for delivery next day, and seven-day-a-week delivery. It also offers a popular ‘nominated day’ delivery service.
Clear communication is a priority, with end customers receiving a message the day before delivery, then another advising of a two-hour delivery window, and a phone call from the delivery crew when they leave the previous job to advise that they are on the way.
Panther also makes it easy for damaged or unwanted goods to be returned, offering a seamless service in which the returned item is picked up at the same time as the replacement item is delivered – minimising disruption and inconvenience for the purchasers.
Mr Digwa commented: “It’s all about managing customers’ expectations – if a service is efficient and the customer is kept informed, then they are much more tolerant on the rare occasions when anything does go wrong.
“Panther keeps up excellent lines of communications with our customers – it really puts the end customer at the heart of its service.”