In his 1993 book, Raving Fans, author Ken Blanchard said, “Your customers are only satisfied because their expectations are so low and because no one else is doing better. Just having satisfied customers isn’t good enough anymore. If you really want a booming business, you have to create Raving Fans.”

Ok, we think of creating Raving Fans because of our better-than-average customer service, or because we have a superior product or service, but could we actually create Raving Fans because of our shipping practices? Of course! Here are a few shipping tricks and tips to get you started:

Shipping Trick #1

Most companies ship their products in a box filled with packing materials surrounding perhaps a shrink wrapped, or formed plastic package. The customer opens the box, and slowly discards the contents into the recycling bin leaving only the product they ordered. But what if, as in the case of Nordstrom and Williams-Sonoma, you gift-wrapped your package for free? Now these retailers offered this service during the Christmas online shopping season, but this is where you can stand out! What about Mother’s or Father’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, or any other holiday? All it takes is one more check box on the order form.

Shipping Trick #2

Does anyone send hand-written notes anymore? Have you ever gotten one and remember how it feels compared to email? It adds a level of sincerity, right? Imagine if your salesperson, shipping clerk, or even the CEO, included a hand-written note in the shipment acknowledging the customer, and thanking them for doing business with you. Is that customer likely to order again, or tell others? There is a very good chance.

Shipping Trick #3

Include a catalog, flyer, or additional collateral material to offer additional products or services. It may seem elementary, but too many firms just send the product hidden amongst styrofoam peanuts, and the only way to distinguish where the product came from is the return address label. What if the customer was never aware of the additional products or services you offer?

Finally, there is one more to add to these shipping tricks and tips for you. That is, track all of your shipments to make sure they reach your customers on time. When the occasional missed or late delivery occurs, you can often times obtain a refund from UPS or FedEx, and if you choose, pass this refund back to your customer for their inconvenience. Package Fox is a company that can help you keep your fans raving. Visit them at www.PackageFox.com.