While it is often considered interchangeable with sales, communication
in fact forms a vital part of every stage of the relocation process. Federico Presta, in charge of marketing and new media at Bliss Corporation, Italy, explains why
When we hear about communications, we often think about the marketing and sales phases of international moving services. Marketing and communications, however, are tools that a company needs to implement throughout its entire business cycle. For this reason, it is wrong to think only about advertising campaigns and direct sales.
Every action to connect a company with potential clients and enhance relationships with its contacts, customers and stakeholders is linked to its brand, reputation and, therefore, to its marketing. For example, how do you answer your phone when a customer calls you? How does your front-office secretary engage with prospective clients on the telephone? What image does the packing team present at the customer’s home?
The user experience begins when a person comes into contact with the company brand, either on the internet or in traditional ways, and continues – and indeed increases in importance – once a contract is signed and the moving service is provided.
Generally, we have this dynamic in moving:
- A potential customer who needs a moving service learns about our company through word of mouth, internet research or other marketing channels.
- The person requests a quote, listens to what we say on the phone, and reads reviews and information on our website.
- Once they have decided the price and company is the right one, it is employed to provide the service.
- Communication begins with the operational coordinator (an international moving consultant), who will send the necessary documents to the customer and follow up the organisation of the move.
- The time will then come for the team to collect the goods and deliver them to their destination, with any furniture assembly/disassembly and additional services needed.
In these phases – but also in the case of a B2B move – communication remains central.
- The personal consultant must quickly communicate all information
- They must be able to satisfy the customer’s requests as thoroughly as possible and answer any questions
- The company must be able to act quickly in the event of damage or problems of any kind.
The post-sale and post-delivery phases of the service are also very important. On the communications side, calling the customer after a few days to ask if everything is OK, and maybe asking for a testimonial, is something that can make the customer feel even more heard and appreciated. This also generates advocacy: a positive review, word of mouth, and so on. In practice, paying close attention to communications during the provision of the entire service will also have positive results in sales and marketing, triggering a positive circle.
Finally, it is important to underline how the move, being a great source of stress, requires empathetic interaction with the customer. Entering into a relationship allows you to be closer to the customer and their problems and to find solutions with an open mind (obviously, here, we are not talking about ‘friendship’, but a professional and working relationship).
To conclude, I will leave you with a question: how much is your business looking after your customer communications in all phases of the job?
Answer the question honestly and you will understand which areas of communication, and consequently of work, you can improve by aiming for maximum customer satisfaction.
