Smoothly Navigating Delayed Shipments or Orders: How to Inform Customers Efficiently!

If you run a business in Nigeria, then you’ve probably experienced a lot of unforeseen circumstances that can cause delivery delays. Sometimes, they’re even some of the funniest things. Multiple times, there have been stories of delivery riders deciding not to deliver at the set time. Why? They just didn’t feel like it and wanted to deliver on their own time. I’ve personally experienced a delivery that was delayed because the delivery rider was arrested by the police on his way to me.

Some of these issues are not controlled by you, the business owner. But the truth is, customers need to get their deliveries at the agreed time, and if they don’t, it becomes a problem for your business. Now, how you handle the situation will determine if you retain or lose said customer.

The aim of this article is to provide practical tips on effectively informing customers about shipment delays.

8 Steps to Inform Your Customer about a Delayed Shipment.

As a rule of thumb, always under-promise and over-deliver. If your delivery partner takes three days, communicate 4-5 days to your customer.

Now, these 8 steps will guide you in the right way to inform your customer that their order has been delayed.

1. Acknowledge the delay and take responsibility

It is important to be proactive and transparent when dealing with a customer. In fact, you might say being proactive and transparent are part of the most important things about customer service. When a customer’s order has been delayed, you should acknowledge it and take responsibility immediately. Proactively communicate delays and do not wait for the customer to ask. This will help to diffuse the situation and prove to the customers that you are efficient and professional.

What you can say to the customer:

"Hi there! We want to apologise for the delay in delivering your shipment."

2. Clearly explain the reason for the delay

Provide a clear and honest explanation of why the shipment is delayed. Your customer is more likely to understand you if you explain in clear terms exactly what the issue is, instead of giving a vague response like “Your package is on the way”. That statement is unclear and will aggravate the situation. Assure the customer that the delay is temporary and you’re going over and beyond to resolve the issue.

3. Be polite, empathetic and remain calm:

When speaking to customers about delayed shipments, most customers will be furious about a missing or delayed package, especially if it is past the agreed deadline. Don’t argue with the customer, remain calm and remember that the customer is not frustrated with you as a person, but at the stress your business is bringing to them. So, do not take it personally and always remain calm.

Related: Dealing with an Angry Customer? NEVER Say These 22 Lines!

4. Offer an estimated time frame

As earlier mentioned, a situation like this isn’t the right time to tell a customer something vague. As much as you can, provide the customer with an estimated time or date, or at most a range for when they can expect their order to be delivered. If the information is not readily available, mention that you are working diligently to find out and will update them as soon as you have more details.

5. Apologise and show empathy

Don’t forget that a sincere apology goes a long way; the delay has likely caused an inconvenience to your customer, and you should apologise for that and reassure the customer that their satisfaction is important to you. Express empathy, let them vent and express understanding for their disappointment or frustration.

6. Present options and solutions

Offer alternative solutions if applicable, such as providing a partial refund, expedited shipping, or a discount on their next purchase. Let the customer know that you are willing to work with them to find a resolution that meets their needs. This gives the customer the feeling that you care about them, you understand how stressed they are, want to keep them happy and make them come back.

Related: 7 Business Strategies for Creating Discounts & Coupons (Without Hurting Profit)

7. Highlight your commitment to customer service

Emphasise that you value them and are committed to making things right. You can do this by offering a contact person or customer service representative who can be reached for any further questions or concerns.

Related: 10 Easy Tips on Improving Customer Service for Your Small Business

8. Choose the right shipping partner:

Your shipping partner can make or mar your business. We advise you to choose a reliable service such as Topship, which provides flexible pricing options, special discounts for small businesses, live tracking, and a reliable customer support team that can resolve issues and attend to challenges swiftly.

Side Note: Still nervous about communicating delays?

Here’s a message you can send to a customer to communicate a delivery delay:

Hello [customer name],

Thank you for shopping [insert business name].

Your item was scheduled for delivery on Friday, April 14. We regret to inform you that the arrival date will the delayed by two days due to fuel scarcity and floods on Lagos roads. Please bear with us as we work to ensure your packages arrive faster.

If you choose to offer the customer an incentive, you can add this:

To show our remorse, we’d like to offer you [insert incentive]. We know this does not remedy the current situation, but please accept it as a token of our appreciation for your patience and understanding.

Thank you,

Team [insert business name]

Conclusion

Different circumstances can delay shipping and delivery, and while they may not all be under your control, always remember that the customer comes first and they should be informed about the delay, even before they have to ask. Informing your customers about delayed shipments efficiently ensures that you get ahead of the situation with the customer, shows the customer that you’re empathetic about the situation and lastly, gives them the impression that you care about their happiness and retaining them as a customer!

Looking for a reliable partner with flexible pricing for international and nationwide deliveries, try Topship.

Go to www.topship.africa or email [email protected] to get started.

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