Business

The company that we have selected is DHL. The company is a market leader in logistics and transport business and it is known for its superior quality in handling customer and introducing latest technologies when it comes to providing state of the art service. During our research we found out that DHL has an extremely unique way of catering to its customers it provides its customer a number of services and options that create that defining experience.
In this article we will try to focus and analyze the customer experience and service flow by using the front-end flow chart as a guide and we will also look at some implications on the management as a result of the back-end flow that we have designed. The crucial point here is that because DHL is a courier service provider present in over 220 countries we want to know how the company continues to create such competitive edge even in such tough economic conditions.
Significance of the Service Encounter
The experience at DHL is unique and satisfying because the critical aspect of the delivery business is well established and governed at DHL. For instance in the courier business time is of the essence to both individual customers and businesses so DHL has been able to partner itself as a business support function that facilitates individuals and businesses to get their things from one place to another in a timely fashion.
The second most important feature in the service encounter is the simplicity and ease with which customers are able to place orders and decide on delivery dates. Such detail is of critical importance as it helps the customer in deciding his plans. A number of important aspects are considered at DHL even at the initial stage of accepting orders. For example tracking order services are given to businesses that require an update as to the current status of their shipment.
There are other needs of the customers that are fulfilled at the DHL front end. These include providing transparent services as to the cost of the packages based on genuine weights and providing adequate support in terms of packaging of the parcel. This aspect is crucial in the delivery business as it allows companies and individuals that peace of mind as to the safety and security of their products or packages.
The strengths of DHL at the service end are enormous that provide the company with that competitive advantage over its rivals across the world. The differentiating strategy at DHL gives its customers an edge over other businesses with whom they are competing and hence they reap the benefits of efficiency. The crucial point here is that the customers parcel or shipment is considered something as close to DHL as if it were DHLs own shipment. Such an attitude in the service business is priceless as it sends the right message to customers.
Impact of the Work-Flow on Management at DHL
There are important implications on the management at DHL because the service system is designed in such a way that it provides efficient services to the customers. This implies that the seemingly bureaucratic management is on its toes all the time. If we read between the lines of the back-end flow diagram what we find is that the management is in-sync with the front end needs and works on solution delivery and works as a provider of different services to the front-end staff. It not only monitors key activities but it generates important reports to facilitate decision making and analysis of future plan of action.
In a company like DHL which spans across 220 countries it is extremely easy to believe that the company might have become engulfed with bureaucratic pain and management might have become inefficient but we find that only the opposite is true. The case is so because DHL knows the importance of handling its customers right and their stuff with even more precision and right attitude. The actions that we have discussed in the service delivery section and the analysis of the front-end services is supported and planned by the management the execution would not be possible if the planning is not done appropriately at the right time.
What is crucial for us to understand is that companies like DHL are highly integrated and they have used technology in a way that it helps create an absolutely transparent processes system across the organization which allows the identification and rectification of problems as soon as they arise. The management at each level has important implications due to the efficient and simplistic front end model. For instance the finance department must allocate enough resources for marketing and delivery departments that their needs are met in such a way that customers are not impacted. Similarly the transport department needs to provide all necessary information to the marketing and sales departments with respect to destination and travel issues. This helps the marketing and sales department to deduce appropriate costing structures and products which are attractive for customers.
The importance of the right process planning in any service company is very high. Just like in hospitality businesses companies give their best at pleasing the customer similarly in the service business of delivery companies like DHL have to create capacities to do orders that might not be possible for any other company but at the same time what is also necessary is the high level of customer satisfaction at the very beginning of the overall experience.
The duty of the management is also significant as it has to create analytical information from available data and introduce efficient ways of doing things. This responsibility makes it imperative for the management to know the significance of customer related data that I received from the front end. An important deduction is the fact that companies like DHL have developed a business model which is cost efficient and reliable for customers as they have built in so many processes that aid customers. The response of DHL to todays challenges is quite extraordinary and in the near future we expect to see even further innovative techniques from DHL.