Effective Communication is Key to Obtaining and Retaining Valued Customers

Last year Somerset ran a series of blog posts focused on what makes an “Excellent Freight Broker and Agent”.  One of the topics discussed the requirement for effective communication.  Effective communication is not only important in the transportation profession, but it is a key element in any successful business.

This blog post continues to refine how important effective communication is to being successful in our industry.  The previous articles focused on the process or specifically how understanding a shipper’s requirements, passing on the information to the carrier and the importance of communicating with both the shipper and carrier until completion.  It stated excellent brokers have to communicate with people when there is a problem and, just as importantly, when there is not a problem.  In this follow up we would like to focus specifically on the importance of written communication and how effective writing can improve your ability to obtain, service and retain valuable customers. 

Many people prefer to communicate verbally to customers.  This remains one of the best ways to establish a relationship with a potential customer.  As we continue to move into the “Information Age” many people now prefer to communicate using email, text, Instant Messenger, Skype and for the younger work force Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter. The written word has always been an important skill and how we correspond in writing will continue to evolve as new systems and younger individuals enter the work force.  As we continue to be dependent on written communication it is essential to do it correctly.  Written correspondence can be very different than communicating face to face.  You might be a very effective verbal communicator, but a horrible writer.  To be the complete professional you have to be able to communicate effectively using both means. 

Becoming an effective writer is an important skill which can set you apart from other individuals, but for many individuals it takes time and practice to become a good writer.    How you are perceived as a professional can depend on how effective a person writes.  As a freight broker or independent freight agent you will daily have to communicate in writing with customers, shippers and carriers.  Unfortunately, we experience or see poor written correspondence daily.  The usual errors range from misspellings, rambling paragraphs with no clear purpose, to emails and notes written in all capital letters which appear to shout at the reader.  Daily, Somerset receives inquiries to become a partner or requests to work in the company.  One of our first discriminators is how well the individual fills out our written contact form and the provided resume and/or other documentation.  This is also true for other companies, since the first thing people usually see or your first impression comes in the written form of some kind.  Many times the correspondence is incomplete, filled with errors or rambles on about irrelevant information.  In these cases the first impression is a lasting impression.  Why would an employer or customer want to give a person an opportunity if they can’t even represent themselves as a total professional?  As highlighted above your written work presents you to others and can have a profound impact on how you are perceived.

Becoming an effective writer takes time, training and practice.  Not everyone is a good writer, but you should at least strive to understand and work on the basics of good writing.  If you know you are a weak writer let someone proof your work.  Today’s systems can help, as many will check for spelling and grammar.  Also, no one and especially customers want to filter through rambling paragraphs to obtain the information or point of a message.  Lastly, a well-written memo, note or email should be simple and straightforward. This is not a simple task for many people.  When writing, it’s important to remember the basics and training you received in school.  In the simplest form an effective note, memo, or email should have the following:

Heading                  (To and From, Date and Subject),

Introduction             (Purpose, We prefer the bottom line or main point upfront),

Body                       (Background information)

Summary                (Which again includes the main point of the note).

Written correspondence that is thought out, written correctly and includes the essential information demonstrates to others that you are a total professional.  It demonstrates that attention to detail such as proper grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and organization are important.  Those who can master the basics of good written correspondence will have a “leg up” on the competition.  These individuals will effectively obtain and retain valuable customers and be more successful in the future. 

The best brokers and freight agents effectively communicate both verbally and in the written form.  If you are one of those individuals or have questions on how to become an excellent freight broker/agent please contact Somerset Logistics at www.somersetlogistics.com.  We challenge you to come and be a part of our Team of “Excellent Freight Brokers and Independent Freight Agents.”