Communication is vital in logistics process outsourcing. For outsourcing of business processes to be effective, information sharing is needed. The reason why businesses outsource their services is to reduce operational costs and to improve service quality.

Therefore, efficient communication between the involved parties in the outsourcing process should be a priority to determine which areas are to be enhanced, and the challenges throughout the supply chain that they must overcome. Information sharing allows both parties to work collaboratively to remove inefficiencies in the supply chain and smooth out the problematic processes.

Most Utilized Communication Channels for Logistics Process Outsourcing

There are several information and communication channels used in the supply chain. Some opt-in for in-house systems for internal communication and management of their logistics systems with international partners.

Email, the most common method of communication, is widely used. As one of the traditional channels of information sharing, emails keep worldwide communication possible even when you’re on a tight budget.

For urgent cases, telephones and fax come in handy. Skype and video calls are great tools, too. Some supply chains use EDI, which allows one company to send standard business documents such as invoices, shipping notices, and purchase orders to another company electronically. For file management, the most sought-after services include Dropbox and Google Drive, as both provide cloud storage for multiple file formats.

Top Communication Channels You Can Outsource

Customer service connects the business and customers. Through it, engagement and communication between the two exists and is possible. Excellent customer service resolves customer concerns effectively.

On the other hand, outsourcing helps the logistics business deal with the lack of skills, capabilities, and infrastructure required to manage the complexities of the global environment. The following are the communication channels you can take advantage of in your logistics business.

1. Email

Email has been with us for years. It is an essential tool that businesses use every day, both in the workplace and communicating with customer concerns.

Aside from answering customer queries and receiving feedback, you can use email to market to your customers, offering them promotions, discounts, and alerting them to a new product or service. Email users globally in 2019 is approximately 3.9 billion and is set to grow in 2024 to 4.48 billion users.

2. Telephone

Telephones have been the most used communication medium when reaching out to a business’ customer service. As a fundamental equipment in call centers, phones offer real-time direct communication between the customer and customer support, which is valuable for the rapid resolution of customer concerns. Another factor for people opting to call a brand’s customer service hotline is because they can feel human interaction through it, unlike other digital mediums.

3. Live Chat

A report by Software Advice shows that millennials preferred live chat as a medium to contact a business because of its speed and convenience. Chat support agents can quickly send documents and how-to guides to solve customer issues.

Also, it is rare to find being in a long queue in a live chat window as a chat support agent can chat 2-3 people simultaneously, whereas phone agents can only take one at a time. Furthermore, Forrester’s research states that a live chat is 17% to 30% cheaper than a phone call.

4. Social Media

As social media became everyone’s go-to, most customers reach out to companies through social media channels to voice their concerns. According to Microsoft’s customer service report, young generations believe that social media is an effective communication medium for customer support. About 52% of them actively use social media to resolve issues.

But since there are a lot of existing social media applications, you should know which ones fit the communication style of your brand as well as your budget. Find out where your customers mostly converse about your company to avoid wasting time and resources.