Delivering Communication

The Benefits of Customer Trust

We mention the importance of communication and trust frequently in this space. In the best scenario, we are proactive, in order to prevent any possible glitches. Short of that, we strive to be reactive when something does glitch, in order to minimize the problem.

This is not simply a general concept or cheesy slogan-making. Every aspect of our third-party logistics business depends on clear delivery of information. That happens before (and during and after) delivery of actual freight.

Case in point: The Yard Ramp Guy has been one of our most consistent customers for nearly a decade. We continue to be honored by them. It’s not only through their turning to us time and again for deliveries. It’s how founder and president Jeff Mann and his Yard Ramp Guy team approach and treat us as a partner in their business.

And so it was that we recently coordinated the delivery of a 7,500-lb stationary dock ramp for The Yard Ramp Guy, from Fort Worth, TX to Morton Grove, Illinois. And then: so it was that our carrier’s truck broke down near Oklahoma City. Nobody likes it when a delivery vehicle has a mechanical problem⏤not the driver, not the 3PL, and especially not the customer.

In this situation, we know that Jim Kunze, The Yard Ramp Guy’s Sales Coordinator, had arranged turnkey services at the destination: a wrecker to off-load the ramp and an installation team to attach it to the dock.

Our own Sharon Porter, dispatcher extraordinaire, arranged a replacement vehicle, provided The Yard Ramp Guy with an updated delivery schedule, and kept consistent tabs on the progress. Delivery was delayed a few hours, which gave Jim time to reschedule the wrecker and the installation team.

All of this meant that no extra charges were put into play by The Yard Ramp Guy’s turnkey service partners because the delay became a rescheduling of the wrecker and the installation team.

“A key ingredient to customer service is the hands-on management of any and all loads,” says our VP Cori Eckley. “In this case, our long, solid relationship with Jim and The Yard Ramp Guy meant that our being reactive allowed them to be proactive. We trust them. They trust us. Even when there’s bad news, like that breakdown, that needs to be delivered.”

Everybody wins.

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We’re honored that The Yard Ramp Guy gave us a shout-out on its blog this week.