Providing Excellent Customer Service by Following Core Values

As the Director of Distribution Sales for Unistrut Midwest, providing excellent customer service is my top priority every day. Our team doesn't achieve this through arbitrary methods; we focus on specific actions that align with our core values.

At Unistrut Midwest, our core values dictate how each individual approaches their role. From sales to solution design to order fulfillment, our core values are applicable at every step and help us deliver the best possible experience for our customers. The distribution team especially focuses on the Unistrut Midwest core values of Customer First, Process Driven, and Adaptable.

Customer First

"We are here for our customers first and foremost." That's how we define Customer First and how we approach every order as a distribution team. From the time we take an order to the time we ship that order out, our team is constantly thinking of the best way to meet customer demands and timelines. For example, we keep a larger stock of material available to make sure we can quickly meet customer needs, including a wide array of parts and finishes.

Customer First goes beyond stocking decisions, however. Although many may think of distribution as simply order fulfillment, our team works to be a trusted partner for our customers. We get to know customer teams and their unique challenges, how they're using our products, and what their priorities are. This allows us to make educated suggestions for materials that could save them time and money.

Our distribution team works closely with our design team to solve client issues as well. If a client comes to us with a challenge, we work with the design team to not only solve the issue, but to help the client finish their project more efficiently or economically. We go beyond simply making a sale; we work to build relationships.

Process Driven

"Create a plan and then work the plan, driven by documented work flow." The distribution process starts with our order board meetings where we plan out the order priorities for the day, week, and month. This process aligns the team and provides a framework for any unexpected problem solving that may arise.

As a trusted resource for our customers, the distribution team is often the first to hear if there is an issue with an order. No matter the conflict, our first step is to determine how to work the solution into our everyday operations. Because the team is all aware of the daily, weekly, and monthly priorities, we are able to determine where we can shift orders around to meet the urgent demand of righting a wrong for a customer. Fitting in a fix without disrupting previously scheduled customer orders sometimes requires adding third shift or weekend shift, but our first priority is always to get the customer the product they need in order to finish their project.

Once the customer has the correct product, our team then runs a retrospective to determine how the issue occurred and how to best prevent that same mistake from happening again in the future. This process of providing a timely solution and then figuring out what caused the issue helps us build trust with our customers, letting them know that they can count on us to make it right.

Adaptable

"Ability to change approach and style with changes in demands." How much adaptability could really be needed for a distribution team? After all, isn't our job to simply cut material to size and ship it out? Not if we want to provide excellent customer service.

Our adaptability is part of what helps us build trusted customer relationships. Sometimes that's as simple as offering custom cuts to make assembly simpler or expedited shipping to meet tight deadlines, and sometimes adaptability requires a more individualized approach. We know that for every order we see on a page, there is a larger solution behind it. Learning more about that solution allows us to help our clients beyond simply fulfilling their orders.

By learning how a customer is using our products, our team is able to determine if their design is as efficient as it can be, whether we offer a product that can replace something else they're using in their solution, and more. Providing that expertise even in the final steps of their customer journey is crucial for providing a satisfying customer experience.

How does your organization set core values? How do you apply your core values to your everyday tasks and priorities in order to provide excellent customer service?