Introduction
Dealing with a customer complaint is really tough for people in the export business It does not matter what kind of products you are exporting, like textiles or agricultural products One complaint from a buyer in another country can ruin the trust and business relationships you have built over years.
We had a problem with a buyer from another country who complained about the size of the products we shipped from Pakistan The issue was so serious that the buyer was thinking of cancelling the order We were able to solve the problem by being honest and transparent and by checking the quality of the products directly This actually made our relationship with the buyer stronger.
In this article we will tell you the story of what happened what we learned from it and the things that every exporter should do to control the quality of their products. We will share the export business strategies that worked for us like quality control and the importance of transparency in the export business especially when dealing with buyers and export orders, from Pakistan.
The Customer Complaint That Created Panic
Our company sent two boxes of bamboo and reed mats to a buyer in another country. We made these mats the way the buyer wanted and packed them up carefully before we sent them.
When the boxes got to where they were going the buyer called us. Was really upset.
The buyer said that the bundles of mats were supposed to be 25 feet long.. When they looked at them some of the bundles were only 22, 23 or 24 feet long.
This was a problem.
The buyer told us that the mats themselves were fine. The fact that they were not the right size was a big deal. When we sell things to countries, the size of the things we sell has to be just right or the buyer can lose money.
So when a buyer complains about something like this the exporter, which is us has to pay attention to the customer complaint because the customer complaint is important. We have to take care of the customer complaint and make sure the customer is happy, with the bamboo and reed mats.
Why Customer Complaints Are Important
Many exporters make a mistake by ignoring complaints away.
However every complaint is important from a customer who has been working with you for a long time.
Our buyer had worked with us for years. We had a relationship with no major problems. Because of this trust we knew we had to look into the issue instead of making assumptions.
Customer trust is very valuable in trade.
If you lose a buyer it can mean:
- Loss of orders
- Damage to your business reputation
- Negative references, in the industry
- losses
- Difficulty finding international customers
So we told the buyer that we would personally look into the issue and fix any problem we found.
Internal Investigation Begins
When we got the complaint the first thing we did was talk to the people who make our products and pack them.
Our production and packing team was really sure that the measurements were right because they check every bundle before it gets shipped out.
As the person in charge of the business I do not think it is a good idea to just assume everything is fine.
Mistakes can happen when people are doing things.
The people working on our products might miss something
The tools we use to measure things might not all be the same.
Sometimes people can get things wrong when they are loading and packing our products.
So we decided to look at everything ourselves to make sure we were not missing anything.
We wanted to check the products to get rid of any doubts, about the measurements of our products and the work of our production and packing team.
We Went to the Factory to Check the Quality of Things
We did not tell the team that we were coming We just showed up at the factory where things are made.
We wanted to do this surprise visit for a reasons:
- We wanted to see the size of the products for ourselves.
- We wanted to watch how they pack things.
- We wanted to make sure everything is fair and honest.
- We wanted to find any mistakes that might be happening.
- We wanted the people who buy from us to feel safe again.
We traveled a way from Karachi to Lahore and then to where the factory is. We did not tell anyone we were coming.
The people who work at the factory and the people, in charge were really surprised to see us.
This was good because we got to see how everything works on a day.
Measuring Every Bundle
As soon as we got there we stopped packing more stuff.
Before packing bundles we started checking the size of each product.
We checked bundles. Dozens of them.
Then we checked more.
In the end we had measured over 60 to 70 bundles by hand.
The results were really surprising.
Most bundles were actually bigger than 25 feet, not smaller.
Here are some of the measurements:
- 26 feet
- 26.5 feet
- 27 feet
Some were even bigger.
We didn’t find a bundle that was smaller, than the required size.
This meant that the problem wasn’t coming from the production side.
Understanding The Importance Of Giving People More Than They Expect
We do something that helps us make sure everything is okay. We make our bundles a little bigger on purpose.
Why do we do this?
It is because people will definitely complain if they get stuff than they were supposed to get.
To avoid people getting upset we tell the people who make the bundles to add an extra when they can.
For example:
If someone buys 25 feet we might make bundles that’re
- 26 feet
- 26.5 feet
- 27 feet
This extra bit helps both the person who bought it and our companys good name.
It makes sure that people always get at what they paid for which is over-delivery. Over-delivery is important, to us because it helps us keep our customers happy and it helps us keep our name. Over-delivery is what we aim for. That is why we make our bundles a little bigger.
Video Verification with the Buyer
We finished checking everything. Then we called the buyer on a video call.
During the video call we showed the buyer a lot of things including:
- Product measurements
- Bundle sizes
- Packing procedures
- Material quality
- Loading operations
The buyer was able to see everything that was happening at that moment.
Being open and honest was really important in solving the problem.
When the buyer sees that the supplier is willing to look into things and share what they find openly the buyer starts to trust the supplier a lot more. Video Verification, with the buyer really helps with this.
Why Being Open With Each Other Helps Buyers And Suppliers Get Along For A Time
When people do business with each other in different countries they need to trust one another.
International trade is like that.
Buyers and suppliers are usually far apart from each other sometimes thousands of miles.
Because they are far apart talking to each other and being honest is really important.
Buyers like suppliers who do things like:
- Respond quickly when they have a problem.
- Really look into what’s going on when there is an issue.
- Show them proof of what they’re doing.
- Offer ways to fix the problem.
- Keep talking to them
In our situation the buyer saw that we were taking their problem seriously and spending time and money to figure out what was going on.
This actually made our relationship, with the buyer better not worse.
Lessons Every Exporter Should Learn
1. Never Ignore a Customer Complaint
If a customer has a problem with something you sold them you should look into it.
Even if you think your product is fine it is an idea to check it out really well.
If you do not pay attention to complaints the customer will not trust you anymore.
2. Verify Facts Personally
When you can you should be the one to check things out.
You can ask someone you trust who is in charge of making sure things are okay.
3. Maintain Strict Quality Control
You should check the quality of your products at every step:
- Manufacturing
- Finishing
- Drying
- Packing
- Loading
- Shipping
4. Document Everything
Take pictures make videos measure things and write reports.
This will help you if there is a problem and you need to prove something.
5. Communicate Transparently
Tell the buyers what is going on while you are looking into things.
Being open and honest usually solves problems faster, than arguing.
6. Value Long-Term Customers
It is easier and less expensive to keep the customers you already have than to find ones.
So you should do everything you can to keep those customers happy and keep them as customers of the exporter.
The Role of Quality Control in Export Success
Quality control is more than checking products.
Here are some key things it involves:
- Getting the size right
- Checking the material quality
- Controlling moisture levels
- Packaging products properly
- Labeling products
- Loading products safely
For products like bamboo mats and reed mats drying them properly is crucial.
If moisture gets stuck inside containers mold can grow during shipping.
This can cause damage and result in costly claims, from buyers.
So inspecting products before loading them is vital.
Final Thoughts
This experience taught us that export businesses that do well are based on trust being responsible and making sure products are good.
The buyers complaint looked serious at first. After checking everything we found out that the products were actually better than what was required.
We went to the production site checked the goods took notes on measurements and talked openly with the buyer to fix the problem.
Every exporter should know that when customers complain it’s a chance to show they are professional and make their business relationships stronger.
In trade you earn trust by what you do not just what you say.
Exporters who always deliver products are honest and handle problems well are the ones who succeed in the long term, in international markets.
