Tips for merchants this rainy season

June marks the beginning of the rainy season in the Philippines. As the weather starts to cool down, more typhoons are also expected to enter the country, which can potentially affect the logistics of your business.

Ideally, it is best to have a fulfillment service partner in the Philippines to help you better navigate through possible disruptions. If you don’t have one yet, here are a couple of tips that you can easily implement to help you weather any storm.

Monitor the news and coordinate with partner couriers

Rains have varying impacts on different locations, depending on how light or heavy they are. Tune in to the news regularly and coordinate with your partner couriers for updates. Some roads and areas may not be passable or reachable at the height of a storm, so best to advise your customers accordingly to manage their expectations.

Check your products and inventory

If you store your products at home, double check on your storage to make sure that they are safe and dry despite the downpour. For those using warehouses, these establishments usually have necessary precautions in place, especially in times of natural disasters like typhoons. If you can’t be there physically, best to give them a call to ensure that your inventory is safe, dry, and well-kept. Once the skies have cleared, try to drop by and check on your products.

Explore having multiple warehouses

If you’re catering to multiple locations in the metro or across the country, consider housing your products in different warehouses. This will help limit disruptions to your operations because you can keep shipping out orders in less affected areas. Similarly, spreading your products throughout these warehouses improves accessibility and delivery time, especially for nearby areas.

Be extra in packing orders

You can never be too careful when it comes to packing your products. Ensure that they stay in the best condition by adding extra layers of wraps. Make sure that packages are also sealed shut so that water won’t be able to seep in during their delivery.

Give your customers timely updates

During the rainy season, delays should be expected especially when it comes to deliveries. Be proactive in communicating with your customers about the status of their orders. Send out notices should there be any delays and be ready to provide service recovery, just in case.

Respond to customers meaningfully

Despite the weather being out of your control, some customers may not be as considerate or understanding of the situation. Maintain your cool and respond to follow-ups, inquiries, and concerns meaningfully and transparently. Be sympathetic to what they are feeling and provide them with proper context. This will help you clarify issues on delays, damages, and requests for refunds or replacements. 

Prepare for service recovery

In the face of any challenge, make sure to offer service recovery. It is your responsibility as a merchant to satisfy your customers and win them over. Some of the packages that you shipped out might be returned, especially if it’s not safe to deliver them to their designated areas. That being said, you can offer refunds or discounts to customers who will experience delays because of this.

For packages that are still pending pick up, you may include freebies or discount codes, with an accompanying note to express your gratitude for their patience. In these little ways, you can save your relationship with your customers and hopefully, they also become more considerate of the circumstances.

Consider the safety of your staff

Customers and products matter, but you should also take care of your staff. If you’re working with a team, take the initiative and allow them to leave work early or, if you can, suspend work for the day for their own safety. In the meantime, focus on managing things online such as posting announcements, sending out notices, and other things that would require your attention.

Running a business is one thing, but doing it during the rainy season is another. It may be too much for you to handle everything, so it’s best to partner with someone who can help out. Payo is an ideal partner for you because it offers a holistic fulfillment service in the Philippines. 

Payo assists you in keeping your products secure from packing and picking up all the way to shipment. It also goes the extra mile by sharing real-time updates, which are highly useful as the weather shifts.

You can also collaborate with Payo in developing the best plan of action to conquer different challenges. With services such as Live Customer Support, Last Mile Management, and Warehousing, you can manage your operations more efficiently and also focus on other aspects of your business.

Looking for a reliable partner for this rainy season and beyond? Sign up with Payo today or send us a message at [email protected]. Let’s level up your business and make it thrive no matter the weather!