Joining us today on Behind the Mic: Natasja Wientjes, Senior Director of Customer Service at DHL eCommerce Benelux

Natasja Wientjes is the Senior Director of Customer Service at DHL Ecommerce Benelux. She has a background in IT and Biochemistry, and she continues to apply the knowledge and skills from these fields in her daily work. In recent years, DHL Ecommerce has experienced significant growth, and Natasja, along with her team, has faced various challenges.

From these challenges, an ambition emerged to combine high tech with high touch in serving the clients and consumers of DHL Ecommerce.

Here are the valuable insights shared by Natasja, shedding light on her approach to enhancing customer experiences at DHL eCommerce Benelux:

Q1. What motivated you to pursue a career in customer experience, and what key steps did you take to enter this field?

Actually, I didn’t actively pursue a career in customer experience, but it is a very exciting field to work in. I have a technical background and worked for many years in IT departments within different organizations before joining DHL eCommerce Benelux. The combination of all my experiences works well. I follow a simple principle for myself: give the service you would like to receive.

Q2. How have you leveraged emerging technologies such as AI, Machine Learning, and Blockchain to enhance customer experience in your organization?

Our starting point is that we see advisors as talented people. They have experience, education, and the required skills. So why waste this talent by letting them do repetitive tasks? We started automating routine processes so advisors have more time to focus on the customer instead of administrative tasks. AI, RPA, and similar technologies help us support advisors in their work.

Q3. What role does customer feedback play in your product development process, and how do you gather and incorporate it effectively?

This is very important for us. Consumers share their feedback with us after every contact (we call this transactional feedback). Shippers share their feedback quarterly (relational feedback). The advisor responsible for the service towards the shipper evaluates the feedback with the client and works with them to improve our services. All the feedback we collect is analyzed and used for learning, development, and coaching advisors. Our focus is on customer experience rather than simply following procedures. For example, we don’t work with scripts.

Q4. Can you describe a specific instance where data analytics helped you identify customer pain points and drive product enhancements?

We have several examples, such as shortening and simplifying procedures, creating fewer contact points for customers, and improving the quality of parcel deliveries. Feedback data is combined with operational data, which supports improvement of projects within DHL. We know the quality of services by location, product, etc. Together with the teams responsible for pickups, sorting, and deliveries, we improve processes, instructions, and make changes to handheld devices for drivers.

Q5. Could you share a success story where your efforts in product management led to a significant improvement in customer satisfaction?

Although we are successful in deliveries, it can happen that a shipment gets lost during transport. A couple of years ago, shippers had to put in a lot of effort to get a refund and deal with multiple teams within DHL. We simplified this process, cut out unnecessary activities, and made advisors responsible for handling these cases from start to finish. This resulted in a 2-point increase in customer satisfaction. Nowadays, we don’t see negative feedback on this process. The strength of DHL is that we’re continuously working on improvements with a cross-functional team that monitors quality and conducts monthly evaluations.

Q6. Which methodologies or frameworks do you use to prioritize feature development and ensure alignment with customer needs and business goals?

Within DHL, we share a common DNA and focus on four key points: happy employees lead to better service, which results in happy customers, ultimately leading to more success for both the customer and DHL. In my department (Customer Service), every project or improvement aligns with these topics. We ensure that every year, projects on our roadmap are equally divided to benefit employees, customers, and/or DHL.

Q7. How do you collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as engineering, design, and marketing, to ensure seamless customer experiences?

The strength of DHL is in its cross-functional collaboration. Total quality depends on everyone. That’s why we hold regular cross-functional meetings in different areas to ensure that we provide seamless customer service.

Q8. How do you balance the need for innovation with the necessity of maintaining user-friendliness in your products?

In recent years, DHL eCommerce has grown enormously, and we’ve faced challenges such as a tight labor market. This and also, combined with our goal of supporting advisors with new technologies, keeps our focus on customers and their needs instead of administration. Most initiatives come from advisors themselves. We, as a management team, stimulate and facilitate these initiatives. For example, we implemented AI technology in live chat. It’s always a balance between the benefits for employees, customers, and/or DHL. Sometimes innovation focuses on reducing repetitive tasks, and other times it’s about improving efficiency.

Q9. How do you stay updated with the latest trends and developments in customer experience and product management?

We attend seminars and stay informed about trends. This isn’t just something our management team does; most initiatives come from advisors themselves. They are the experts and know best how to make their work easier and faster.

Conclusion

Through the insights shared by Natasja, we can highlight key points, such as the strategic and customer-centric approach taken to enhance customer experiences at DHL eCommerce Benelux. By leveraging emerging technologies like AI and RPA, the organization has successfully reduced repetitive tasks, empowering advisors to focus on delivering exceptional service. Customer feedback plays a pivotal role in shaping processes, with both transactional and relational insights driving continuous improvement.

Cross-functional collaboration, combined with data analytics, ensures that customer pain points are addressed effectively, leading to streamlined operations and elevated satisfaction levels. A balanced focus on innovation and user-friendliness ensures that both employees and customers benefit, while a shared company culture emphasizing happy employees translates into happy customers.

Through its adaptive and forward-thinking methodologies, DHL continues to prioritize customer needs, foster innovation, and achieve sustainable success in the ever-evolving landscape of customer experience.

“Stay tuned for more inspiring stories and insights as we continue to bring you closer to the voices shaping the future of customer experience.”