Dealing with the “Difficult” Customer in Logistics

Every logistics team has that customer. They call three times before lunch asking where their pallet is, insist their freight was late (when we know it wasn’t), or fire off multiple emails full of caps-lock when they’re upset.

You might want to write them off as someone who’s simply impossible to please. The truth is that these types of customers aren’t always unreasonable – in fact, they might be a huge benefit to your long-term growth. Through them, you can analyse your own communication flow, visibility, and other internal processes like a canary in the coal mine.

Customer retention matters more than ever with today’s razor-thin margins, so you can’t always afford to shrug these people off. Instead of avoiding them, let them help you to understand what drives their frustration and use that insight to improve.

What Makes a Customer Difficult?

People don’t really get angry for no reason. If they call nonstop, they probably feel unheard, left in the dark, or like they’re the last to know when things change.
In logistics and transportation, things change a lot. Drivers get delayed, ETAs slip, receivers never get the memo. Then, it’s your customer standing in a warehouse waiting for a delivery that won’t arrive for two more hours.

That’s when they panic, ring your office, and get short with you and your team. It’s not exactly pleasant, but it’s not entirely irrational, either.

So maybe don’t use a blanket label like “difficult.” Instead, reframe them and the situation: they’re losing trust and making noise about it. We’re here to argue that the noise they make is better than silence – being loud means they still care.

Communication is Your Strongest Lifeline

No news is somehow worse than bad news. Silence lights a powder keg in this business.

Clear, timely, human communication is of the highest importance. Don’t just tell customers what’s going wrong – make sure they feel heard while you’re working on it. Listening actively can defuse even the most irate customers. You don’t need some script to read from or an apology that sounds like a chatbot wrote it. Just acknowledge how they feel.

Saying, “I know this is frustrating – you probably have your team waiting and no truck in sight,” is sometimes all the validation an upset customer needs to relax.
Also, leave out the logistics lingo when you don’t need to use it. Describe events in plain terms and make it all about them, not about “consignment visibility” or “reverse freight exceptions.”

Using Tech to Calm the Waters

The majority of what makes a customer “difficult” comes down to their not knowing what’s going on. They might not be able to see the delivery status, they’re waiting around for responses to their emails, and they feel like they’re flying blind.

With a nifty tool like a Customer Portal, those problems are over. Your customers will gain real-time tracking, PODs, and status updates without ever needing to make a call. They’ll know where their freight is, they can check delivery history, and receive their answers all within the portal.

This type of convenience creates a psychological shift to where they feel more in control. They won’t feel the need to chase you down if they already have the information they need. You’re handing them the steering wheel rather than leaving them shouting in the back seat.

Training Your Frontline Team

Sometimes even the best tech won’t get the job done – some customers need to speak with a live person.

That’s where internal training matters. Make sure your customer service reps and dispatchers know how to absorb customer frustration. Give them the authority and tools to put out fires before they spread.

Your team should understand both process and empathy. Use real examples in mock calls, delayed shipment drills, and other stress scenarios. Let them make judgment calls. And most importantly, train them to be calm, confident, and capable when dealing with difficult customers in logistics.

Turning Conflicts into Loyalty

After spending a little time in the industry, you find that customers who complain the most can often be the most loyal. If you know how to handle their concerns, that is.

If they have a problem and you fix it quickly, treat them with respect, and follow up promptly, they’ll stick around. When you prove you can handle pressure, you’ll build trust faster than a dozen smooth transactions ever could.

And with the right tools at your disposal like a quality Customer Portal, you’ll deepen that trust even more. Your customers will feel heard, trust in your abilities, and be able to see the system work in real time.

If you want to learn more about Transvirtual’s Customer Portal, reach out to a member of our team today.