Customer Obsession at ArcBest: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

Going beyond customer service

ArcBest® is an integrated logistics company that uses our technology, expertise and capacity to connect shippers with the solutions they need. We’re a trusted partner, going beyond what some may recognize as traditional customer care. We call it “customer obsession,” with the customer at the center of it all. 

Dennis Anderson, Chief Customer Officer at ArcBest, explained it like this: “Our goal is to go beyond customers saying that ‘ArcBest is easy to do business with,’ to hearing from them that ‘ArcBest makes it easier to do business.’  

What customer obsession looks like at ArcBest 

Our customers’ needs and motivations drive our business decisions — the people we hire, how we train, the solutions we offer, the processes we create and the technology we buy or build.  

“Understanding who our customer is, what motivates them, and how we can create value with them is at the heart of everything we’ve been building strategically for the last several years,” Anderson said. 

If we don’t understand their challenges, we can’t help solve them. So, we listen, get to know their business, and look at things from their perspective. The solutions and strategies we recommend align with their goals — whether they be building efficiencies, ensuring capacity, planning for seasonal surges, reducing costs, improving on-time metrics or reducing damage.  

ArcBest’s customer obsession initiatives

To build trusted, collaborative partnerships, we implement initiatives that focus on our customers’ needs and experiences.  

“Walking in our customers’ shoes helps us see how our operations impact their every day,” said Anderson. “When they bring pain points to light, our customer experience team focuses on improving their interactions with us.” 

This includes things like our cross-functional Customer Obsession Team, our Voice of the Customer Program and our Customer Advisory Board. Each of these initiatives are in place to help us identify our customers’ challenges and consider how we can optimize our technologies, processes and services to meet their needs. They also show us where we’re exceeding expectations and where there’s room for improvement. Some big changes we’ve made recently because of our commitment to listening and acting on customer feedback include:  

• Implementation of AVA — ArcBest’s Virtual Assistant. This helped reduce call wait times, keeping customers from having to repeat information they’ve already shared with us. 
• Improvements that enable customers to get a quote for any ArcBest service (including LTL) with just one phone call, or in some cases, one click. That means no unnecessary transfers, less time waiting and a more seamless quoting process.  
• Changes to the call menu and process making it 2X faster to reach a customer service agent who can help. And we’re continuing to make improvements to provide easier, more efficient call experiences. 
• Updates to the Panther phone routing system, enabling customers to speak to an agent 40% faster when calling about an Expedite shipment.  

Learn more about our Customer Experience initiatives. 
 

How our customer-obsessed culture can add value to your business

Making business decisions based on your needs can add value to your operations in several ways. Here’s what that looks like with ArcBest:  

A strategic partnership

We serve as a trusted advisor and an extension of your team. It’s more than just knowing your business, it’s about developing a true connection, so when you have a challenge, you know just who to call.  

Customized solutions 

With the ability to easily optimize, shift and connect various modes of transportation, ArcBest is a single logistics resource, offering multiple solutions and modes of transportation. This integrated approach, combined with our industry expertise, helps ensure you have the solutions and capacity you need to get the job done.   

Improved processes 

Innovation is key to our ongoing strategy. To support your success in an ever-changing transportation environment, we keep an eye on the future and constantly plan for what’s next — using data and analytics to create better processes and solutions for your supply chain. 

Customer success is our success 

Anderson summarized, “When we combine our integrated solutions and innovative technology with this obsession mindset, we’re able to meet customers where they are, working through their desired channels to effectively handle all their logistics needs. And when they experience wins, so do we.”