Engineering Innovation’s Head of Support Reflects on Resilience and Charts a Course for 2024
Join us for a candid conversation with Dan Scott, Head of Customer Support and Services at Engineering Innovation, as he dissects the challenges and triumphs of 2023 and unveils the company’s blueprint for success in the year ahead.
Summary:
- Market Metamorphosis: Dan delves into the shifting sands of the mail sorting and delivery industry, exploring how COVID-19 and evolving consumer habits impacted customers.
- Innovation in Action: Discover how Engineering Innovation responded to these shifts, from mastering USPS updates to forging strategic partnerships like with Sendle.
- Quiet Victories: Dan champions the power of seamless software updates and proactive problem-solving, revealing the “unseen” successes that truly define customer satisfaction.
- Parcel Power: Dan identifies the rising tide of online parcel deliveries as a key trend and shares how Engineering Innovation is preparing to ride the wave.
- Tech on the Horizon: While Dan keeps some innovations close to his chest, he hints at the company’s commitment to staying ahead of the tech curve.
- Customer First: Hear Dan’s vision for 2024, with a focus on expanding customer support coverage and bolstering training for the support team.
This interview promises practical insights, real-world solutions, and a sneak peek into Engineering Innovation’s future. As Dan Scott unpacks the past year and charts the course for 2024, you’ll gain valuable takeaways and actionable strategies for navigating the ever-evolving world of mail sorting and delivery.
Q: Reflecting on Resilience: Can you share some of the biggest challenges faced by our customers in 2023, and how Engineering Innovation Inc.’s solutions help them overcome them?
A: We have such a broad range of customers, it’s hard to narrow everything down, but I think the biggest challenges everyone is dealing with all revolve around the changing marketplace and its ever-changing demands. Especially since Covid, we have seen huge shifts in purchasing habits, the continuing movement towards a greater reliance on electronic communication, and more and more people living in a world that is at least impacted by social media, if not immersed in it.
Q: What were some standout examples of how our automated mail sorting solutions adapted to meet the changing needs of the industry in 2023?
A: In addition to the changing marketplace noted above, USPS made some substantial changes in 2023 as well, and they are continuing to do so. We have made significant changes to our software to manage the changes to First Class Packages, Parcel Select, and Ground Advantage. In addition to that, USPS released the first new MASS Cycle in over a decade (more software changes), changed how they update Drop Ship Location information (more software), and, though it technically doesn’t happen until the end of this month, ended the use of hardcopy Postage Statements (even more software). Of course, we also continue to develop fresh solutions, but much of our efforts go towards helping individual customers find solutions for their problems.
Q: Can you highlight a specific job that found remarkable success through collaboration with Engineering Innovation Inc. in 2023? What can we learn from their experience?
A: I think our big successes in Customer Support are ones that do not stand out. Like updates that go through without the customer noticing, or problems that are resolved before the customer realizes they exist. We do not like standouts.
For example, we installed a dozen major software updates in addition to around a hundred smaller updates and patches in 2023 across hundreds of locations. Most of those happened seamlessly, and we are continuously striving to improve our processes and our customer’s experience.
Q: What are the most exciting trends you foresee influencing mail sorting and delivery in 2024 and beyond? How is Engineering Innovation Inc. preparing to navigate these trends?
A: Parcels. Online purchasing has been on an upward trend for years and Covid put it into overdrive. Even with a struggling economy, online purchasing (which means parcels) continues to climb with no apparent end in sight.
Q: Customer-Centric Focus: What new initiatives or improvements will Engineering Innovation Inc. prioritize in 2024 to further enhance customer support and satisfaction?
A: We are expanding our staff to be able to offer better coverage for our customers and ramping up training for the Support team.