“Be the auditor of your company. If an employee has a better idea, that is your new procedure.” Another way to reduce returns is to explore if the sales team is asking the right questions. It is estimated that 20 percent of returns are because of a wrong part or an attachment was missing or damaged. The goal is to gather as much information as possible. Some auto recyclers even send photo confirmations of the sold part so that the customer knows exactly what is coming, and documents the part’s current con- dition. When the part is originally inspected, that is the condition likely noted in the database. Over time, the part could be moved around and incur more damage. Photo confirmation also allows the customer to or- der needed attachments which boost a sale value, or obtain not-included parts while the part is in transit to reduce their cycle time.

Other simple tips included confirming the shipping address and phone number, the vehicle VIN num- ber to ensure the part they requested actually fits the make/model of the car. It is worth noting that prop- er packaging for shipping was stressed as the most important aspect of reducing returns. Helping the customer in these ways builds loyalty and confidence

in your services, while enhancing attention to quality control helps you stand apart from your competitors. MILLENNIAL KEYNOTE: When working with this gen- eration workforce, presenter Yuri Kruman, Forbes con- tributor and executive management consultant, says, “I can’t emphasize enough how important coaching is, and guiding someone through a career path.” Leader- ship coaching and helping this generation become a better ‘personal brand’ makes them feel like a valuable contributor to the business. Empowering employees with special projects or sending them to conferences also helps build loyalty. To support these suggestions, he referenced that em- ployee experience is the new buzzword. According to fel- low Forbes contributor Denise Lee Yohn, “Now that, ac- cording to Gartner, more than 90 percent of businesses compete primarily on the basis of customer experience (CX), it’s no longer enough to make CX a corporate priority. The next competitive frontier is employee ex- perience (EX) and the signs indicate so strongly that EX will become the next priority for organizations that I’m calling 2018 The Year of Employee Experience.” This mindset is highly attractive to millennial work- ers, where the journey of the job is the focus of your

ty

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