What Is WISMO? Top 6 Strategies to Reduce WISMO Calls

Suppose you are a customer who has just ordered a dress online, possibly for a special event, or as a gift for a friend’s birthday. Days have passed, and you are still clueless about its whereabouts. What would you do? Calling the store’s customer support, right? 

As a store owner, when faced with a flood of WISMO (Where is my order?) queries, what actions could you take? Anxiously contacting your shipment partners for package tracking, and then updating your customers while trying to calm them down to avoid negative reviews? That definitely spells disasters!

In fact, research by DispatchTrack shows that 90% of respondents wanted to be able to track their orders and 80% wanted to receive delivery status updates. If you want to gain an edge in the eCommerce world, you will need to know and tackle WISMO calls.  

This guide will uncover everything you need to know about WISMO, from its importance in the e-commerce industry to common challenges and practical solutions. So, let’s dive in!

What Is WISMO?

WISMO stands for “Where Is My Order?” It refers to a customer inquiry or request for information about the status and location of their order. Customers frequently want to stay informed about their package delivery process. WISMO can come in various forms, including emails, phone calls, chatbots, live chat, and SMS.

For instance, customers may approach your customer team with questions like: 

• It’s been five days since my order’s placement. How long is it going to take to get delivered? 
• Will there be a delay in the delivery?
• The delivery date has already passed. When can I expect a delivery? It’s urgent!
• The package is marked as delivered. However, I have not received that yet. Can you kindly look into the matter?   

Why Does WISMO Happen?

There are several reasons why WISMO requests may be on the rise.

• Delivery Issues: Delays in delivery or issues such as missing or damaged packages often prompt immediate customer inquiries about the status and resolution of their orders.
• Customer Expectations: Customers frequently seek updates at each stage of the order process and may also want to know about any potential delays or changes in delivery details.
• Unfriendly Tracking Page: Confusing or difficult-to-navigate tracking pages can lead to an increase in customer calls, especially from those unfamiliar with online order tracking.
• High-Value or Time-Sensitive Packages: Customers expecting high-value or urgent packages tend to closely monitor their orders and may inquire frequently about their status.
• Returns and Exchanges: The complexity and uncertainty surrounding the return or exchange process can lead to multiple customer inquiries and follow-ups.
• Accidental Delayed Shipment: Unexpected events, like the COVID-19 pandemic, can cause widespread delays, increasing the volume of WISMO calls.
• Bad Weather or Heavy Traffic: Adverse weather conditions and traffic issues can disrupt delivery schedules, leading to delays and customer queries.
• Delays Due to Festivals: Holiday seasons often see increased order volumes and staff shortages, resulting in shipment delays and a rise in WISMO requests.
• Other Issues: Inaccurate or incomplete address information, as well as customer unfamiliarity with tracking pages, can also cause shipment delays and increase WISMO inquiries.

How Does WISMO Affect Your eCommerce Business?

While these requests may seem harmless at first, they can have a significant impact on your business. Here are some ways WISMO requests can affect your eCommerce operations.

Increased Management Costs

For example, if your customer service team spends an average of 10 minutes resolving each WISMO request, and you receive 100 requests per day, that’s over 16 hours of work per day just on WISMO requests. This can be a significant drain on your business resources and can increase your management costs, let alone the emotional stress of dealing with angry and upset customers daily. Moreover, your customer team can hardly have time to focus on other aspects of the business

Poor Customer Experience

If customers have to constantly contact your customer service team for updates on their orders, they may feel frustrated and unsatisfied with their overall post-purchase experience. This can lead to negative reviews and a decrease in customer loyalty.

Decreased Revenue

If customers have a poor experience with your brand due to WISMO requests and delays in order fulfillment, they may be less likely to make future purchases from your business. This can result in decreased revenue over time. 

Damaged Brand Reputation

In today’s connected world, word of mouth travels fast. If your business receives a lot of negative feedback and reviews related to WISMO inquiries, it can harm your brand reputation and make it difficult to attract new customers.

How To Reduce WISMO Calls and Improve Customer Experience

As an eCommerce business owner, reducing WISMO calls should be a top priority. It can significantly improve operational efficiency, reduce customer service costs, and enhance overall customer experience. Here are some effective strategies to achieve this.

1. Implement a Branded Tracking Page

Create a branded tracking page that matches your website’s design, incorporating your logo, colors, and fonts to maintain a cohesive brand experience. Ensure the page is user-friendly, allowing customers to easily navigate and find real-time updates on their package status, including its current location and estimated delivery time. By providing a seamless and informative tracking experience, you can reduce the need for customers to contact customer service for updates.

2. Send Automated Notifications

You can also set up automatic shipping notifications for your customers via email, message, or SNS (social networking service) platforms like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. This allows your customers to receive updates on their package’s whereabouts and estimated delivery date without constantly checking the tracking page or calling customer service.

3. Provide Estimated Delivery Dates

One of the main reasons customers make WISMO calls is because they want to know when their package will arrive. By providing estimated delivery dates based on the carrier’s tracking information, you can give customers a clear expectation and reduce the need to contact customer service.

4. Ensure Mobile and Desktop Accessibility

Ensure the package status is accessible on both mobile devices and desktops. The package status should be available to your customers via both laptop and mobile. This convenience allows customers to easily track their orders, reducing the likelihood of them needing to call for delivery updates.

5. Offer a Comprehensive Shipping FAQ

Provide a comprehensive shipping FAQ on your website to answer common questions about the shipping process. This can be especially useful if your customer team is overloaded. An FAQ page can help customers find answers independently, giving them peace of mind.

6. Set Up Post-Purchase Live Chat

You can set up a live chat system or a chatbot that lets customers chat directly with your customer service representatives from the tracking page. This means that customers can get their questions answered in real time without navigating to a separate page or making a phone call.

Wrapping up

Reducing WISMO calls is an essential aspect of the e-commerce industry. By implementing a comprehensive order tracking solution, businesses can ensure that their customers receive timely and accurate shipping information about their orders, leading to a better customer experience and, ultimately, the business’s long-term success.