Disruption is a trademark of all modern industry, but no aspect of industry is undergoing a transformation quite like supply chains. A Harvard and Princeton report explored “catastrophic disruptions” in supply chains back in 2023, even before talk of tariffs reverberated through the industry. Now, supply chain uncertainty is the new normal.
Fear not. Today, we at AnswerNet highlight a piece of your supply chain strategy that can revolutionize your operations and supply chain management: the contact center. Over the course of this article, we’ll show that your contact center doesn’t just support your supply chain, it belongs at its center.
A Contact Center Comforts Your Customer
Frederick Reichheld of Bain & Company explains that improving customer retention by just 5% can increase profits by up to 95%. The issue is, supply chain disruption too often leads to customer dissatisfaction, negatively impacting the bottom line.
You need top-notch customer support to build brand loyalty with every interaction. Let’s explore two important contact center services that have the potential to amplify any supply chain, order processing and product recall management.
Order Processing
Businesses with uncertain operations and supply chain management walk a tightrope between transparency and short-selling as they struggle to communicate customer expectations. But if a prospective customer is stymied by a subpar order entry, they’ll stop their order.
Qualified contact centers offer order entry specialists that guide callers through the process, offering recommendations and building confidence in purchasing decisions. They handle web/e-commerce processing, exchanges and returns with 24/7 availability that guarantees a smooth purchase and post-purchase experience for the customer.
Product Recall Management
Every series of operations and supply chain management carries risk, and product recalls are among the most damaging. Unfortunately, they’re becoming all too common: in their 2025 Product Safety and Regulation Recall Index Report, international insurance company Sedgwick explains that product recalls from U.S. companies soared to a five-year high in 2024.
Stellar product recall management services help businesses in industries like food, electronics and agriculture turn crises into confidence. They offer clear guidelines to diverse, often multilingual customer bases that retain trust and preserve your brand.
The Power of a Proactive Contact Center
An empowered contact center can proactively communicate delays, offer alternatives and retain frustrated customers with empathy and problem-solving. AnswerNet’s infrastructure supports real-time inventory checks, shipment tracking, delay notifications and order modifications and cancellations, especially during an uncertain season.
Research from the UW-Stevens Point Center for Data Analytics from 2024 shows that retaining existing customers is three to five times less expensive than acquiring new ones. Your supply chain strategy should be built on that foundation.
AnswerNet: The Core of Your Supply Chain Strategy
From proactive communication to operational support, your contact center becomes the human layer of your digital supply chain, providing clarity, compassion and control at every step. By embedding your contact center in the middle of your transformed supply chain strategy, you’ll create a resilient, responsive and customer-centric operation.
Want to evolve beyond support and make your contact center a growth asset? AnswerNet can help. Click here to talk about how to align your contact center with your evolving supply chain strategy.
