If you run an Ecommerce business, you certainly don’t need us to tell you that it’s a tough world out there: ecommerce is an ever-expanding industry, and as a result, the number of competitors trying to steal your place is increasing by the day.
Sometimes you might feel like the small, family-run store in the neighborhood versus the big, bright supermarket that just opened around the corner. As logical as it may seem to try to get new customers to cross your threshold, there is also another way you can defend yourself against your competitors: offering superior customer service.
From live chat to strategic help desk, here are 12 ways to help you offer sensational customer service for your e-commerce. The more services you can integrate into one system, the easier your life will become.
1. Offer a live chat
We live in the age of WhatsApp, so if you run an ecommerce business without using a live chat, prepare to be pleasantly surprised: in fact, if you have traffic, this is perhaps the only ROI that can be measured in minutes. The benefits of offering a support service via live chat on your website are too many to list here, but think about the ability to be able to handle everything from sales inquiries to proactive upselling to billing and shipping questions (not to forget after-sales support!). Live chat can help you and your team to be more productive and more consistent in your responses, since you can also enter pre-filled answers.
If, on the other hand, you are already implementing live chat, it is not yet time to congratulate yourself: when it comes to providing excellent customer service, remember that chats can lead to rich opportunities. Take time to reread your chat transcripts and see if there are any cues for feedback from the client, or to follow up on the development of issues mentioned outside the primary reason your client initiated the chat.
2. Create a Knowledge Base.
Knowledge bases are not just for technology companies. They can be set for external or internal use, and are a valuable customer service tool. They are also an SEO gold mine because they offer the possibility of identifying some particularly broad keywords.
The real justification for this tool is that it is really inexpensive, and customers prefer it-their time is money, and they prefer to solve their own problems.
3. Publish your FAQ.
Sisters of the Knowledge Base, your frequently asked questions, when placed prominently on pages about your products, offer several advantages: first, they will save you a lot of time in answering the simplest questions, and customers will appreciate being able to find answers to their questions quickly. Also, as is the case with KBs, FAQ pages will help improve SEO by adding content to product pages in a natural, keyword-rich way.
4. Offer telephone support
Ecommerce stores often do not offer telephone customer service , because it is difficult to manage, very demanding in terms of resources and management of them. But a telephone customer care is still the preferred means of contact for customers (70 percent prefer it to other channels). You will see an immediate increase in sales as soon as you can make human contact, even if only by phone, with your customers. If your concern is how to organize telephone customer service, contact us, that’s our job!
5. Write a policy on returns that is easy to understand
You can write a policy on returns that increases your conversions. Returns are a natural part of commerce, both online and offline. Make sure your policy does not sound like an administrative law textbook: when you fail to explain your policy in simple words, you risk confusing and stressing your customers, or even making them dizzy. The same can also be said of your actual process regarding the return of products. All these elements affect your ability to have a long-term relationship with the client.
6. Use customer service software.
If you are currently managing the customer support for your ecommerce via e-mail, get ready for a huge increase in customer satisfaction by introducing a centralized customer support system: ticketing systems allow you to do more than just send e-mails. You will be able to link your social media accounts, even add a built-in VoIP voice system and live chat. You can clearly and transparently keep track of all customer interactions and respond much, much faster. At Euroconnect we use Ladesk, web software that encapsulates all the customer care channels listed above in one system, and we assure you it is a great convenience.
7. Show billing history
Customers who can serve themselves are happier customers, especially when it comes to simple things they expect to be able to find online. Customers expect to be able to access their accounts, payment methods and details, order statuses, and billing history. All the back-and-forth about questions about invoices or shipping status just clogs up the lines of your online store.
8. Measure customer satisfaction
If you want to improve something, first you have to measure it-this is true for customer service as well, and there are various ways to do this. Some customer service platforms (including ours of course) include just such a feature, allowing you to easily send questionnaires following an interaction. The function also makes it possible to objectively measure the quality of the work of customer care operators, with the goal of dedicating the best ones to pre-sales and cross-selling activities.
9. Offer social customer service
The service customers via social media is becoming increasingly important. Better yet, if you have set up social media channels, you should consider offering customer service through them as well. Why? Because that is what your customers expect. You should consider using a customer service platform that also integrates social channels to make your job easier.
10. Video
Videos are extremely useful both before and after the sale, especially as an extension of your self-service offering. Consider the value you might derive from uploading materials on “how to get started” or detailed tutorials on advanced features, or confidence-building materials such as tips, tricks, or advice on your website, in a place easily accessible by customers. Videos don’t have to have Spielberg-like direction or be super expensive-you can now create decent videos even with your iPhone or using simple software.
11. Be true to your guarantees
As merchants, we have to face the fact that sometimes problems will pop up caused by defective products-it is not the best, but it happens. What separates serious marketers from the masses is how the former react to these issues: offering a guarantee is not just a ploy to get a conversion boost. Guarantees exist for a reason, and so when the time comes, make life easier for your client and handle the problem quickly and fairly. Remember, too, that if you use a customer service platform to store interactions you will be able to see if the customer is new, or if they frequently need assistance, and so on.
12. Scale your team according to the period
Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Black Friday, Christmas, the Winter Sale–the e-commerce calendar is chock full of festive opportunities. It is important that they have all the help they need both before and after the hot holiday periods to be able to answer customer questions and help with returns and exchanges. Should clients feel neglected, or experience excessively long wait times, you will lose revenue. On the contrary, your ability to meet demand is one more brick in building your loyal customer base.
In summary:
Customer care is vital to your ecommerce business. While some of the points listed here are quite immediate, others actually may need more effort and time to be implemented. It all comes down to receiving what you have given: by investing in your customer service, you will increase long-term loyalty and the value your customers place on you. If you want customer service for ecommerce