Happy customers are usually a sign of a thriving business. If you’ve been careful about things and paid attention, your site will generally provide all the support the average customer will ever need.
Crisp, well-considered photography, informative videos and carefully composed product descriptions can go a long way toward ensuring customer satisfaction.
However, try as you might, things do sometimes go awry. That’s when you’ll need to have a dedicated conversation to straighten things out. Working according to these ecommerce customer service best practices will usually ensure those interactions are positive.
The FAQ Page: Your First Line of Defense
Posting the answers to frequently asked questions (FAQ) on one page can be a great help when you’re setting up your ecommerce site. This is true whether you’re considering how to sell an ebook online, market a suite of software solutions for training elephants or book romantic getaways to the Kalahari Desert. Making the link to this FAQ page prominent, both in the navigation bar and on product pages, is crucial too.
On the other hand, if you find you’re getting certain questions a lot, there’s a communication breakdown somewhere on your site. In fact, your goal should be to eliminate the need for this page by making sure all questions are answered on your product pages, policy pages and etc.
The Contact Us Page: Your Second Line of Defense
Have you ever gone looking for contact information on an ecommerce site, only to become frustrated by how difficult it is to find the person who can actually help you resolve a problem? Do not make people engage in a round of “Where’s Waldo” to locate your contact information.
Provide the name and email address of the relevant person for each area of expertise. List a toll-free number and the hours it is staffed so customers don’t call after hours when everyone is away and get no answer. A physical address to which queries can be addressed also says you have absolutely nothing to hide.
Transparency wins you major kudos in this regard.
Timing Is Everything in Customer Service
Online shoppers equate timely responses with trustworthiness, competence and professionalism. Conversely, your credibility takes a serious hit when it takes you too long to get a problem handled. The faster you resolve a customer’s concerns, the more favorably they will look upon your business.
Those favorable impressions lead to repeat purchases, which, in turn, will lead to more profits. Need we say more?
Monitoring Social Media Mitigates Meltdowns
Establish Google alerts for your name and for that of your primary product lines so you’ll know early on if you start trending. Social media is the contemporary equivalent of the town square. It’s vital to know what people are saying about you out there and responding to those expressions when it’s appropriate to do so. If you can catch a problem early and clear it up quietly, you’ll be much better off than if it blossoms into a full-blown crisis before you have a chance to say anything.
Consider Customer Service Personal—Because It Is
When a customer goes out of their way to contact your company, you’d best believe they’re taking it personally. They gave you money and in their minds you failed to deliver. Believe us when we say they’re taking it VERY personally. Train your CSRs to recognize this and address customers respectfully, sincerely and by name—using their first names only after asking permission. This telegraphs your sincerity, concern and respect; while getting the caller to look at your representative as a person rather than a bureaucrat. This will make them more open to the solutions your CSR presents, as opposed to being doggedly obstinate and demanding a refund on general principle.
