Customer service is very important for businesses as it may spell success or failure in a highly competitive e-commerce environment. Through the years, customers are expecting more and more as they try to achieve the perfect online shopping experience. Integrating best practices in e-commerce customer service and improving the online shopping experience can win a business new customers, help it retain customers and increase its overall value. Here are some basic tips on how you can boost your e-commerce customer service.
Organisation
Getting organised is a key aspect of a successful customer service unit. The department may have a very motivated team and an effective process, but things are likely to fail without proper organisation. Ensure that everyone is on the same page by monitoring customer conversations and supplying the team with collaboration tools. Members of the customer service team can address the requests of customers in an efficient and organised way using collision detection, saved replies for frequently asked questions and a shared inbox.
Personalised Approach to Make Customers Feel Special
The one-size-fits-all approach does not apply in ecommerce because each customer prefers a more personalised one. A business may need to interact with customers to establish meaningful relationships and to understand them better. A Forrester report found that 45% of customers are using online chat to reach out to a business, 33% are using Facebook, and 31% are using Twitter. It only shows that a customer service for ecommerce must serve customers using the communication channels that they prefer to use. To meet and exceed the expectations of customers, it is best to set up a multi-channel but cohesive strategy.
Automated Self-Service
Self-service is an undervalued tactic of an effective ecommerce customer service. When it comes to simple customer service tasks, the Forrester report found that more than 60% of customers in the U.S. prefer an automated self-service via mobile app or website. Additionally, self-service support has been used by 77% of customers. Also, consumers like knowledge bases better than the other available self-service channels. The volume of customer support can be lowered by at least 20% if we use a knowledge base to provide customers with answers.
Use Customer Reviews to Your Advantage
Customers these days want their opinions to be heard about services and products. They also want to know what other customers have to say. Not only are customer reviews considered major factors when purchasing decisions, they are also an excellent source of information on how businesses can improve customer experience. Brands that invite and accept the feedback of customers are more favorably viewed by 77% of customers.
Speed Up Your Response
An e-commerce customer service should give high priority to convenience and speed. People who prefer online shopping expect prompt answers and a fast reaction from businesses. A Statista report found that 12% of people in the U.S. consider the ‘lack of speed’ as their top frustration with customer services. Achieving a balance between convenience and speed is the key to a well-performing customer service team.
