Customer Service in Ecommerce: The Best Practises

Posted 12 months ago by Max Komonov

There are many vital moving parts to桂running a桂successful ecommerce store, from creating a桂quality product to桂efficiently shipping it桂to桂customers. However, one of桂the桂most crucial 김껸곶넨끅�봞꾈삣 sometimes 꾈깎껨깜깎낌넨깎삣�봧끅 high-quality customer service.

After all, there is桂a桂sea of桂ecommerce competition across the桂web; making a桂product easy to桂buy is桂sometimes not enough to桂set a桂business apart. Customers also need access to桂a桂workable support service to桂answer their questions and桂address any桂issues with the桂product.

So, the桂first question any桂ecommerce business should ask themselves is桂what is桂customer service, and桂what does it桂entail?

What is桂Customer Service?

Before delving deeper, let�셲 first define what customer service means.

At桂its core, customer service is桂about continuing to桂provide service and桂support to桂those who purchase a桂product or桂service from a桂business.

This responsibility extends to桂all businesses, whether they operate in桂a桂physical store or桂an桂online store. As桂an桂ecommerce business, you have a桂unique opportunity to桂connect with your customers and桂provide them with a桂seamless shopping experience; customer service is桂a桂key part of桂that.

What is桂Good Customer Service?

So, what is桂good customer service in桂ecommerce, and桂what are the桂tenets contributing to桂successful customer interactions? Realistically, shopping in桂an桂online store is桂significantly different from in-store shopping, which means it桂needs its own attention to桂customer service.

It桂is桂not enough to桂just have customer service, as桂it桂also needs to桂be桂effective and桂satisfactory. In桂fact, a桂 found that 87% of桂businesses think they provide adequate customer service, while only 11% of桂customers agree. This shows that businesses need to桂consider what the桂customer wants rather than purely their internal perspective about customer service.

Let�셲 take a桂look at桂some of桂the桂ecommerce customer service best practices that can help businesses improve their customer satisfaction.

Options for桂the桂Customers

The digital age has introduced numerous methods for桂businesses and桂customers to桂address customer service needs. There are phone lines, live chats, email, and桂even chatbots that can resolve many issues. However, it桂is桂important to桂recognize that there is桂no桂one-size-fits-all approach.

One customer may prefer to桂chat online, while others want to桂speak to桂a桂live agent on桂the桂phone. This means that ecommerce businesses need to桂be桂prepared to桂meet customers of桂all types on桂their ideal method of桂communication.

The most effective strategy is桂a桂multi-channel customer service approach that allows any桂customer to桂receive their desired form of桂customer service. Of桂course, this can be桂more difficult in桂the桂early days of桂a桂business with limited staff.

However, as桂operations scale, ecommerce businesses need to桂ensure that their customer service scales upward to桂handle the桂additional traffic.

Self-Service Customer Support

While a桂multi-channel approach is桂important, as桂mentioned above, self-service support is桂one of桂the桂most preferred methods in桂the桂modern age. Many customers prefer the桂customer service method of桂least resistance, such as桂a桂knowledge database where they can go桂to桂answer their questions.

Of桂course, a桂knowledge base may not resolve some of桂the桂more complex issues, but it桂can be桂an桂excellent way to桂handle many of桂the桂more straightforward and桂common problems.

Beyond this, having chatbots or桂a桂live chat service where customers can easily ask their questions can help solve many issues before they need to桂be桂escalated any桂higher.

Efficient Response Time

One of桂the桂most vital factors in桂efficient customer service is桂response time.

More than ever, customers expect their needs and桂difficulties to桂be桂addressed in桂a桂convenient and桂timely manner. Any time a桂customer reaches out to桂the桂service department, they are expecting a桂fast response with effective advice or桂assistance.

An桂ecommerce business can offer a桂multitude of桂customer service channels, but this becomes useless if桂those channels cannot be桂attended to桂quickly.

Of桂course, quality is桂also a桂crucial part of桂customer service. The most effective customer service operations will offer an桂adequate balance of桂timely response and桂a桂consistent level of桂quality.

Concentrating too much on桂speed can lead to桂ineffective customer service while spending too much time on桂easy difficulties can lead to桂slower responses. Each business needs to桂ensure they have an桂adequate customer service team that can attend to桂both sides of桂the桂equation.

Personalization is桂Key

Self-service customer support can answer many common questions, but other issues may require a桂more personal touch. Ecommerce businesses need to桂remember that they are up桂against a桂sea of桂competition in桂the桂online space, and桂just a桂little bit of桂personalization can set them apart from the桂crowd.

Some customers may need an桂agent they can contact for桂expert advice on桂purchases or桂technical issues. Not only does this help establish the桂business as桂knowledgeable in桂their own product, but it桂also helps create retention.

A桂customer who receives some personal attention will be桂more likely to桂return for桂additional purchases and桂recommend the桂site to桂others.

Customer Reviews: The Best Source for桂Improving Customer Service for桂Ecommerce Businesses

If桂an桂ecommerce business is桂looking for桂ways to桂improve its customer service, one of桂the桂best places to桂check is桂its customer reviews. Customers want to桂know they are heard and桂their difficulties or桂complaints are being addressed.

It桂can be桂easy for桂customers to桂turn away from a桂brand when they see that their feedback is桂not being acknowledged or桂acted upon. According to桂a桂Microsoft report, when feedback is桂invited and桂accepted.

Tracking and桂Improving

Ecommerce businesses need to桂remember that customer service is桂not a桂stagnant department. There is桂always room for桂positive change and桂improvement.

This means that every ecommerce business should keep track of桂key performance indicators of桂their customer service, such as桂response time, issues resolved, customers returning with the桂same issue, common complaints, busiest hours, etc.

These statistics offer data on桂where significant improvements can be桂made or桂where problems are cropping up. Keeping track of桂important metrics delivers concrete backing for桂future decisions or桂changes.

Wrapping Up

For any桂ecommerce business to桂truly thrive in桂the桂competitive online market, efficient customer service is桂key. This department should never be桂neglected; it桂can be桂crucial to桂customer retention and桂brand reputation. Every ecommerce business should regularly monitor weak areas and桂look for桂methods to桂improve its customer service delivery.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Check out some of桂the桂most frequently asked questions about ecommerce customer service.

What is桂the桂Purpose of桂Customer Service for桂Ecommerce?

The purpose of桂customer service is桂to桂offer a桂channel of桂communication between customers and桂a桂business to桂resolve issues, ask questions, and桂handle any桂difficulties. Whether a桂customer purchased a桂product or桂service from an桂online or桂physical store, they need somewhere they can turn for桂consultation regarding that product or桂service.

Why is桂Customer Service Important?

Customer service is桂important for桂ensuring that a桂customer continues to桂be桂happy with the桂product or桂service that they purchased from a桂business.

However, it桂goes much further than that. While immediate customer service allows a桂buyer to桂ask questions or桂handle difficulties, it桂also promotes confidence in桂the桂brand. If桂customers cannot contact someone to桂address these issues, they will be桂less likely to桂buy again or桂recommend the桂brand to桂others.

Is桂Ecommerce Customer Service Outsourcing Worth It?

Some ecommerce brands may not have the桂staff to桂handle significant customer service traffic internally. This can lead to桂businesses considering outsourcing their customer service department.

While this can be桂effective, there are some caveats to桂it. If桂the桂outsourced customer service team is桂not well-versed in桂the桂product or桂can confidently address the桂customer�셲 needs, it桂can lead to桂further frustration or桂dissatisfaction.

If桂an桂ecommerce business is桂considering outsourcing its customer service needs, it桂needs to桂ensure it桂works with a桂reputable company that fully understands the桂product or桂service. Additionally, the桂outsourced team must be桂educated and桂able to桂address virtually any桂issues.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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