Customer service can make or break any business. It’s even more vital if you’re only operating an online store, as consumers lack the same level of trust as they do with long-established retailers.
Investing time, effort, and cash to create a robust customer service management system is a great idea and one that will pay dividends over the long term. It’s not an area to scrimp on!
Delivering excellent customer service isn’t difficult but does require a methodical approach to ensure everyone is treated the same.
Whether you’re just getting started or have been running an online store for a while, here is how you can build a resilient customer service management system.
Keys To Great Online Customer Service
Customer service can make or break an interaction and have a long-term effect on how someone perceives your brand. And yet many founders don’t take the time to define what great service looks like.
Yes, building a customer service management system takes time but there are some building blocks you can use to speed up the process. These include:
Responsiveness
You don’t need to answer enquires in 2 minutes at all hours of the day but you need to be quick to reply. Aim to answer within 24 hours, even if your reply only outlines the next steps you’ll follow to fully answer them.
Empathy
The world lacks empathy, especially in customer service. Consider how you can showcase understanding and compassion for customer issues.
Proactivity
You can likely anticipate 95% of what your customers will ask before they do and be able to offer solutions before they ask. A little planning can pay massive dividends.
Consistency
By having a documented process, you can maintain a consistent brand voice and service standards across all channels, regardless of who is delivering the service.
Measuring and Improving Your Service
Many brands see customer services as a necessity, not a part of marketing. Those who understand that delivering excellent service is a great way to build a brand will want to measure and improve it.
There are two elements to measuring the level of service you deliver: the numbers and how people feel. Tracking and analyzing figures is simpler than trying to understand different human emotions but you should try to do both.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are the easiest way to track how well you perform. You can set KPIs to track response time, resolution time, and customer satisfaction.
You can also use the universally accepted Net Promoter Score (NPS) system to track customer satisfaction and loyalty.
It’s also worth trying to understand why the customer is happy or disappointed. So asking for feedback and reading reviews on 3rd party websites is critical. You’ll want to remain objective when reading feedback and don’t take it personally.
Continuous improvement in your service is important to beat the competition and keep customers returning. So you’ll want to use the feedback and data to develop strategies that will help you improve.
You’ll never get customer service right 100% of the time, that’s fine, you’re human. But you can keep improving it if you’re willing to listen to customers and act on their feedback.
Common Challenges and Solutions
Handling Difficult Customers
Occasionally, you’ll have a customer who’s less than ideal and may end up causing issues! Thankfully, there are steps you can take to calm the situation and try your best to find a satisfactory resolution.
It’s easy to become emotional when things don’t work out as planned and release your frustrations on the customer service rep. Most of the time, it’s not personal!
- Active Listening: Empathetically listen to the customer’s concerns without interruption. Acknowledge their frustrations and validate their feelings.
- Stay Calm and Professional: Avoid getting defensive or argumentative. Maintain a calm and professional tone throughout the interaction.
- Find Common Ground: Look for areas of agreement and focus on finding a mutually acceptable solution.
- Offer Apologies: Sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused, whether your company is at fault or not.
- Use “I” Statements: Frame responses with “I” statements to avoid sounding accusatory (e.g., “I understand your concern” instead of “You seem to be upset”).
- Offer Options: Provide clear and concise options for resolving the issue, empowering the customer to choose the best solution for them.
- Escalation Procedures: If the situation cannot be resolved directly, have a clear escalation procedure in place to involve a supervisor or manager.
Managing High-Volume Inquiries
Every ecommerce business has peak times (and low times) and so it’s best to plan how you’ll manage periods of high-volume inquiries before hand.
- Automate Routine Tasks: Utilize chatbots or automated responses for frequently asked questions (FAQs). This can free up human agents to handle more complex issues.
- Implement a Knowledge Base: Create a comprehensive knowledge base that allows customers to self-serve before contacting support.
- Prioritize Urgent Issues: Implement a system for prioritizing urgent inquiries (e.g., order cancellations, technical emergencies).
- Use a Ticketing System: Utilize help desk software to efficiently track and manage incoming requests.
- Monitor Social Media: Actively monitor social media channels for customer inquiries and complaints.
By implementing these ideas, you should be able to overcome common customer service challenges and improve overall customer satisfaction.
How Technology Can Help Deliver Effective Customer Service
Part of delivering excellent customer service is meeting customers where they are, not where you want them to communicate. I know that creates more complexity and isn’t as nicely siloed as you’d want.
You can use a help desk such as Gorgias (sign up for Free Trial) to pull different support channels into a single dashboard, making it easy to deliver a great service. Gorgias also allows you to create pre-written replies (called Macros) and collate messages into an easy-to-follow thread.
Another option worth considering is Live Chat. Customers love being able to chat with someone, even if it’s an AI bot. I’ve seen some brands replace Live Chat with WhatsApp.
Email and phone support still work well and enable the customer to contact you using the method they feel the most comfortable with.
Regardless of the method, you need a documented process on how you’ll manage the channel to ensure customers get a speedy answer. Over time, you should update this document as you learn more about your customers and their needs.
Building A Customer Service Management System For Your Online Store
With more businesses launching an online store daily and competition heating up, exceptional customer service is a must. You can no longer rely on having the best price, discounts, or widest product range.
We’ve explored key elements of building a robust customer service management system, including responsiveness, empathy, proactivity, and consistency.
But your work isn’t complete when you have a system in place. You must continually measure and improve service quality through KPIs, NPS scores, and customer feedback.
Once you’ve built a customer support system, it’s worth coupling it with technology such as Gorgias, live chat, and WhatsApp to ensure you deliver excellent and seamless customer service using automation and AI.
Building a solid customer service management system is an investment in your business’s future.
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