In recent years, the’e-commerce is expanding more and more, and at the same time the competition is getting higher and higher. Therefore, in order to differentiate ourselves, it is essential to pay attention to certain aspects that may be underestimated by our competitors, such as the customer care. The relationship with the customer and its loyalty often do not receive the attention they deserve, but are an essential element in achieving higher profits and increasing the potential of the company, regardless of its sector.
In this article, we will therefore explain how to improve one's customer service, what its importance is, and which are the channels through which one can maintain effective and lasting relationships with one's customers.
Why is customer care important?
There have been numerous statistical surveys on the importance of customer care, the results of which all seem to point in the same direction. In fact, the majority of respondents stated that they had stopped buying from a shop after a negative experience with customer care, and in the same way people tend to buy more from a store or brand if they have had positive experiences with customer care service.
It can therefore be deduced from this data that offering quality customer service is important for maintaining both the reputation that the conversion rate of the company, but also for retain loyalty its customers, who now tend to value this aspect on a par with other elements, such as the quality of the goods, the timing of shipping parcels...etc. So, it is clear that an investment in customer care is necessary to achieve ever higher business goals.
Furthermore, excellent customer care can be useful in all stages of the customer experience, e.g. to provide product information before purchase, in order to answer all doubts and questions of a potential customer, during purchase, to make the operation as smooth and fast as possible, but also after making the purchase, being able to monitor the express courier. Clearly, also after purchase customer care is essential, particularly for customer loyalty to the company, who will then be more inclined both to buy again and to recommend the brand to others.
Customer care channels
Now that we have seen what the importance of customer care is, we can move on to see what the channels that e-commerce companies can exploit to offer a quality service to their customers. One of the fundamental channels, which may seem old-fashioned but continues to be used very often, is the’telephone assistance, which is used in particular to solve delicate problems that require direct interaction with or guidance of an operator to complete certain procedures.
Also the web form where they can leave their requests are highly appreciated by customers, and for companies it also has the advantage of being useful for collecting new leads. In addition to this, the’e-mail is another of the most used channels for customer service, also because it is one of the means most used by people on a daily basis, which is why the’e-mail marketing does not show any signs of “going out of fashion”, but rather remains a solid tool for companies to use.
Another popular channel is the chat line, which can initially be automated thanks to the chatbot to contact an operator, and their main advantage is the immediacy with which they are answered. However, when deciding to implement such a service, care must be taken to specify the timetables in which this is available, and to give the most accurate and precise answers possible, otherwise there is a risk that the chat will turn into a double-edged sword.
The latest customer care tool we are talking about is rather recent, but it is also the one experiencing the fastest ascent, and that is the social media. In fact, it is now fundamental for a company to be present on social media, but it is not only the content posted by the company itself that contributes to its image, but also that provided by other users, through comments, reviews, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to exploit this tool in the right way, responding promptly, accurately and appropriately.
How to improve the customer care of your e-commerce
We have seen, therefore, that there are numerous channels for customers to contact the service department, but in addition to quantity, quality must also be considered. In fact, it is necessary that these channels are managed in the best possible way, with professionalism, punctuality and competence.
Therefore, it is necessary to know how to answer quickly and comprehensively to the questions and doubts raised by the customer, and if there is a problem of any kind you have to be quick and efficient in solving it, and in this way it will be possible to actually retain customers or facilitate conversions. Clearly, when dealing with customers it is essential to be polite, quiet and honest, offering the reassurance and transparency that the user is looking for at that moment. Another element, which is often underestimated, is the fact not to hide negative feedback, in the face of which it is necessary taking responsibility and take criticism as a cue for improvement.
But how can you actually improve your e-commerce? Below we will look at some practical tips, with which you can achieve quality customer service. First of all, you should try to reduce response times as much as possible, particularly for all those channels that are used for immediate contact, such as the social or the live chat.
It is then necessary that the assistance offered is customised, so that the customer feels understood and helped, thus increasing his satisfaction with the service presented to him. Furthermore, in order to always improve one's customer care service and bring it closer to the needs of one's customers, it is important to collect their feedback, both on the things they are satisfied with and on the improvements they would like to see made, because after all, it is a service created especially for them, and it must be as satisfying as possible.
