Scepticism is one of the deciding factors as to why customers give the cold shoulder to online merchants. It’s not only missing contact information, non-functioning pages or difficulty when paying that also give reason for doubt. In the first part of this series, we take a closer look at the importance of good customer service.
Customer service is more than a call centre. More than anything, good customer service includes transparency and a real human touch. And that is challenging to convey on the Internet. Here are a few tips to help you:
1. Show a Face
Show who you are, what you do, what your claims are and how you can be reached. After all, you should have nothing to hide. ‘About us’ and ‘Contact’ pages are the best suited for this purpose. Actively encourage the visitors of your shop to express their comments and criticisms on these pages. When someone is asked for their opinion, they feel that they are being taken seriously. In addition, you will get a good impression whether you are well positioned with your offer.
But nice words are not everything by a long shot. Images or short film clips from your business or production facilities, from your employees or from satisfied customers help to create a special closeness. This imparts your shop with an individual look.
2. Short Response Times
Always be there for your customers. Online shopping isn’t any fun when the answering machine is the only response and writing mails feels more like Russian roulette. Customers expect a quick response. You should respond to e-mails within 24 hours and phone calls should be answered immediately. If a prompt service is not possible, you should explain why or provide information about your business hours. The text could read:
‘If you have questions, problems or suggestions about how we can improve our service, please call or e-mail us. We’re looking forward to hearing from you. Here’s how to reach us:
