How To Improve Ecommerce Customer Service

Did you know approximately three out of five consumers feel loyal to a brand because of good customer service (Source: Zendesk)? And according to HubSpot Research, 93% customers are repeat buyers of a company due to excellent customer service. And 99Firms stated that by 2040, nearly 95% of shopping would take place over eCommerce platforms. In 2021, price and quality won’t be the only differentiating factor. Customer service will be an important consideration as well. So, eCommerce businesses must beef up customer service in 2021 and in the years to come. Many companies have started considering outsourcing eCommerce customer services to nearshore or offshore eCommerce call center.

No matter whichever platform you sell, whichever regions you serve, great customer service is the key to driving sales and loyalty.

How can an eCommerce call center provide personalized experience and quick support?

Customer frustration heightens when they run into problems and do not find representatives to talk to. Adding fuel to the fire, many eCommerce companies do not pay heed to customer concerns. Their response rate is very slow. However, the importance of response time should be kept in mind as studies say 3 out of 5 customers leave the e-portal midway due to delayed response.

Personalization is a great marketing weapon that can set your brand apart from your rivals. Customers also expect customized services and relevant offers from an eCommerce brand. How to provide a customized experience?

For that, you have to:

  • Keep an eye on order history, items saved in cart and wishlist
  • Do social media analysis to find out essential attributes and suggest offers around those
  • Conduct consumer survey to get an in-depth insight into what customers want
  • Send personalized newsletters and emails
  • Address by names, use local phrases and multiple languages when supporting via chat or phone
  • Provide omnichannel support so that customers don’t have to repeat on different communication channels

An eCommerce call center can deliver customized customer support and reduce the attrition rate with much-needed customer engagement.

Why has the importance of customer service grown in 2021?

Your eCommerce company should aim to decrease customer’s uncertainties, answer questions and build enough trust to convince the buyers to proceed to pay. Unlike physical stores – online stores do not have a retail representative to help customers out. So, the importance of remote customer support becomes essential. Hiring BPO services for eCommerce gives the extra mileage to serve customers better and solve their problems more efficiently.

The importance of customer service has grown by manifolds in 2021 because a fat slice of shoppers has moved to online shopping ever since lockdowns were imposed. New registrations and first-time shoppers have increased, and many of them are elderly. They need additional guidance to navigate through your e-store.

The right user experience can convert one-time or first-time shoppers into repeat buyers, flagging the way for better customer engagement and loyalty with your brand.

The rise of eCommerce sector has boosted shopper expectations. Most customers expect access to speedy, polite and helpful eCommerce customer service through multiple channels – from web chat to email. And this is something for which they are ready to switch a brand and pay more.

How to evaluate eCommerce customer service?

Online sellers should do anything possible to provide exceptional eCommerce customer service. A good place to begin is with assessing what and how you are doing in this regard.

To figure out your customers’ requirements and demands, you should start with a consumer survey. Begin knowing your customers, seek feedback and conduct interviews.

Yes, this looks like a continuous process and daunting activity. Your in-house staff can keep it simple via online survey software and tools. Extract and analyze the results. Then, feature it on your next email template or newsletter campaign. If you are leveraging eCommerce customer survey software, keep track of:

  • Ticket volume
  • Response time
  • Ticket types

Understandably, increased sales around Christmas or Black Friday can cause a jump in messages. But if you’re constantly dealing with an influx of tickets, something about your eCommerce customer support needs to change.

What influences customers’ journey?

Do you have a team who make your customers feel like “on top of the world”? Remember, you can sell thousands of products; customers journey is about every single touchpoint a customer has with your brand. Your customers don’t have in-person interactions with your brand representatives but with remote support team. Any communication has a priceless scope to exhibit how much you genuinely care about your customers.

Convenience, precise information, quick support and post-purchase assistance, the convenience to rate a product, non-invasive communication, ease of multichannel shopping, customized and relevant offers are all parts of customer service that can shape customers’ journey and experience.

While you might lack the resources to provide this level of customer service, you could always hire an eCommerce call center that can help you deliver excellent shopping experiences to buyers. Working on feedbacks and trying to impress dissatisfied customers is the way to customer retention.

How to convert negative reviews into your favor?

Even the most negative reviews come with a plus. Use the negative reviews in your favor to improve your performance and future-proof your business. When an unhappy customer faces an issue and complains, you should gladly accept and escalate the issue to the respective team for a quick solution.

Respond positively to both positive and negative reviews

No matter what buyers say, you should be empathetic and polite in your response. This is an often-overlooked facet of eCommerce customer service that you need to excel at if you are going to increase your sales.

Bad reviews – listen and learn: When shoppers complain, many companies don’t like it. But you have to understand that there is nothing personal. You could win them over again by learning from your mistakes and prevent losing future customers. The best thing you can do is – Say Sorry. It will cost you nothing, but it’s effective.

Good reviews – show appreciation: Positive reviews are always welcomed. They bring your good qualities under the limelight. And, in an era where online reviews influence more customers, you should be grateful for every positive review. A “Thank You” note or a Loyal Customer Badge will encourage them to purchase again and influence more people to give reviews.

In 2021, customer expectations, buying behaviors and spending patterns have significantly transformed. All thanks to the 2020 pandemic. Today, building loyalty is one of the rarest commodities for eCommerce brands. Positive responses and communications can boost rankings and visibility, same as eBay or Amazon.

Final thoughts

It is a known proverb that kindness and courteousness are at the root of exceptional customer service experience. It is one of the most crucial factors that online shoppers consider when they visit eCommerce websites. It is the bridge between confusion and conversion. Not only can it help decrease the rate of returns and refunds, but it can also increase the visibility of your products online. Some sellers still don’t appreciate the dramatic impact of first-rate customer service in beefing up sales, but those who do are styling it out the right way.

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