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How to Offer Better Online Customer Service
People expect better and better customer service from the companies they do business with than ever before. A big percentage of this correspondence is now happening online, so you need to be on the top of your game. If a customer walks away unsatisfied, it is much more likely that they will not return and much less likely that they will recommend your company to people in their social circle. So, check out just some of the ways to boost the level of customer support you are offering.
Deliver Customer Support in Real Time
These days, people expect instant results from their customer service inquiries and are much less likely to wait around for an email response that could take a matter of days, especially as people are shopping online more now than ever before. The easiest way you will be able to offer this kind of support is through a Windows live chat app or similar. There are a number of different advantages involved in using a live chat feature. First of all, the resolution time is likely to be significantly faster. The number of support tickets can be reduced, which helps your customer service team to manage their workload effectively. You also have the opportunity to get right down to the heart of the matter quickly and effectively, and customers are likely to be satisfied with the more instant interaction.
Add Self-Service Options
While live chat can help to lighten your customer service team’s workload, what will help reduce it even further is the addition of self-service options to your website. This way, customers can seek out the issues that they have been experiencing and get a resolution that has already been pre-set or pre-written. There are several different types of self-service options to consider including a frequently asked questions (FAQ) page, how-to videos, and online discussion forums. The latter option has the main advantage of encouraging customers to talk to one another, which can create positive feelings. There are several ways that you can make your self-service page even more effective. First of all, why not try highlighting the most common frequently asked questions that people ask time and time again. You can also use interactive content to answer queries such as videos, pictures, infographics, and screenshots. Also, it would help if you got into the habit of updating your content regularly. As your business grows and adapts, so too should the level of support that is on offer.
Offer Support Through Social Media
Another popular channel that customers are seeking to use on an increased basis is social media. Unfortunately, too many businesses overlook the questions that are asked on here until it is too late. There are several major advantages involved in using social media to provide support to your customers. First of all, this is a highly visible platform. The answers that you provide to some customers can be useful to others. Not only this, but you can also boost brand awareness and enhance your customer relationships. However, it would be best if you stayed on top of offering answers. Many social media users expect to get them in a matter of minutes rather than hours. It also takes a bit of time and practice to adopt the right sort of tone on social media. Generally, this tends to be quite fun, as well as informative. Of course, this all goes back to what sort of company you run.
Measure Your Customer Service Metrics
One of the greatest aspects of online customer service is that it provides you with an excellent opportunity to measure how well you are doing. When you do this, it is also much more likely that you will find ways to improve. There are several different areas that you can seek to measure and improve. First of all, there is the response time. If you can seek to increase this, it is always going to be worthwhile. Next up, you have the resolution time, which is a different matter. Essentially, this is all about the amount of time that it takes the agent to find a resolution and close the inquiry. Then, there is the number of issues that are being resolved overall. If you can decrease the number of issues that customers are having without a negative impact on sales, this will always be valuable to your business.
Learn Good Online Customer Support Etiquette
The process of supporting customers online is totally different than how you do it over the phone or in person. There is a lot of scope for misinterpretation and misunderstandings. One of the best ways of cutting back on these is by using plenty of positive words and phrases. Also, it is important to listen to your customers and not second guess what they are saying. A big part of the reason why customers get in touch with support agents is that they simply want to feel heard. You also need to show that you can empathize with your customers by issuing statements that show that you are imagining being in their shoes. It would be best if you also tried to personalize the conversation by using first names etc.
Listen to Customer Feedback
The internet is a valuable tool for gathering customer feedback. It makes sense that you listen to what your customers are telling you. This way, you are better placed to improve the service you are offering to them. Customers enjoy being asked whether they are happy or unhappy with the service that they have received. If it is the latter, it can go a long way to show that you have acknowledged when you have been told and want to do everything you can to make things better.
By offering better online customer service, you can seek to improve your business’ reputation and attract new customers as a result. Not only this, but you are more likely to retain the ones you have already.
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