Most businesses making money online are selling a product. That’s either directly as a service or physical item, or indirectly by providing interesting content which then attracts paid advertising.
At some point in the chain there is a customer who needs to be kept happy. After all, without those valuable (and loyal) customer, your business can’t succeed.
With that in mind, check out the guide below on how to up your customer service performance and keep your business thriving.
This is a contributed post. Please refer to my disclosure for more information.
Good delivery times? Critical to making money online
Whether you are shipping a physical product, are offering a bespoke digital item, or a pre-made download, delivery timescales are one of the most important factors when it customer satisfaction. That’s especially true in the instant, online world.
After all, no customers want a huge wait in between paying for an item and receiving it. In fact, many customers expect instant access to any online product they are buying. It is your responsibility, as the retailer to ensure your delivery systems are robust enough to offer this.
That means if customers are ordering physical items online, offer them reasonable prices for next day delivery. And make it easy to return items too.
If customers are purchasing digital products, offer automated instant downloads linked to payment verification instead. Something that will make the process easy both for you and them. It will reduce the amount of enquiries and customer support you have to provide.
Want happy customers? Be truly accessible
Over 70% of people now accessing the Internet on their smartphones. So a site that is optimised for desktop use only is a bad idea.
After all, by ignoring mobile optimisation and the use of dedicated apps for your business you are significantly reducing the ability of most of your potential clients to get to the information and service they need. Something that certainly isn’t going to endear your company to them and encourage them to use you more or recommend you to others.
With this in mind, it can be very helpful to work with a business like Lexel, an agency of mobile application developers that can create a customized app for your business. You can even offer such an app for free to your customers, increasing their ability to access your services as well as affecting their general view of your business regarding PR and customer service positively. Both issues that can help keep your customers as happy as possible, and your profits as healthy as possible too.
Be contactable – always
There are downsides to being an online customer. It can feel like a faceless experience when making your purchase. In fact, it can seem like you are left to your own devices to find the information and reassurance that you need to help you make the decision to buy.
This can be something that puts off a lot of potential customers. However, it is possible to minimise this feeling for your clients. Use options like chat boxes, or the options to email, call, or even Whatsapp as a way to contact you with their queries and questions. This can vastly improve the customer’s experience and so your company’s success.
