Improve Your Online Customer Support
Improve Your Online Customer Support
All of your genius marketing tactics are rendered nearly useless if word gets around that you have poor customer support. You can be sure that successful companies that have been around for decades and are still going strong have excellent customer service. With the prevalence of the internet, this has become even more important. Customers talk to each other. Now more than ever, it is easy for them to communicate with one another. There are nearly endless online forums where users can post reviews of a product or a service. Be assured that the review is a good one by following this customer support advice.
Improve Your Online Customer Support
Make Yourself Available
Quick response times will keep situations from escalating and prevent the customer from becoming more frustrated than they already might be. Do not hide contact information on an obscure page that customers would not think to look on. You want them to reach out to you. Even if they do have a complaint, it is best that they come to you first. If they have a question, you want to answer it ASAP to begin or maintain a healthy client relationship. Transparency goes a long way – give the impression that you want to talk to your customers. It will build your credibility.
Anticipate Possible Complications
Including a FAQs page on your site can provide your customers with the answers to their questions before they even have the chance to ask them. This makes you seem thoughtful, and it streamlines the entire process for the customer by saving them a step or two. Compile a list of commonly asked questions or complications that arose in the past. These can be phrased in the form of “if…then” statements, as Q and As, or the format of your choice. Give customers an immediate course of action.
Personalize Communication
A customer’s worst nightmare is automated responses. No one wants to talk to a machine. Now, it might not always be possible to have a full, individualized conversation with every single customer. However, even automated responses such as messages or e-mails should include the name of the customer. Furthermore, always give the option of reaching out to someone else (e.g. providing the phone number or email address of a real person). Humans work at your company, do they not? Your customer support should reflect that.
Ask Questions
How can you better serve your customers? Be open minded, always seeking ways to improve. Ask your customer for suggestions. This can be done through a survey, perhaps with an incentive such as a gift card or a giveaway. Customers will feel valued because you are listening to them.
The secret of excellent customer support is showing your customers that you care.