Tips for improving ecommerce customer service

The following are some guidelines for improving customer service:

Ask for feedback

You cannot offer the best customer service if you don't know what your customers are saying about your business or brand. Therefore, once in a while, it is important to get feedback from your target market. You can do this by having a 'Contact Us' page on your site or a feedback link on your emails.

Offer customer service which is easily accessible

Whenever people are facing a problem or have a question, they would want to access customer support as fast as possible. Failure to access support quickly is likely to result in frustration. To prevent this, you need to offer support through several channels including phone, live chat and email. This gives customers the freedom to reach you in a way that suits them best.

Offer free shipping

Everyone would love to avoid paying shipping fees for their purchases. Therefore, offering free shipping is a great way of winning the trust and loyalty of your customers. Make it clear from the onset which products qualify for free shipping. Customers should be able to enjoy this incentive automatically without having to hunt for coupon codes online.

Interact with customers using social media

Social media networks such as Google+, Twitter and Facebook offer a great opportunity for interacting with your customers. You can update them on new products, special offers or recent industry developments. In addition, you can share how-to tips which they might find useful. Don't forget to respond to any comments left by your customers and prospects.

Make your customers feel valued

Customers are the most important assets for any business. Therefore, you need to make every effort to ensure that your customers are happy. When your customers feel valued, they will be willing to do business with you again in future. A simple gesture like sending a gifts or cards during Christmas time can mean a lot to a customer.

Lower service costs

Handling enquiries via phone, live chat and email can be quite costly and time consuming. This cost can be significantly reduced by having a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on your site. Here, customers will find answers to commonly asked questions on matters such as business policies, pricing of products, order status and return procedures. As a result, this will eliminate the need for any additional help.