E-commerce is presently one of the biggest sectors in the present corporate scene, both by the volume of sales and the sheer numbers. And since the customer base for this sector is so high, setting up an uncompromised and high-quality customer service helpdesk is indispensable.
Since the e-commerce industry first gained great popularity around half a decade back, outsourcing customer services in the USA or even developing countries has become a norm. The reason behind the high preference for outsourcing is the volume.
Setting up an in-house customer service call center that can handle such a huge sales volume is too overwhelming and difficult to manage. Under such circumstances, the inexperience and lack of resources and time can bring great problems.
This calls for a discussion on the ideal practices for customer services for the e-commerce industry. So let’s just state the first very important practice – customer service outsourcing for e-commerce industry.
Implement a Proactive Customer Service
Once you consider outsourcing customer services, you will realize that the BPO company offers a lot. But, first, you might notice that customer support is mostly reactive in nature. All of the services and support offered by a brand are triggered after the customer complains.
However, the ideal way to do things effectively is to become more proactive instead of reactive. It is ideal for making proactive customer service the primary line of defense. But if you are wondering how to offer proactive customer service, let’s discuss the answer too.
- Follow up with customers: Following up with your customers frequently is a good sign to show your customers, even after resolving the issue. They feel cared for. The best way to implement this is to set up an automated email for repeated issues customers might face.
- Notice problems and announce them: Customer retention and branding are all about transparency. So, the moment you notice any fault in your product, it is great to announce it and get in touch with the customers yourself to resolve the issue. This is a great way to win the customers over and ensure that the loyalty they show is unmistakable.
- Don’t hesitate to apologize: Apologizing for your mistake can get half the job done. Invincible humans or superheroes do not run businesses, so there are bound to be mistaken. So, coming up and apologizing for the mistake will be great for market goodwill and customer trust.
Communicate with Customers Where They Prefer
Since the e-commerce industry is an ever-expanding sector, big brands should not leave behind any stones unturned when it comes to offering customers the ultimate preference. And talking about preference, the customer may end up connecting with up over any communication channel they prefer, be it social media, phone, email, or live chat.
So, meeting the customers at their preference depends on your brand and the BPO you choose for outsourcing customer services. So, you have to consider checking up on the BPO company and their service portfolio before contracting one to outsource e-commerce call center services in the USA or another country.
Optimize Live Chats for Your E-commerce Website
Customers will always have questions about products, purchases, payment methods, and after-sale service. But, of course, this is the same with everyone; even you, as an individual, might have many questions before settling for one.
So, to ensure that your potential customers get the answer to all your questions, it is imperative to have a live chat support setup on your website. Having a live chat support system on the website gives the prospective buyers the option to get their queries resolved right at that very moment. This will surely increase the customer conversion rate.
Take a look at some reasons that make live chats so very important for your brand:
- First, your agents can assist the potential customers in real-time.
- Second, these agents can handle multiple chats at the same time. This is not possible with on-call support.
- Third, increases the chances of conversion.
- Fourth, gives 0up-selling and cross-selling opportunities.
- Fifth, offers a personalized experience to the customers.
Don’t Miss Out on Social Media
The growth of social media has ensured that many users flock to the platforms every day. The social media footfall has been high than ever now. So, since a huge chunk of your potential customers are already at a point, why not target them for marketing, sales, or even branding?
E-commerce customer support strategy is never complete without social media campaigns. Some of the leading social media platforms could be the greatest tools to make your e-commerce brand a force to reckon with. A few examples of the most populated social media platforms are Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, etc.
It is essential to keep an eye on your target audience and present the audience on social media, their activities, what they say about your brand, etc. Besides just this, a lot of brands already practice this on messaging and email platforms through automation. You can also do so, albeit on social media, via messaging or even in the comment section. This will create a buzz for your brand.
Bring Knowledge Base into the Picture
You sure need to implement a multi-channel communication network within your e-commerce call center services. One of the many communication and service channels that can be a part of your customer service, you should have knowledge bases.
In the hustle that prevails in the mundane life of most of your customers and target audience, it’s good to offer a set of self-help services. This ensures that even though a customer faces any issue and does not have time to contact support, they can simply read through the guide and tutorials in the knowledge base and get the answers to the questions they are looking for.
Customer Service Automation
Agents have to deal with multiple difficulties with its support, constant pressure, deadlines, and demanding consumers. So, e-commerce customer service isn’t always easy.
This is where automated outsourcing customer services come into the picture and helps you get rid of the tedious, time-consuming manual tasks. Everyone benefits from an automated workflow, including customer service managers, agents, and customers.
The Wrap-up
E-commerce comes with a lot of risks and other issues attached to it. For example, customer have no way of knowing if the products they receive will match the image on the website or if they will arrive on time or not.
However, by providing dependable e-commerce call center services, you can offer unrivaled experiences and regain your customers’ trust and confidence. Try these e-commerce best practices to stay ahead of the competition, whether it is about giving proactive customer care or automating your business.
