Enhancing Ecommerce Customer Service: 5 Best Practices For Success In 2023
In a world where customer satisfaction reigns supreme, exceptional customer service is a game-changer. And while price and quality still influences customers, there’s a new factor in the decision-making process: yes, you guessed it, ecommerce customer service!
Today’s consumers prefer brands that look out for their interests and offer ongoing value beyond their initial purchase. It’s no surprise that 89% of customers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive experience.
As such, first-rate customer service is vital for businesses wanting to capture reorders and driving customer retention. I The age-old mantra “Customer is King” is still very much true today.
With that in mind, let’s explore the best practices for enhancing ecommerce customer service in 2023. So join us at Upscribe as we dive into the world of ecommerce customer service. Let’s go!
What is ecommerce customer service?
Ecommerce customer service refers to the support provided by online businesses to their customers, which can include everything from answering product-related questions to resolving technical issues.
Online customer service aims to simplify the buying experience by offering clear solutions to queries and issues, streamlining buying choices, and ultimately providing an overall positive experience.
And with more and more consumers turning to digital marketplaces for their shopping needs (a massive 63% of all shopping journeys begin online), businesses must provide fantastic ecommerce customer service to make a splash in the crowded pool.
Example of effective ecommerce customer service
Here’s where Upscribe comes into play. When Caldera + Lab, a men’s skincare brand, faced several challenges with their subscription service, it left their consumers frustrated with the customer support on offer.
The skincare brand leveraged Upscribe to provide an intuitive customer service experience – such as fixing guest checkout issues and applying discounts with codes. As a result, Caldera + Lab decreased their subscription help tickets by 50% and saw an increase in positive feedback.
Why is ecommerce customer service so important?
Many ecommerce businesses prioritize customer acquisition over customer service. However, this can lead to lost profits and unhappy customers. Taking this into consideration, let’s look at why ecommerce customer service is so critical in 2023:
Problem-solving
With research revealing that 60% of consumers share negative experiences online, your reputation as an ecommerce brand balances on a tightrope.
Simply offering customer service won’t cut it. You need to exceed customer expectations by listening to their concerns and offering solutions that resolve their issues (while reassuring them of the future).
Increase customer lifetime value
Customer lifetime value (CLV) measures the total amount of money a customer is predicted to spend on your business over their lifetime. Good customer service amplifies CLV by boosting your repeat purchase rate and increasing customer loyalty.
Additionally, with great customer service, customers are more likely to trust your business. This trust results in more upselling and cross-selling, as well as amplifying word-of-mouth referrals.
Brand personality
Brand personality embodies the way a business handles its customer service. So it’s not just about how your customers engage with your brand but how you engage with your customers. By providing a human touch, customer service eliminates ambiguity and ensures that your customers feel seen and heard.
Improved customer satisfaction
When customers feel that companies are addressing their needs, they’re more likely to be happy with their shopping experience, resulting in our two favorite words: repeat business!
Providing excellent customer service leads to brand advocacy, where satisfied customers recommend your business to others. On the other hand, poor customer service triggers 65% of customers to change brands.
How to ensure exceptional ecommerce customer service
With more than 65% of people expecting better customer service today than they did three to five years ago, your buyer’s journey must be filled with amazing support. Let’s dive into the steps needed to make this happen:
1) Create a multichannel support strategy
When it comes to customer communication channels, there’s no one size fits all approach. Relying solely on one method of communication may drive away potential customers, particularly as the number favoring social messaging rose by 110% from 2020 to 2021.
As 40% of consumers consider multiple communication options as their number one feature of customer service, your goal should be to provide a high-quality service across multiple channels. This involves identifying your preferred customer location, such as on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, and establishing a digital presence.
Additionally, you can survey customers to uncover their preferred communication channels and tailor your strategy accordingly. And once you’ve set up your channels, ensure your customers know how to access them.
2) Guarantee a friendly tone throughout
Nobody likes to feel unwanted, and a friendly tone can make customers feel super appreciated – which fosters trust and loyalty. It goes without saying that customers are more likely to return to a business that makes them feel good about their interactions.
Let’s look at some tips to maintain a friendly tone:
- Use positive language: Encourage your team to use positive language during customer interactions, such as “certainly” instead of “no problem” and “thank you for your patience” instead of “sorry for the delay.”
- Active listening: Urge your customer service representatives to actively listen to customers, asking questions and clarifying issues to show they care about their needs and concerns.
- Showing empathy: Inspire your team members to put themselves in the customer’s shoes, showing understanding and compassion for their situation. This can help create a sense of connection and rapport with the customer.
By ensuring a friendly tone across all interactions, ecommerce businesses create a positive atmosphere that leads to increased customer loyalty, positive reviews, and word-of-mouth marketing. It’s the perfect way to build a profitable ecommerce business.
3) Answer as quickly as possible
The longer your customers wait for a response, the more dissatisfied they become. If you make them wait too long, they may open another ticket or give up on your company altogether.
90% of customers rate an “immediate” response as an essential part of customer service. So to truly impress them, your team must strike a balance between speed and convenience. As we said earlier, offering multiple channels for customer service is a step in the right direction.
Incorporating a live chat feature will also help speed up your response times, as some issues can be resolved instantly (which prevents customers from having to send an email or chase previous inquiries). This will help meet the expectations of your customer base.
Additionally, with the help of tools such as Upscribe, customers can easily manage their subscriptions, update their information, and add or swap products, all in a matter of minutes, without the need for assistance.
4) Maintain consistent customer service
Customers who have a positive initial experience with a business expect the same level of service during subsequent interactions. Because of this, it’s crucial to maintain consistent customer service across all communication channels to prevent customer confusion.
Furthermore, with the rise of omnichannel customer service, offering a seamless experience across your phone, email, chat, and social media has become an essential practice. With omnichannel customer service, customers can expect consistent support, regardless of the channel they use to communicate.
Consistent omnichannel customer service also garners deeper insights into your customers, allowing you to identify pain points and improve customer experience. By measuring key performance indicators (KPIs) and tracking corresponding metrics, you can set the proper standards to ensure success.
5) Don’t ignore your customer reviews
When customers leave reviews, it’s an opportunity for you to show you care about their opinions and feedback. It’s also a chance for you to peek behind the curtain regarding how your customers feel about your business and their expectations.
Additionally, when you respond to reviews, you perfectly demonstrate proactive customer service by addressing their needs even before they reach out to you. This is especially important as 77% of customers believe brands perform better when they actively seek out customer feedback.
Responding to positive reviews shows appreciation and reinforces positive feelings toward your brand. Consider thanking your customers for taking the time to leave a review. Feedback can also help when you’re establishing price points.
Address your customer’s concerns politely and professionally, and offer a solution or a way to rectify the situation – trust us, they’ll appreciate it!
Amplify your ecommerce customer service with Upscribe!
There’s no denying it – ecommerce customer service is a key factor in the success of your business. Not only is it linked to your overall customer experience, but by continually improving your customer service, you maintain a positive brand reputation.
Thankfully, Upscribe lets you treat your customers like royalty. Upscribe provides complimentary onboarding and continuous customer support from day one. Also, subscriptions can be managed through email and SMS, and helps to eliminate issues with customers getting locked out of their accounts with passwordless login. This feature will not only help make your customer experience better, but will also reduce your customer support tickets with less customers having issues getting locked out of their accounts.
Schedule a demo today if you would like to find out more about the benefits of integrating with Upscribe and elevate your customer experience for the better!
