5 Ways to Improve Your Business’s Online Customer Service

Customer Service makes the World go ‘round. Literally. Bad reviews can prevent customers from doing business with you. So, what can you do to improve your online support and stick out in a world that seems more and more virtual, by the day? Here are five top tips that can help.

1. Create or Enhance Your FAQ Page

Let’s face it, customers have questions. Do you have a Frequently Asked Questions page to help address their concerns? Is it easy to get to? Is it updated regularly? A well-researched and easy to find FAQ page is essential to your business. It can help increase staff and customer relationships, showcase your industry leadership, and prove that your business cares about customer experiences.

2. Be Accessible

If a customer is reaching out to your team, it probably isn’t because they want to check in to see how your day is going.  Typically, a customer gets in touch with a customer service representative (CSR) because they have a question or problem. How can you help? Simply, be accessible. The more channels you have for getting in touch with your team, the better. Some customers would rather talk to someone ‘live’ on the phone, some prefer email or chat, and others may rather reach out right on Social Media. Nothing annoys a customer more than needing to talk to a CSR and not knowing how to reach them, so make sure your team is there when they’re needed.

3. ‘The Customer Experience’ Matters

Building out comprehensive FAQs and having multiple channels to get in touch with your support team is great, but it all falls apart if the overall customer experience isn’t top of mind. Listening to customers’ concerns and resolving the issue(s) in a calm, positive manner is crucial to your business. Customers want to have their needs addressed in a quick and efficient way…and they want a representative who genuinely seems to care. That means investing in training for your team to make sure they know the way you want your customers to be treated. Companies like Zappos or JetBlue make the customer experience a part of their values - and it shows.

4. Track Customer Experiences and Centralize the Data

Another great way to improve your online customer service is tracking customer interactions and using that data to enhance future touchpoints. Whether you’re using CRM software, a customer data platform, or multiple pieces of tech, easily accessible customer profiles give customer service and sales reps the ability to know exactly what matters to them and why. That “why” can help your team know how to assist, ensuring your customer experience is continually top-of-mind.

5. Collect Customer Feedback – and Actually Use it

Customers almost always read reviews before pursuing anything. Sending customer surveys can help you get a gauge on how your customer service is perceived. Do customers feel heard and supported? How can you improve? Receiving feedback is vital. But of course, it’s nothing without actually taking action. Make sure the right people are receiving survey results, and that your team sits down regularly to work on process changes to better suit customer needs.

Wrap Up

In conclusion, don’t forget to keep the customer experience top-of-mind by continuing to invest in your staff and processes. Continue to check back to our blog for more business tips.