All retailers know that their customers are the life of the business. Without customers, obviously, there would be no business. It is a tough gamble, however, to predict how many customers you will get on a daily basis once your business is up and running – it’s even tougher to figure out how to market to those customers and drive traffic through the (virtual) door.
One key that many retailers realize is that if the customers are taken care of, they are more likely to recommend that business to their friends; there is no stronger advertisement than the one that comes from that of a satisfied customer. Therefore, it makes sense for all retailers to really make an effort to cater to customers, and take good care of them.
- One way your business can provide good customer service to online consumers is to respond to requests as soon as possible. We live in a world where everything is instant, and people think waiting more than a second is unacceptable. Many companies have responded to this demand by having 24-hour customer service phone lines and online chat services. This is going to be more important since you have people shopping at all hours of the day and night. If you cannot do the request immediately, an automated response back to the client to let them know that you have received their request and are working to resolve their query is reassuring to the client. As you progress through their request, keep the client updated – send them a notice that you’ve received their order, send them an email that their package is on the way, and send them a notice when their package has been delivered.
- If you make a mistake and the client complains, try to appease the client and fix your mistake – quickly. This is a fast way to keep not just that client that you have wronged, but any client that you may get from their word of mouth. Provide good customer service, and your customers will become your evangelists.
- Listen to your clients. This is where the “Contact Us” link comes in on your webpage. This allows you to get invaluable feedback from your clients – not only to create a better shopping experience for that client, but to improve your website for future clients.
