No matter what side of the register (or online shopping cart) you’re on, the words “customer service” evoke an emotional reaction. At Moolah, while we take care of credit card processing for small business, we’re mindful that what happens after the payment has been processed is just as important for your business’s long-term success. What exactly makes good customer service, especially for online sales, and how can you make sure you’re taking care of your customer?
For the most part, all customers are motivated by the same thing: they want their expectations to be met, and when their expectations aren’t met, they want someone to acknowledge that and take steps to make it better. Understanding this is all you need to transform those high-maintenance complainers into brand evangelists.
Think about the types of issues your customers are likely to face. For simple, commonplace issues, it’s essential to provide clear self-service channels so that customers feel comfortable taking the lead, and, importantly, aren’t inconvenienced by jumping through hoops to get the solution they’re after.
For complex issues, find out a variety of ways to reach your customer. Sometimes, a phone call can be the quickest way of resolving an issue, and still other questions are easy enough to resolve over email or chat.
The perfect way to resolve a customer service is…instantly. 100% of customers don’t want an issue to happen, and would rather not have to contact you to resolve it. It’s important to keep this in mind when crafting your customer service strategy, and take a preventative approach. A robust FAQ page on your site can prevent a lot of issues. Returns and shipping is an area where a very clear policy can save everyone time. If you explain in your policy what is or isn’t covered in your return policy, and if it’s easy to find on your website, customers will be confident taking the lead in initiating the return.
Making sure your product descriptions are just that: descriptive, can also eliminate a lot of issues that arise from products not matching expectations. If the issue was unavoidable, however, ensure that it is dealt with immediately, or as close to immediately as possible. Keep in mind that most customers who contact a company via social media expect a response within an hour.
On the topic of making your customer service instant, information has been moving way faster than telephone for some time now. By providing channels for customer service, such as live chat, Facebook Messenger, and SMS, you’re making it effortless to get in touch with you, but also making it much easier for you to resolve an issue quickly.
Scaling that customer service can be a real hurdle if you don’t find the right tools. Shop around and see if software services like ClickSend or Reamaze can satisfy your needs.
Speaking of customer service, if you’re still looking for help with credit card processing for small business, look into a company that is known for its great customer service: check out Moolah today.