How to improve your service experience and bring customers back
Why improve your service experience? 80% of customers say they’ve switched brands due to poor CX. Here are three ways to fix it.
Shopping online ranks pretty high on my list of best innovations when it comes to improving family well-being. Rather than heading to a crowded mall after work, I prefer sitting on the couch in the evening, surfing the web, and enjoying a nice cup of tea… or other beverages. Another thing I’m additionally grateful for? Intelligent customer service.
Yep. I said it.
I’m thankful for the folks who understand that customers are shopping online and need help, no matter what time it is, or where they are. Throughout the holiday season, e-commerce shopping reduces stress for everyone trying to fulfill the wishes on their lists.
Online retailers have done a great job improving the shopping experience: Good-looking storefronts, quick delivery times, and flexible return policies all increase customer satisfaction.
However, there’s one element that still needs more attention: Customer service.
Just like in physical stores, customers may have questions regarding the products, and when they do, someone needs to be there to help.
Otherwise the customer will go somewhere else – and there are countless alternatives just one click away.
Customer service isn’t something that happens after the purchase. Service needs to be available in every stage of the buying journey.
In fact, adding customer service as a key component to your commerce strategy can boost your sales and cut your costs.
Customer service trends: Service becomes savior
Customer service trends in 2022: More companies will make service a priority to drive growth, customer loyalty, and C-suite strategies.
Benefits of intelligent customer service
Intelligent customer service means intuitive responses to consumers seeking answers, and happy customers mean happy bottom lines.
Using intelligent service you can:
- Decrease shopping cart abandon rates
- Increase click to-buy rates
- Reduce returns by helping customers select the right products
Mobile customer service: SMS tools, chatbots, and global social platforms
Mobile customer service is about helping the 48% of US consumers that browse the web from mobile devices at any given moment. It’s about text message SMS, Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, chatbots and more.
Improve e-commerce experience via intelligent customer service
To assure that your customer has the best experience possible on your site, here are a few customer service pointers:
- Make sure your customer service is available on all the channels your customers are using
- Explore machine learning and chatbots to see where you can automate customer service for even faster service
- Data is the fuel: Both your customer service agents and the automated services need a solid database to find the right answers
In many cases, the line between commerce and service is blurring. The busy shopper does not care if it is your customer service or commerce department answering questions.
And it really doesn’t matter if the answers come from a live agent or a chatbot. What consumers want is a quick and convenient way to find the gifts that will make their those on their holiday list happy, and to have these items delivered in time.
It’s the complete customer experience that matters – and CX will only become more important in the future.
