Providing excellent online customer service can be challenging because of the impersonal nature of the internet. Anyone who has ever had any customer service training knows that providing personalized service is crucial in building good, long lasting customer relationships.
When I was a bank teller 20 years ago, part of my job was knowing the customer’s names, and calling them by name each time they visited the bank. Today, with so much business being transacted online, personal, friendly customer service has been lost and replaced with websites and email.If you sell products or services on-line, you must go the extra mile to provide outstanding customer service. In many cases, especially in the media, the internet has a reputation for scammers and dishonest sellers. It is unfortunate that hardworking, honest business people must suffer from the actions of a few. You’ll have to work hard to overcome this.
The best way is to communicate with your customers. Send an email after the sale, once you have received payment, and when the item has shipped. Much of this can be automated and won’t cost you extra time. Don’t be afraid to follow up if the customer hasn’t contacted you about receiving the item. Just send a short email to confirm that the customer has received the item and is satisfied. Going the extra mile with professional communication shows your customers that you are accommodating and they will return to your website. Furthermore, when you provide personal, attentive service, you have an advantage over huge online retailers. This is where the small seller can really shine.
Remember, it is much easier to keep a customer coming back than to develop a relationship with a new customer. The cost of acquiring new customers, according to many surveys, runs 8 to 10 times more than the cost of keeping existing ones. Cross-sell, up-sell, and communicate. For example, look at your bank. Aren’t they always sending you information on their other services and encouraging you to do more business with them? The more services a customer has with a business, the less likely he is to leave. Do you ever get coupons in the mail from stores where you have credit cards? These big companies know the trick – keep the customer coming back. On-line retailers can do the same. The key: Keep in touch with your customers. Communicate. Remember, without customers, you have nothing.
Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, eBay Consultant, and single stay at home mom of 2 in Atlanta.