Fact: Consumers love to shop online. It’s convenient, easy, and a generally painless experience. But what happens when something goes wrong? It could be a hitch in delivery, an issue with the product itself, or perhaps the customer finding a lower price after making their purchase. If a consumer buys online, one would assume they are even more likely to share a potential bad experience on a blog, Facebook, Twitter, or as a review on the e-commerce site itself. For e-retailers these days (or any retailer for that matter), it’s like walking on dynamite – one bad move and it can explode all over the Internet.
The best way to combat this is to make sure you have a rock solid customer service plan in place. A recent article on Internet Retailer talks about how web-only store Backcountry.com has seen an increase in sales and improved customer relations by providing strong customer service. Backcountry says that customers who order on their site with the help of a customer service agent are 50 percent more likely to come back again compared to customers who order without assistance. They also offer price matching within 30 days after purchase (sometimes longer just to keep customers happy) and often times dole out free shipping even when the minimum purchase threshold hasn’t been met. In order to continually raise the bar, they seek customer feedback and ask about how service can be improved.
Customer service has long been an advantage for brick-and-mortars, however, many e-retailers are doing all they can to make sure their customers are receiving top-notch service. No matter how you provide your service — live chat, phone support, or email support — giving a customer a positive experience when things go wrong will only increase your chances of bringing them back for more.
Read more at internetretailer.com.
