Importance of Customer Service in eCommerce Business

When you go to a brick-and-mortar store, you can talk to the salespersons live and thus they can help you make informed decisions. Besides that, if you buy a product from such a store, and later you find that something is not right, you will have the chance to talk with the person who is in charge.

Unlike a brick-and-mortar store, an eCommerce business does not allow the customer to talk to the salespersons in person or can not contact the customer care representative face to face.

This is exactly where the importance of customer service for online eCommerce businesses comes to the spot!

In this article, we will discuss how customer support is important for an eCommerce business and how you can give customer service effectively to your online customers.

What is Customer Service in eCommerce Business?

Customer service in eCommerce is all about helping online shoppers have a great experience. It involves answering their questions, solving their problems, and making sure they feel valued and satisfied with their purchase.

When you shop online and need help, customer service is there to assist you. Whether it's through chat, email, or social media, they respond quickly to your queries. They personalize their help, like recommending products you might like or tracking your order for you.

If something goes wrong, like a payment issue or a missing package, eCommerce customer service steps in to fix it. They also offer proactive support, such as sending you shipping updates or suggesting products that go well with your purchase.

That's customer service in eCommerce business.

Difference Between Traditional and eCommerce Customer Support

While both traditional and eCommerce customer service aim to support and satisfy customers, there are distinct differences between the two.

Here’s a comparison table highlighting the differences between traditional and eCommerce customer service:

Importance of Customer Service in eCommerce Business

If you are yet to be convinced about, then here are some exciting facts that should change your mind:

• 83% of online shoppers need assistance to complete an order.
• Due to poor customer support, 89% of online shoppers stopped buying things online.

Now let's find a few key points pn why eCommerce customer support is importanat:

01. Builds Customer Trust and Loyalty

Customer service plays a crucial role in building trust and loyalty in eCommerce. When customers receive timely, helpful, and friendly support, they feel valued and appreciated. This positive experience fosters a sense of trust, making them more likely to return for future purchases.

Consistently good customer service shows that a business cares about its customers' needs and satisfaction, which builds a loyal customer base.

Loyal customers are not only more likely to make repeat purchases, but they are also more likely to recommend the business to others, further enhancing the company's reputation and growth.

02. Enhances the Overall Shopping Experience

Great customer service ensures that shoppers have a smooth and pleasant experience from start to finish. When customers can easily get help with their questions, track their orders, or resolve issues quickly, their overall experience is positive.

This seamless support makes shopping more enjoyable and stress-free, encouraging customers to return and shop again.

03. Increases Customer Retention Rates

When customers receive excellent service, they are more likely to stay loyal to the brand. They remember the positive interactions and the ease with which their problems were solved.

This loyalty translates into higher customer retention rates, as satisfied customers keep coming back rather than looking for alternatives.

04. Boosts Sales and Conversion Rates

Effective customer service can directly impact sales and conversions. When customers feel supported and valued, they are more likely to complete their purchases.

Additionally, personalized recommendations and assistance can guide customers towards products they might not have considered, increasing the average order value and overall sales.

05. Generates Positive Word-of-Mouth and Referrals

Happy customers are more likely to share their positive experiences with friends, family, and on social media. This word-of-mouth marketing is invaluable for eCommerce businesses, as it brings in new customers who trust the recommendations of people they know.

Positive reviews and testimonials can also attract more visitors and boost the business’s reputation.

06. Reduces Return Rates and Complaints

When customer service is efficient and proactive, it can address potential issues before they escalate. By providing accurate product information, helping with sizing or usage queries, and resolving problems quickly, businesses can minimize returns and complaints.

This not only saves costs but also enhances customer satisfaction.

07. Differentiates the Brand from Competitors

In a crowded eCommerce market, excellent customer service can set a brand apart from its competitors. While many businesses may offer similar products, not all provide the same level of support and care.

Exceptional customer service creates a unique selling point, making customers more likely to choose and stay loyal to the brand that goes the extra mile to meet their needs.

How to Provide Customer Supprts in eCommerce Business?

There are three ways to provide customer support:

• On-Page Customer Support
• Hybrid Approach
• Off-Page Customer Support

Let's get into the details!

I) On-page Customer Support

The main benefit of the on-page support is your customer does not have to leave your website to contact you with phone calls or emails. This helps you reduce the bounce rate of your website. And it puts less pressure on your customer care agent.

When you are giving on-page customer support, you are basically giving support through your webpage.

Chat Support

Chat support means when they can talk in real-time to the customer support agent from your webpage using texts or even with voice calls.

However, you can also automate this live support for the common questions using chatbot's artificial intelligence or with IVR (Interactive voice response technology that interacts with the human in real-time.

There are many instances of giving on-page live chat support. You can give support using services like help scout, zen desk or specialized CRM software, and much more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions bring about two great benefits. One is it allows you to reduce the pressure of the incoming customer queries and the other is it improves the page rank of the page that includes the FAQs. This will eventually help you to increase the overall website rank and domain authority.

II) Hybrid Approach

Hybrid Approach is simply when you give prompt customer support using the FAQ question model and use simple conditions and give your customer support.

What it means is that your customers will have to select a few question options. This way the associated customer will get the correct solution to his or her queries.

So basically on-page customer support doesn’t require a customer to move away from the website to get assistance. The most common examples of on-page customer service are frequently asked questions (FAQs) and live chat support mentioned above

III) Off-Page Customer Support Approach

Unlike on-page customer support, off-page customer support includes giving support through:

• Phone calls
• Emails

And all of them have their own advantages and disadvantages.

Phone Support

If a customer gets stuck with any problem, then the first thing that he or she usually does is talk to the customer care agent.

Customer support via phone call is a great option

Email Support

Providing support to your customers through email is the most economical and effective way. It is handy in a way it lets you and your customers add screenshots.

And email ensures you document everything you are dealing with your customers. As everything is well-documented it works as proof of communication.

5 Tips to Provide a Great eCommerce Customer Service

01. Be Accessible and Responsive

To provide an unforgettable eCommerce customer service, you have to be accessible and responsible all the time. Let's learn how you can do that!

• Multiple channels: Offer support through various channels like email, phone, live chat, and social media.
• Quick response times: Aim to respond to customer inquiries promptly, ideally within a few hours.
• Availability: Ensure customer support is available during peak shopping hours and beyond.

2. Build Strong Customer Relationships

Building strong customer relationships is another proven way to get success in online businesses. Check how you can build relationships with your customers:

• Empathy: Understand and share customers' feelings, showing genuine concern for their issues.
• Personalization: Use customer data to tailor interactions and offer personalized recommendations.
• Proactive support: Anticipate customer needs and provide solutions before they ask.

3. Empower Your Customer Service Team

To give a better customer service, you'll need a better customer service team. To build a strong team, follow these tips:

• Training: Equip your team with product knowledge, problem-solving skills, and communication techniques.
• Tools: Provide necessary tools like CRM software, knowledge bases, and customer support platforms.
• Empowerment: Give customer service representatives the authority to make decisions and resolve issues efficiently.

4. Leverage Technology

You must follow the latest trends in eCommerce industry to ensure better customer service. Check these trends and leverage them for your business:

• Self-service options: Offer FAQs, online help centers, and chatbot support for common inquiries.
• Customer service software: Utilize tools to manage customer interactions, track performance, and improve efficiency.
• Data analysis: Analyze customer data to identify trends, pain points, and opportunities for improvement.

5. Measure and Improve

You need to measure your team how they are doint. If you need to bring any changes as per the report, don't be hesitated to make the changes.

• Customer satisfaction metrics: Track key performance indicators like CSAT, NPS, and CES.
• Customer feedback: Collect and analyze customer feedback to identify areas for improvement.
• Continuous improvement: Implement changes based on customer feedback and performance metrics.

Following these tips, you can create a customer service experience that not only meets but exceeds customer expectations, fostering loyalty and driving business growth.

Wrapping up the Importance of Customer Service in eCommerce

As far as customer support is concerned, you can not make it optional. Because we have already mentioned the reasons why you can not neglect the importance of customer support in the perspective.

Whether you are conducting B2B or B2C business, customer support can be the perfect approach to establish brand awareness and customer loyalty.

To build a sustainable relationship with customers, you can check our blog on tips to build relationship with customers.

Now if you have anything to share related to this article, feel free to do that using the comment box below. We would love to know your feedback!