How important is customer service when you make decisions on where you shop?
Most people consider customer service one of if not the most important factor to determine whether or not they return to s store. The experience they have with sales staff and how they are treated if they have questions or problems are paramount. Many of your decisions concerning retail shops or where you eat are undoubtedly determined by the quality of customer service you receive. Many internet marketers do not seem to understand that they must play by the same rules as a brick and mortar business when it comes to the customer’s experience. The impersonality of the internet may make online marketers feel anonymous, but they still have to focus on customer service if they want to get more customers. Customer satisfaction is key to referrals and repeat customers. Internet marketers have a tendency to ignore or downplay the importance of customer service in making them successful. With these techniques you can set yourself apart by offering great customer service to your sites visitors.
Always respond to contact inquiries in a timely manner, remember sooner is better but always within 24 hours. You should always respond to messages personally. Always remember you need to build a relationship with the customer, people buy from people and businesses they like and trust. Don't merely send out an automated response. By responding promptly to inquiries, feedback or even negative comments, you will be telling customers that you are a professional and that they and their opinions matter to you.
Always try and add value for those on your customer list, make it beneficial for them to be on your list; give them something extra. You don't have to give something away to every person who e-mails you; the decision is yours. There's nothing more fun than winning something. People love to get things for free, it is an easy way to enhance their experience and keep them coming back.
Send out some free information to your customers every now and then. Do not make every contact into a sales pitch. This again goes back to adding value, keep sales pitches and offers down under 50% of your follow up emails to your customers. Give them some useful information, and do not spam their inbox or they will opt out. Send newsletters and to keep them interested. If you are just giving them useless filler and sales pitches your e-mails are more likely to be deleted without being opened. If you show a willingness to give them value for nothing in return, you will see an increase in customer loyalty. These techniques will demonstrate that you care about more than just your profit margins
There is no reason that quality customer service needs to be difficult. As a matter of fact, it takes only a modest effort to offer quality customer service. Spending five or ten minutes a day to make sure you are taking care of your customers will show a noticeable increase in your traffic and revenue. Now that you know it is really quite simple to offer quality customer service, you have no excuse not to improve this area of your business? It can only benefit you!
