Improving Customer Service Online

We’ve all been in situations before where a bad experience shopping online has led us to make a complaint. Whether it be bad communication, incorrect stock information or just a longer than normal wait for shipping we all know how irritated it can make us feel. Most of the time complaints come through via email, but shoppers are now increasingly turning to social media to voice their issues online. Therefore it is essential to make sure that you handle any complaints or queries through your social media correctly to not only win back your customer, but other users in the process.  

Shopify recently came out with 4 tips for improving your customer service through social media.

The first being Speed. The number 1 reason that a customer makes a complaint or posts a query on a Facebook business page is because they want their request to be expedited. No one wants to see a request posted on Facebook which has still not had received a reply after a period of time. This immediately shows others a lack in customer support. Not to mention you would immediately want to rectify any situation where one of your customers was not happy. If someone posts directly to your business’s Facebook page make sure you can reply within half an hour.

The second is to Pay Attention. A lot of the time, users go to social media because they want their voices heard whether it be for a complaint, a question or just a general comment. Make sure you take the time to understand what has been written so that you can reply directly.

The third it to Accept Responsibility.  If a customer has had an issue with your shopping experience then it is essential that you accept responsibility where it is due. Even making sure that you say ‘sorry’ is the first step to working towards rectifying an issue.

Lastly, you need to Be Generous. It’s a win/win situation as not only will your customer be happy, but other users will see this generosity as well. If a problem is reported on your Facebook page, it’s a good idea to not only accept responsibility but offer some sort of condolence such as a voucher or shipping discount.