Above Average Customer Service – The Key to a Successful Online Business

 

1) Respond within one business day.

 

This is critical. A person can be very patient, but if they don’t hear from you within about 24 hours, especially if they’ve already paid for their product, they won’t be quite as understanding when you finally get back to them. Even if you just acknowledge their message immediately, at least they know it has been received.

 

2) Don’t hesitate to ask for more information.

 

Most people are more than willing to provide whatever additional details are required to get their problem resolved. Whether it’s confirming which URL they are using, whether they are using Firefox or Internet Explorer, or simply what type of error message they see, they will usually be happy to provide you with whatever you need.

 

I had one customer who kept indicating that he couldn’t get past the “visual box”. I didn’t have a clue what he meant, until I probed further. I asked him exactly what he saw. He then described the verification image made up of letters and numbers which is often required to prove that a human is logging in and not some type of robot.

 

3) Always ask for their results.

 

Once you have resolved a problem, or at least think you have, make sure to ask the customer to get back to you and let you know if your solution worked. I have found that 99.9% of folks will. Never assume that just because you haven’t heard back from them that everything is okay. Sometimes it’s not okay.

 

Encouraging them to get back to you also sends the important message that you truly care about their satisfaction.

 

4) Don’t dismiss the rude customers—nurture them.

 

Some people can be extremely abrasive from the get-go. In fact, there are some who seem to be spoiling for a fight, even though it’s the first time you’ve heard from them. Often, they are just frustrated and feel like they don’t count. With these clients, it doesn’t hurt to pick up the phone and talk to them. Some folks aren’t as good describing their problem in an email as they are over the phone.

 

From experience, I have found that once you talk to someone “live”, it sends the strong message that you care. You’ve put a “voice” to your name and they feel special. They are also more likely to pass around the good word that you are a great company to do business with. That type of goodwill is priceless.

 

5) Don’t try to do it all yourself.

 

Depending on your volumes, it may make good sense to hire a virtual assistant to monitor your email inbox and voice mail. This person is dedicated to the satisfaction of your clients and can quickly come up to speed on your systems and processes. You can then get on with your other priorities like prospect list building, marketing and developing new products. You’d be surprised by how not being interrupted several times a day to deal with routine customer service issues can increase your concentration and effectiveness in growing your business.  

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