If entrepreneurs know how to improve customer service in e-commerce, they are setting themselves one step closer to success.

For the past years, the e-commerce industry experienced unprecedented growth. In 2017 alone, around 1.66 billion people globally bought goods online or an equivalent of US$2.3 trillion in sales, a Statista report found out. And it’s not slowing down anytime. The same report revealed that by 2021, e-commerce sales can grow up to US$4.8 trillion.

Some of the leaders we know today when it comes to e-commerce include Jeff Bezos of Amazon.com, Jack Ma of Alibaba, Pierre Omidyar of eBay, C. Douglas Mcmillon of Walmart, and Chad Dickerson of Etsy. For sure, these giants have tons of employees who got it all figured out how to market their brands and deal with thousands of customer complaints each day.

The level of success of these companies seem so overwhelming and beyond reach, especially if you are just starting out. Don’t worry; even these giants began from scratch. Because they persevered despite experiencing difficulties from the beginning, they have achieved the glorious status they have today. Their story will be yours as well if you won’t give up and continue fighting for the success of the business you built.

Succeeding in e-commerce starts with little steps. If you’re a gadget geek and you decided to sell it as the prime commodity in your store, that’s a smart move. You should love what you do — this is the primary ingredient of being a successful entrepreneur.

Aside from exploring the market and deciding what you should sell, it is also important to know how to improve customer service in e-commerce.

10 ways on how to improve customer service in e-commerce

Depending on your brand strategies, you can craft different methods of improving customer service in e-commerce. However, if you’re still new to online selling, don’t fret. We’ve got your back! Here are the top 10 ways for you to improve customer service in e-commerce.

1. Unify communication channels. When customers experienced problems with their devices, they will make sure that you get their message. To do this, they will try to reach out in all means possible. At times, you can receive two or more messages from a single person. Unifying your communication channels help you prevent confusion — you’ll know if the customer who messaged you on social media is the same person who sent an email with the same request.
2. Set a standard response time. One of the best consideration when it comes to providing customer support is by setting a standard time when you’ll reply to customers. In the best of your ability, try to make it fast because according to studies, the more you delay your response, the less satisfied your customers would become with your business.
3. Don’t forget the traditional channels. Using the telephone as a way to connect with customers is not dead. As a matter of fact, it remains as one of the best methods of answering customer issues and complaints. The use of telephone gives you the ability to talk directly with your customers  therefore makes it easier for you to assist your customers in fixing their gadgets real-time.
4. Maximize live chat. Like a phone call, live chat also allows you to give real-time assistance to your customers. This is also a helpful tool when a customer is still on the buying process. It prevents cart abandonment by explaining to customers all their concerns which stops them from continuing on their transactions.
5. Set expectations. Setting your customers’ expectations too high can also backfire on you. It is important, therefore, to let your customers know what they should get from you early on the process.
6. Be present on different channels. Online shoppers can also be frequent social media users. Providing support in all channels that your customers use will make it more convenient for them to reach you.
7. Practice social listening. Not all customers will send you direct messages regarding their concerns with their product purchase. You should know that there are times when they will post it directly on their social media accounts. Use social listening tools to find any customer concerns and issues related to your brand.
8. Utilize FAQs and knowledge base. One of the best ways to deliver good service is before a customer knows that he or she needs one. Always update your FAQs and knowledge base with common concerns so when your customers look for an answer online, your solution will be the first in line.
9. Be honest on descriptions. Never deceive your customers with flowery descriptions if it does not exist on your actual product. Remember, it can backfire on you — big time.
10. Consider outsourcing. E-commerce customer care outsourcing is a time-efficient and cost-saving way of providing support to all your customers.

Now that you know how to improve customer service in e-commerce, you can start applying it to your business.

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