Many companies now do most or even all of their business online, forgoing the "Brick and Mortar" storefront. It is easy to see why this trend has occurred. First, the cost of setting up such a business is relatively cheap and easy. There is no need to pay for the overhead of the physical building. Also, the cost of maintaining the website is minimal. In addition, the Internet provides a convenient and effective way to market products.
However, when businesses move from face-to-face customers to anonymous online customers, there is a loss of personal connection and trust. All the online spamming and scams haven't helped matters at all. This has eroded confidence in e-commerce and the credibility of many companies. How do you gain and maintain customer trust? What do you do as an online seller to communicate with your customers?
In the online world, business just doesn't stop after hours and on weekends. What do you do to answer your customers' questions? Here are some things you can do to improve your communication with customers:
1 It offers a Frequently Asked Questions page and online product support information. It's a great way to answer basic questions that might otherwise overwhelm your support email. For example, our voice changing product, Morph, has an FAQ about common problems customers may encounter. We've also provided detailed online documentation on topics that users may want to explore more. This solves about 95% of the questions people may have.
2 Add a support email link on your website for issues that web support cannot resolve. At Screaming Bee, we aim to respond to our customers' inquiries within one business day. More often than not, we answer questions within an hour of receiving the email. I believe we have earned many loyal customers through our aggressive efforts to meet needs in a timely manner.
3 Provide a message board or forum for customers to express their opinions, add comments and interact with each other. This also helps build a community of users who are empowered and have a say in the products and services you provide.
4 Have you followed up with your customers after they purchased your products or services? This is essential not only for getting feedback on how to improve your offerings, but more importantly for maintaining a trusting and long-term relationship with your customer. Email them within 3-4 weeks of your first purchase. Their experience with your products and services is so fresh in their mind. Remember, a customer that is ignored is a customer that is lost.
Spending time and effort to better communicate with customers pays off. Your company will rise and fall not on the customers you gain, but on the customers you don't lose. Loyal customers will be the ones who give you the best references. They also provide you with the richest, organic, word of mouth marketing. Remember that every satisfied customer is proof of your company's success.
It saves both money and time. This is one of the best advantages of online communication. No matter where your teammate or partner is, you can connect with him/her from anywhere. Online communication has made it easier for business owners to connect with their clients and partners from anywhere in the world.
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