Many companies already do most or even all of their business online, giving up brick and mortar storefronts. It's easy to see why this trend is happening. On the one hand, the cost of starting such a business is relatively cheap and easy. You don't have to pay physical building overhead. In addition, website maintenance costs are minimal. In addition, the Internet offers a convenient and effective way to market products. As more and more people spend their time online, the market for online customers continues to grow.
But when a company goes from a private customer to an anonymous online customer, personal connection and trust are lost. All the spam and online scams don't help at all. This has damaged the credibility of e-commerce and the credibility of many companies. How do you earn and retain customer trust? As an online provider, what do you do to communicate with your customers?
In the online world, business doesn't stop after work and on weekends. What do you do to answer your customers' questions? Here are some things you can do to improve communication with your customers:
1. Suggest FAQ pages and online product support information. This is a great way to answer basic questions that can overwhelm your support emails. For example, our voice change product, MorphVOX, has asked standard questions about common issues that customers may face. We have also provided detailed online documentation on topics that users may want to explore further. It handles about 95% of the questions people might have.
2. Add a support email link to your website for issues that web support cannot solve. At Screaming Bee, we try to answer our customers' questions within one business day. We often answer questions within an hour of receiving an email. I believe we have won many loyal customers thanks to our aggressive efforts to fulfill needs promptly.
3. Provide message boards or forums for customers to express opinions, add comments, and interact with one another. Remember that humans are social creatures and love to be heard. It also helps build a community of users who have authority and a say in the products and services you provide.
4. Write a personal email to each customer. Do you track your customers after they buy your product or service? It's not only important to receive feedback to improve your offering, but above all, to maintain a trusting and long-term relationship with your customers. Email them within 3-4 weeks of your first purchase. That way, their experience with your products and services is fresh in their memory. Remember that a neglected customer is a lost customer.
5. It pays to invest your time and effort in better communication with customers. Your business will go up and down not in the customers you attract but in the customers, you don't lose. Loyal customers will give you the best recommendations. They also provide you with the richest organic word-of-mouth marketing available. Remember that every happy customer is a testament to the success of your business.
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