In today’s mature eCommerce world, consumers have multiple choices for where, when and how to buy their goods. The availability of what they want on the Internet has become a prime Importance. If you search for it, you will find it, and then will be able to easily buy it.
The Customer’s Life Cycle
For most customers, there are only 3 times that they interact with a provider company – at the point of sale, at the point of delivery – and if they have any problems and need to contact customer service. Companies have three opportunities to get it done properly and build a long lasting connection with their customers.
This is what makes customer support so critical for the survival of a company – if you get it wrong, customers will switch. They only have a few opportunities to interact with a single brand and if one in three interactions is unpleasant, they won’t have any hesitation about searching for the product they want on competitor’s website.
Creating Customer Value Through Transparency
So how do you ensure that the customer experience is a good one? Information. Your supply chain tracks and records information every step of the way – when the item is selected, when it’s designated for shipping, and where it is throughout the process up to and including when it lands on the consumer’s doorstep.
This information can pave the way of your customer support professionals do their job even better. If a customer wonders where their package is, the status will only be a phone call or a click away. If there are any delays in shipping, customer service can proactively communicate that to providers, so they’re not left wondering what’s happening behind the scenes.
In addition to visibility and transparency so information is shared, it is of the up most importance in this day and age that your customer support professionals be highly trained and understand your products – and your brand.
Quicker resolutions equal happier customers. Happy customers will return again and again.
By closely tying eCommerce and fulfillment to customer support, and ensuring your professionals know the products inside and out, information is shared, problems are quickly resolved, and there are no surprises – or disappointments. Expectations are set and met. The customer service experience remains consistently excellent from start to finish.
About The Author: Technophile
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