The holidays are upon us: scale up your customer service

The holidays are coming, and that means you can expect a big increase in traffic to your online store. More traffic brings more sales, but also - and perhaps more importantly - a big increase in incoming customer inquiries. If you haven't prepared for this increase, you run the risk of being inundated with inquiries.

We explain why customer service is crucial to successful ecommerce and how to address it in a scalable way. Plus, we share 5 tips to get started right away.

Why is customer service essential for successful ecommerce?

The explosive growth of ecommerce in recent years has changed the way we store online. Consumers have become increasingly accustomed to ordering online, accelerated in part by the effects of the global pandemic. At the same time, ecommerce technology has improved tremendously.

Yet this does not mean that ecommerce has completely replaced physical stores. In physical stores, customers can hold and try on products before making a purchase. Your online store, on the other hand, relies heavily on customer trust.

This is why excellence in customer service is so important. It:

• increases the number of sales
• Builds customer loyalty and trust
• Promotes customer retention and increases CLV (customer lifetime value)
• Contributes to brand awareness and recognition
• Reduces returns, complaints and negative reviews

Excellent customer service can make or break your online store and is essential to successfully growing your business. Ecommerce managers would therefore do well to invest in a strong customer service department.

The seasonal rush, however, can put quite a strain on your support team. The end of the year in particular is often a major challenge for customer service departments in ecommerce.

How do you provide an excellent customer experience during the holidays?

Keep the following in mind: during the holidays, competition among online stores is greater than ever. Ads become more expensive, discounts become more extreme, and consumers are more discerning than ever before.

But the rewards of providing an excellent customer experience to all these potential new customers are worth it. If you succeed in turning these new customers into loyal brand ambassadors, you will build a sustainable ecommerce business.

One way to ensure a first-class customer experience is to manage every possible customer contact moment. Make sure you are available for contact:

• before purchase
• during the purchase process
• after the purchase

By being proactively available, you build trust and guide the customer experience, just as you would in a physical store. Also consider customer preferences: they want to reach you through the channel of their choice. Consider:

• email
• phone
• text message
• live chat
• messaging apps (WhatsApp, Messenger, etc.).

Make sure your team is prepared and has processes ready for all these channels. With the following 5 tips, you can make your customer service scalable and efficient this holiday season.

5 tips to make customer service scalable during the holidays

1. Manage all your communication channels from a single view

If you don't have an overview of all communication channels, you run the risk of missing crucial questions. Especially if you run a busy store with multiple customer service representatives, a central overview is essential.

With an all-in-one dashboard, you can accomplish the following:

• Collaborate with colleagues in resolving tickets
• Reduce the average handling speed of tickets
• Provide a seamless customer experience regardless of the channel used

Tools like Trengo allow you to centrally manage Messenger and WhatsApp messages, emails and text messages.

2. Automate manual tasks with quick responses, automatic replies, rules and chatbots

Frequently asked questions cost your customer service department unnecessary time. Think of questions like:

• What is my order number?
• Where is my order?
• I have been waiting a long time for my order
• The product was damaged on arrival
• Where is my refund?

Automation can significantly ease this workload. Tools like Trengo allow you to set up quick responses and automatic replies. Chatbots can be the first line of contact, allowing customer service agents to focus on more complex questions.

3. Offer self-service with a comprehensive help center

A help center is a valuable addition to your website, allowing customers to find answers to frequently asked questions on their own. Use insights from your customer service team to create relevant articles and consider a multilingual help center for an international audience.

4. Optimize and automate the return process.

Returns often cause extra fuss in customer service. By automating the returns process, you avoid many questions about returns and refunds. For example, Returnista's platform allows you to encourage exchanges, which drastically reduces questions about refunds. In addition, the platform provides proactive communication about return status.

5. Provide proactive updates to avoid questions

Keep customers informed about the status of their return or exchange. This prevents unnecessary questions and increases customer confidence. Returnista's software lets you send customers real-time tracking updates, so you're always one step ahead.

Getting ready for the holidays with Returnista

With Returnista, you keep customers informed about their returns and exchanges, even during peak times. Ready to take your customer service to the next level? Request a demo on our website.

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