5 Tools For Providing Exceptional Ecommerce Customer Service

The online space is always evolving, but one thing will never go out of fashion: exceptional eCommerce customer service. Happy customers become repeat customers. When your customers trust your brand and feel valued and respected throughout their shopping journey, they are likely to spend more, spend often, and tell their friends and family about your products.

Importance of Customer Service in eCommerce

An online customer cannot be won over by a warm smile, a strong handshake, or a perfectly timed compliment. You have to find other ways to build trust and bridge the gap between you and your customers.

That’s why eCommerce customer service is so important. It’s an opportunity to make the online shopping experience feel personal, whether your customer is down the road or in another country.

Here are five tools to help you deliver exceptional eCommerce customer service:

1. Live Chat

Imagine you are shopping for shoes online. You’ve found a perfect pair, run them past your best friend for approval, and you’re ready to click buy now.

However, when you go to add the shoes to your cart, you get cold feet (pun intended). What if the shoes don’t fit and you need to return them? If only you could talk to a real person to get some reassurance about the returns policy…

Then you notice the Live Chat box in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen. Problem solved! After a quick chat with a salesperson in real time, you feel reassured that you can return the shoes if needed. You go ahead with the purchase.

It’s normal for people to seek reassurance from a shop assistant before they spend money. Live Chat gives your customers an opportunity to ask questions in real time so they feel confident about proceeding to checkout.

It’s an essential feature in today’s age of instant gratification. Once you install Live Chat, you’ll likely see fewer abandoned carts and more customer enquiries. People love using Live Chat and are beginning to expect it from all major online stores.

There are plenty of Live Chat platforms to choose from, including Zopim, Olark, LivePerson, and Boldchat.

Still not convinced? See our blog post: 5 Reasons Why You Should Use Live Chat on Your eCommerce Website for more insight.

2. Email

Every email you send is an opportunity to impress your customer, make them feel supported, and increase brand awareness. When used strategically, email is a powerful customer service tool.

Here are some tips for using email effectively:

• Manage expectations. When people fill out your contact form, let them know when to expect a response. Use an auto-reply or outline your process clearly, e.g. “We respond to all emails within 24 hours.”
• Respond quickly. In the time it takes you to reply, a customer may buy from a competitor. Consider outsourcing email management or using a tool like Zendesk so you can act fast.
• Personalise your emails. Use first names, keep your tone warm and conversational, and avoid sounding robotic.
• Follow up. If you don’t hear back, send a friendly follow-up—it shows you care.
• Offer extra value. Share blog posts, invite them to follow you on social media, or highlight special offers they may find useful.

3. Phone

Although Live Chat and email are growing in popularity, phone support is still essential - especially if something goes wrong. If there’s a problem, the first thing your customer will look for is a phone number.

Depending on your business size, you may be able to answer calls yourself or outsource phone support. As with email, managing expectations is key. Publish your business hours on your website and be clear about when people can expect a callback.

It’s also smart to keep scripts handy so your service is consistent. For example, have scripts for new enquiries, disgruntled customers, and returns.

4. Social Media

Social media is a fantastic opportunity to interact with customers. Increasingly, people are reaching out to brands via Facebook Messenger and Instagram DM, so make sure you check inboxes multiple times a day.

If you use a scheduling app, remember to show up in person as well. It looks bad if you’re posting regular content but ignoring comments or private messages.

Social media isn’t just a platform for broadcasting - it’s a place for conversations, both public and private. Many of your most loyal followers may never have visited your website yet; social platforms are where relationships start.

5. Website Copy

Our final tool for providing exceptional customer service might surprise you: your website copy.

Pages like your FAQs, Returns, or Terms & Conditions should be written with customer service front of mind. Copy should be clear, engaging, and trustworthy, making customers feel comfortable spending money on your products.

Little things make a big difference - like spelling and grammar. Even a small error can undermine trust. Proofread carefully.

Your copy is also a chance to show off your brand personality:

• Fun brands can add humour.
• Inspiring brands should choose uplifting words.
  

Helpful, trustworthy copy encourages customers to click buy now without hesitation. Even if you’re not speaking to them via email or phone, your web copy is your voice—make sure it’s pitch perfect.

Final Thoughts

That concludes our five tools: Live Chat, Email, Phone, Social Media, and Website Copy. Which tool do you use the most?

For more strategies, check out our post: 10 eCommerce Customer Service Tips.