How Well Are You Being Served?

Your eCommerce business is not just a platform for you to sell your product; it's a way to build a relationship with your customers.

Engaging with your customers needs to be more than just about selling to them. With more and more competition online ready to sweep business from you, its now easier than ever to get lost in the noise and forget the needs of the customer.

When thinking about how your customer engages with your online business, you need to ask yourself how well are they being served? Let's run through an example:

• You've gone into a retail outlet store that sells craft beer
• You're browsing their selection for a gift for a friend
• The shop has too may beers to make up your mind so you seek help from the customer service representative in store
• You're recommended to purchase a 3-month Beer Club membership and can do that easily online

So, now you are back at home, and you are logged on to their online site at 7:30 pm:

• As you were about to purchase the package, you wanted to know the difference between the different packages on offer
• You search their FAQ for a resolve, but still can't find what you are after
• You try to contact their retail store, however it was after hours and there is no answer
• You give up and instead buy something else for your friend from your local bottle store.

So, what can we do to stop this? Let's run through the scenario once more, but unlike the last experience, the eCommerce store is equipped with the necessary tools to serve you better.

Went home and logged to their online site at 7:30 pm:

• As you were about to purchase the package, you wanted to know the difference between the different packages on offer
• You search their FAQ for a resolve, but still can't find what you are after
• You notice a chat icon on your screen, and you decide to click on it
• An agent from the site becomes available within 2 minutes, and guides you through your purchase by answering your questions
• As a result, you purchase the 6-month membership package at a discounted price and also bought a special release glass

The result? Customer satisfaction, and the craft beer shop added an increase in revenue and a positive customer advocate.