When people go and purchase something from a physical store, they have the option to talk to the salesperson. Through this, they will make an informed decision before purchasing something.
This is quite different for eCommerce and SaaS businesses. Here, these customers cannot contact the seller directly nor communicate with the customer service executive face-to-face. This is done online.
This aspect of marketing should be ready on the website because it can show positive changes in the output graph.
Online customer services become so essential because of the fact that around 83% of the customers need assistance in making an online purchase. And also because 89% of shoppers stop buying from online stores that do not provide good customer service.
In this article, we are going to give you seven tips that you can incorporate while designing the customer service page on your website. Let’s jump right into them:
1. Customer Account and Personalisation
For eCommerce and SaaS businesses, in particular, it is essential to have a customer account feature on the website.
However, if you are of the opinion that customer accounts only benefit these specific businesses, then you need to think again. Irrespective of the type of business, the customers like to be remembered. Customer accounts with easy set-up and login features allow you to welcome login customers and make them feel special.
Moreover, you can also offer some sort of personalisation through these accounts. It can be anything from a personalised avatar to a meaningful dashboard. You don’t have to think out-of-the-box to add personal touches. You can even use this profile to understand your customers and know what they expect from you.
2. Design To Guide People To Specific Channels
The best support option for a confused customer depends on three major factors: who they are, what’s their issue, and what resources does the company have to help them out.
For example, if there’s a user who’s having a problem resetting the password, then he is best served the pre-posted document, instead of waiting to connect with some executive and get the same document in response.
Similarly, dealing with angry customers on the phone is the best way to calm their anger down. You might not want a robot to communicate with them.
Moreover, it is essential for you to understand that your customer service team is capable of providing much more value than just helping someone reset their password. By using thoughtful design and adding layers, you can direct customers to the channels that will be most beneficial for both them and your business.
For example, Squarespace first asks its customers to categorise the questions. It then shows the most appropriate results available on the site. Only if the customer does not find what they are looking for, SquareSpace gives them the options of email and live chat support. You should also consider multilingual documents or team. Integrating multilingual customer support within your service infrastructure not only enhances the customer experience for a global audience but also reflects your commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, catering to a diverse customer base.
3. Leverage Live Chat And Chatbots
One of the most effective ways to win customer loyalty is by ensuring that the interactions of customers with your company and staff is pleasant.
There are times when technology seems to interfere by making things less personal. After all, customers can identify when a person is genuinely taking an interest in their queries and when all they are doing is sending automated messages. This is why businesses are now modifying the chat process feature available on the websites to make it more effective.
Combining the live chat outsourcing team and chatbot, if we look at it, is really beneficial in the long term. Quality assurance is going to be at par with these software being combined because of their functionalities.
First, the chatbot for customer service will answer the basic questions. And if they fail to satisfy the customer, humans can always take over. In some ways, it helps business results stay in line with business goals by saving both time and money, and more importantly, improving the customer service experience.
4. Add Waiting Games
There are cases when you might need your customer to wait for some time. It can be while the page loads, a customer service executive is looking out for something, or while their account is being set up by an expert— they might have to wait.
These are the times when customers go restless, and their tone changes from friendly to cranky.
One great way to alleviate this issue is by adding something interactive on the web page, e.g., web games. If you can strategically convince them to open the game, it’ll occupy, distract, and more importantly, amuse an otherwise irritated customer. Once the work is done, you can notify them to exit the game.
5. FAQ Section
If you notice that your customer team is answering the same questions repeatedly, then it is time for you to consider creating a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section. It is one of the most simple yet functional ways to add relevant content aiming to help solve the queries of confused customers.
With the help of an FAQ section, you can reduce the number of calls and emails you get by addressing some of the most common pain points. You should always organise the FAQ section in categories so that your customers can quickly find what they are looking for. This section should be accessible from all your channels, be it social media, website, or blog. Doing this will save time for both you and your customers.
6. Add Expected Response Time
Now, we have discussed above how there might be times when customers have to wait to get a response. But it does not change the fact that waiting is still one of the hardest things to do in the customer service process.
Many businesses are now using AI-powered solutions to streamline response times, with chatbot examples showcasing how automated systems efficiently handle customer inquiries and reduce wait times.
For example, if an expected waiting time of one day appears for an email, then customers might try the self-service option – like an AI receptionist – to solve the issue on their own. On the other hand, if the wait time is under the accepted range, then customers might indulge in something else knowing that the solution is on the way.
7. Demos and Webinars
If you are socially up-to-date, you might notice that video content has taken over the internet globally. People are watching more videos than ever before. After all, it really is a great way to share information clearly, efficiently, and quickly. For people who like to learn things visually, video is quite useful.
If you’re trying to solve a problem, make a short and separate video for it to keep the customers engaged. Moreover, when one video targets a specific issue, the organisation and categorisation become easy.
So short videos should be preferred for demos, tutorials, and help videos. On the other hand, you can go for half-an-hour webinars to teach your customers how they can make the most out of your products.
When these demos and webinars are added to the customer service page, they appear to be really helpful and convenient. Now, to make this a reality you can turn to the best webinar software online and plan your next webinar content.
On a Concluding Note
Providing a variety of customer service options can keep your customers engaged. It will ensure that your retention rate is good. It helps in turning existing customers into local brand advocates. It is also crucial for nurturing new leads.
This includes integrating emerging tools like AI phone calls, which can streamline support, reduce wait times, and offer instant, personalized responses — improving the overall experience.
So the design of the customer service page should be like a ladder, where a customer is required to climb only as much as they need to see their solution. We firmly believe that by following the seven above-mentioned tips, you’ll end up having a great practical customer service page.
Read more on how to improve your business and customer experience:
Written by DesignCrowd on Thursday, October 28, 2021
DesignCrowd is an online marketplace providing logo, website, print and graphic design services by providing access to freelance graphic designers and design studios around the world.
