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increase your income
customer service on the internet
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by Sue Barrett

Do you have a high-traffic website with low sales? High traffic doesn’t mean high profits unless you can turn those visitors into customers. One way you can convert them into buyers is to give them first-class customer service. Although business on the internet operates differently than business offline, people still expect top quality service. It’s challenging to give your customers that personal attention when you aren’t able to look them in the eyes and hear a voice. There are some things you can do, however, to gain your customers’ trust and make them want to return to your website. Put your customers at ease, and you’ll gain their respect. Their respect for you will give you credibility, and they will return to your website because they like and trust you. Offering great customer service also plays a major part of looking like a professional, reliable and established business. Your first impression is just as important for a business online as it is offline. It can help build your customer base if your visitors like what you offer. In addition to gaining customers, you’ll (1) save money by increasing customer retention (2) improve your company’s image and (3) build a strong competitive edge. Develop your online business so that people find it helpful, informative and it makes their lives and businesses better. Here are some things to focus on: 1. Communicate Empathy. As with business offline, you need to identify with your customers and let them know you understand them. However, since they aren’t able to see or hear you, you need to make sure you are very clear in communicating that you’re on their side. Ask them questions so that you can understand them and help them better. 2. Respond Quickly. Speedy service is very important to a business’s success on the internet. People go to the internet to get instant information and solutions. If you don’t respond to their questions quickly, they will go somewhere else to find the answer. 3. Treat Each Person Like Your Only Customer. Communication on the internet can feel very distant or impersonal. Make your business stand out by giving your customers the personal attention they appreciate. Don’t treat everyone alike, because not everyone is looking for the same thing. Focus on the reason for the purchase rather than the merchandise itself. Your prospects don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care – about them. If they trust that you will find a solution to their specific problem, there is no reason for them to go elsewhere. 4. Know Your Product. Customers want assurance that your company provides a knowledgeable person that they can go to for advice, support or questions. Make sure that the information that you give your customers is always correct and consistent. This will help build trust and respect for your business. Share what you know with your customer as you customize the sale to fit their needs. As you solve their problems, you can also create opportunities by using your knowledge to suggest more ideas that will help them. 5. Follow-Up After the Sale. Check in with your customers after a sale to make sure that they’re happy with their purchase. Help them with any questions they have, and let them know you’re there to support them if they need anything. This is a great opportunity to make ad-on sales or get customer referrals. Action speaks louder than words. Follow-up when you say you will and don’t promise more than you can deliver. Once your customers see your high service standards and commitment to them, they’ll continue to trust you and tell others about you as well. 6. Use Different Techniques to Interact with Your Website Visitors. Customers appreciate becoming more involved in the decisions that your business makes. Give them opportunities to voice their opinions. - Customer Surveys or Polls - Customer Discussion area (Message Boards) - Product or Service Feedback Page Also, the easier you make it for your customers to find information and get questions answered, the more confidence they will have in your business. - Frequently Asked Questions Page - Give a variety of ways customers can contact you (e-mail, phone, fax, mail, etc) Listen and learn from your customers. Don’t be afraid to make changes to accommodate your customers’ needs. Customer service on the internet is not difficult. It’s just a matter of getting into the habit of treating your website visitors like friends. Spend a little more time getting to know them initially and get a customer for life. By interacting with your customers, you’ll be able to keep track of their growing needs, and you can predict changes that need to be made to your online business before that sale becomes just another hit. * . * . * . * . * . * Sue Barrett works for HomeBusinessCenter.com and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs successfully start their own home-based businesses. How to Make a Fortune by Getting Inside the Heads of Your Customers Write on Target: The Direct Marketer's Copywriting Handbook