Giving Good Customer Service on the Internet

This post is by Fairy Godmother Erika Wilde, Internet Reseller. Her thriving company, Stop Dirt specializes in floor mats. Erika has a strong background in mentoring women entrepreneurs in how to start a profitable online dropshipping business. Erika now offers consulting through Start Up Princess on the following subjects: starting and managing an internet reseller business, beginning internet marketing, and dropshipping. Currently we’re offering an introductory rate, 2hrs of consulting for 1hr rate. Contact us for details.

Erika Wilde:

Every good business owner knows the importance of good customer service. But when you run an internet-only business with no face-to-face contact and very little phone contact with your customers, how can you still exceed your customers’ expectations?

Here are a few things that have worked for me:

1. Always, always respond to your customers. It sounds so simple, but it is amazing how a timely, complete reply can please a customer. If the request is complicated, at minimum I always send a quick email to thank the customer for her question. Then I provide an exact date when she can expect a reply.

2. Start every written communication with a “Thank you.” For example, if a customer emails to ask about the thickness of my Waterhog Mats, I do not write back a curt: “1/4” thick.” Instead, I take the extra minute to write “Thank you for your interest in our mats. The Waterhog mat measures ¼” thick. It’s my best selling mat – very durable and good looking. I hope this info answers your question. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.” Then I conclude always with my full name, phone number and contact info.

3. Invest in Email Short Cuts. If you write a lot of business emails, I recommend buying an email platform that allows you to write templates and macros for commonly used phrases. I’ve used PocoMail and Barca (online at www.pocomail.com for $35-$75) for years. I have hundreds of short cut keys that save me an enormous amount of time while making me sound very complete and polite. For example, I type “FF” and Barca prints out “Feel free to contact me by phone or email if I can be of further assistance to you.” Whew! What a time saver!

4. Examine wording on all automated communications. Make sure your receipts sound thankful and polite. Don’t give commands; instead ask for your customers’ cooperation.

5. Provide a variety of ways to contact you. There are “phone people” who prefer to talk to a human and there are email people. Don’t force one method of communication on all customers. There are even some customers, like schools and universities, which prefer to communicate by FAX. Again, make this available.

6. Admit your mistakes. Every business screws stuff up sometimes. If you mis-shipped the product, just say that. And then APOLOGIZE. Don’t hide behind policies or blame others. Just tell the customer that you made a mistake, and then do something to make it better. You can offer free expedited shipping, a partial refund, a discount for future use. Give your customer something as a peace offering.