I thought this article would be interesting even to brick-and-mortar retailers because it examines the way the customer experience affects a business’ long term success.
Only 4% of sellers get eBay’s coveted Top Seller Rating. To qualify, one must have a customer feedback score of at least 98%. Clearly, Top Rated Sellers must be doing something right in terms of their customer service to consistently be rated so highly. Have a look at what makes customers keep coming back, and consider applying these tips to your own businesses.
Great Word-of Mouth Recommendations
As good as a business’ products may be and as well as they may be marketed, much of what determines commercial success is based on customer satisfaction. Commenting and feedback features, as well as social media, allow word-of-mouth opinions to spread like wildfire. In today’s market, it’s critical that customers’ overall impression of your business and its products be positive.
Top Rated eBay sellers are aware of the power of word-of-mouth recommendations and do everything they can to make sure that their customers only have positive things to say about them and their products.
Time, Dedication, and Swift Responses
Since “the customer is always right,” it’s only natural that they’ll have an accompanying sense of entitlement. There’s nothing more fulfilling than instant gratification. For this reason, the quicker a seller responds to a complaint or negative comment, the more likely it is that customers will look favorably upon them and respond with positive ratings and return business. Top Rated eBay Sellers typically address complaints and customer concerns within 24 hours at most.
On top of that, too many eBay sellers take the approach that once a sale is made the relationship with the customer is over. Top Rated Sellers, on the other hand, know that providing excellent post-sale customer service is something that will keep customers returning for more.
Repeatedly getting good customer feedback takes time and dedication. It’s worth noting that customer service representatives spend a significant amount of their time responding to technical issues. Utilizing Web tools like WalkMe goes a long way towards resolving minor technical issues before they even arise. This also frees up support staff for dealing with more important issues that customers face, which are significantly more likely to affect core business.
Bonus Points
Often, what secures a fantastic reputation for eBay’s Top Rated Sellers is that they’ll be willing to go above and beyond what’s expected in terms of their customer service. It’s common to see that they’ll offer something extra like a free gift in response to valid customer grievances. Emulating that type of approach to providing excellent service is sure to score bonus points with your customers.
– See more at: http://pointofsale.com/201212121244/Point-of-Sale-News/Be-Like-Mike-Secrets-of-eBay-s-Top-Sellers.html#sthash.VetacLzR.dpuf
