Retail Customer Service That Need To Be Corrected

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If you want to create a name as an online store owner, you have to assure great experiences to customers. Online retail marketplace is hotly contested. Good customer experiences often decide whether a customer continues to shop or shuns for another store. There are various facets that may be called good customer experience such as welcoming aesthetics, best in class solutions and customer bonding. The recent developments in consumer mindset and technology have made shopping experience the top priority for retail marketing and operations. Often the online store owners engage retail call centers to create the customer experience required. But even then there are certain basic issues in customer service that need the business owner should keep an eye on. Some of these are given below:

  • Amateurs: When you select a phone answering services always make sure that the contact center has a wealth of experience. Nothing irritates the customer’s more than inexperienced and ignorant agents. Often the brands underestimate the discerning power of their customers; they feel the inexperienced agents will not be identified. But they are identified rather quickly by their half cooked and vague answers. The brands should understand that each and every agent is representing their retail store, so everyone should appear knowledgeable and professional. The business owners should also provide a required time to the call center managers helping them train and allocate best agents for the process.
  • Arguments: Arguing with the customers is the worst sin a retail call center agent can commit. At times coolest of agents can be irritated and angered by illogical and non-understanding customers. But the best agents know how to control their anger. They will be calm in the face of storm. The agents must remember: they can win an argument with the customer but they will never win loyalty. If an agent is prone to arguments he/she is not ideal to represent your brand. Agents should have empathy in their voice and apology in their tone. Even when they are rectifying a mistake by the customer, it should be done in a subtle manner so as not to hurt the sentiments of customers.
  • Policies: Businesses must realize that strict policies are not the choice of the times. If you have to stay in the rat-race you have to make compromises. To keep a customer happy you might have to let off certain small fees today, for long term profits tomorrow. Businesses should give this power to the agents from order taking services. They are the people who talk to your customers and by repeatedly doing so they can read your customers mind. This is why when they waive off the shipping charges or offer some special discounts, it keeps the customers loyal. Strict policies will drive away the customers, while flexible ones inspire them to return back again and again.
  • Promises: You should make it clear to the call center that you are not in favor of making false promises. The agents should not make a promise unless they are more than 100% sure of meeting it. False or exaggerated promises in terms of delivery dates do not impress the customers. They cause annoyance and break the precious trust. The agents should help the brands achieve loyal customers, false promises diminish this chance. Even if you fail a delivery date it is important to inform the customer and tell the actual reason for delay.
  • Acknowledgements: Customers need to feel cared for. They want to be informed at every step. But there are many customer care departments which do not pay heed to this rule. Most of the call centers do a great job until the order is taken, but they fail to keep the customers informed after that. The customers want to know the status of their order, their expected delivery dates, and other information. If the call center agents periodically inform these to the customers then they will be impressed.
  • Records: Every customer calling up at the call center wants customized services and that starts with the names and other details. There are times where the initial record stored in the database is flawed. There are many times when Mrs. Johnson becomes Mr. Johnson, while at other times Mr. Johnson may become Mr. Jackson. Such errors will anger the caller. Make sure that the details stored in the database are accurate and if not they are corrected in time.
  • Call Shuffling: This is the most irritating situation from a customer’s point of view. A customer may call up at the contact center in search of a solution to a complex problem. Rather than helping, the customer care executives keep on shuffling the call from one department to the next. Silly things such as this anger even calmest of customers and breaks trust. Make sure that the agents involved in your process are responsible for the calls they take.

By rectifying these mistakes you make sure that the call center offers services that are helpful for the growth of your retail store.

Alicia Gray
Alicia Gray is an BPO and outsourcing industry analyst, and writes about technology. Currently working with one of the business process outsourcing (BPO) services provider. My role has been instrumental in assisting businesses to choose the right BPO Services.

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