In order to offer an excellent service to the consumer, it is imperative that companies have their values well defined, that they identify and use all the means at their disposal and that they establish guides and patterns of resolution and action.
Oh the client. The person for whom our actions make sense, the public for whom we perform, and the one who applauds or boos at the end of our work. In the customer journey there are many events before the curtain falls, although it is the last one, the delivery of the package, the one that will be remembered the most and the one that can determine the future purchases of the consumer.
The market has been marked in recent decades by putting different priorities at the center. Stores, omnichannel or the product itself have been some of the hot spots for retailers in recent years . But not anymore.
Now, the world puts the consumer at the center again. A consumer who increasingly claims to have a say at the table and who makes important decisions more frequently. The customer wants to be part of the debate in the market, and for this reason it is essential that companies pay attention to what he has to say and act accordingly.
1. Lay the foundation right
It is important to define your company culture well. It is not about reading more books or putting a soundtrack to your company (which, if you want, never hurts). The business culture is transmitted in the shopping experience . It is the basic pillar on which everything else is based, especially customer care and service.
Culture is everything: from the way in which employees interact, through dealing with suppliers and the different links in the supply chain, to the way in which we interact with the customer.
Business culture is the maximum representation of the most human facet of any company , and it is well known by all that this can play a fundamental role for the final consumer. After all, no one wants to feel like they are dealing with a robot.
A good corporate culture, based on customer first , will not only facilitate better communication with the customer , but will also make the problem-solving process more effective. Workers will know how to respond and, by being in tune with each other, they will be more agile in incident management and will be able to carry out synergies.
2. Skip the hassle: anticipate your client's doubts
Where is my package? Can I change the address or delivery time? The order has not arrived, how can I solve it? Receiving the same questions ten times a day can be exhausting. But the truth is that it is not pleasant for the consumer to have to search for an email to be able to contact the company from which he has purchased a product with which he is having problems.
Save the client's time and yours by enabling a FAQs page with the most common questions . Answer them clearly and, above all, remember that this is a long-distance, long-distance race.
Don't throw a few questions on your website and forget about them completely; Be attentive to new issues that may arise in your customer network and update the content regularly . The more questions that are answered, the better! The client can educate himself and the company will have more time to devote to other relevant issues.
It will be just as important that you form and establish an action protocol to deal with incidents (and, above all, crises) with your clients . In such a changing market, it is necessary for sales or customer service managers to take into account new trends and changes to be aware of future issues that may arise for the customer.
Provide materials and a crisis management plan to employees. They will be able to feel more comfortable answering the client and will have more room for maneuver in case of unforeseen events. In turn, the consumer will receive the information in a clearer, more concise and understandable way . What is usually called a win-win .
3. Use multiple channels (but don't overdo it)
We are in the era of information overload due to excess channels. Social networks, forums, information portals, messaging applications, conventional media, blogs, your own web pages... Use different tools to communicate with the client and ensure that you convey your message well , but do not overdo it: it is not a matter of bombarding with irrelevant information and data.
In the event of any problem, the consumer wants to know that they can count on an easily accessible and agile communication system with the company . It's nice to have a customer service phone or email, but let's face it: the reigning days of these channels are coming to an end.
Many logistics operators have begun to implement new tools to talk to customers: live chats on the web, social networks, platforms such as Zendesk or even services for companies such as WhatsApp or Telegram .
Likewise, social networks are an increasingly popular bridge between business and consumer. Don't be afraid of change, what's new or what seems to “not go” with your business. Listen to your client, understand it, get on the bandwagon of new trends and adapt . Reinvent or die.
As you know, offering the best customer shopping experience is everyone's goal, but the means to achieve it are many and varied. We cannot help you directly to solve the problems with your operation, but we can provide you with the necessary tools to solve them . Taking the step is easy: you can contact us whenever you want. Let's get to work !
