It’s almost that time of year again.
I feel strange saying this, since it’s just a bit over a week after Labor Day, but the holiday sales season is almost upon us. Amazon sellers are sending in FBA shipments and are making sure they’re ready to sell Toys & Games.
Today, we have a guest post from Stefana, a member of the SellerEngine Services team. She’s going to share some tips to help improve your customer satisfaction this holiday season. Keeping customers happy is a key to keeping your ODR under control and maximizing positive feedback.
Great Service: The Best Christmas Gift
Are you eager to boost your sales before Christmas? Of course you are. You’ll do your best to be competitive, have your items in stock, make sure they’re listed properly and ship orders in no time.
But what will set you apart from other sellers? Your great customer service, that’s what!
Here are a few tricks that will help you understand that the key to great performance during Christmas is excellent customer support.
Reply Personally and Quickly!
- Never let your customer wait for your answer. Reply as soon as you can!
- Take the time to avoid overused, cliched templates and instead personalize the message. Use your own honest writing style and be the Santa that the customer wants.
- Listen to your customers: read their messages carefully and find clear solutions to their problems. Act fast, since they need answers, and their orders before Christmas.
- Practice your writing and be adaptable. Learn to be concise and informal or very diplomatic and formal, depending on the customer’s questions and tone.
Keys to Success
Know Your Customer
Make sure you give your customers the impression that you want “to see” them again. Your comments might them decide to order from you again. Did they previously buy from you? Are they a new customer? These are important facts to take into consideration while answering.
Identify the Problem
It could be shipping delays, wrong item sent, poor packaging or just a question. You need to identify the root of their problem and provide a quick solution. No matter what the problem is, you are always responsible and not your customer.
Solve Solve Solve!
Remember that a happy customer makes your business smile. Anticipate your customers’ worries and needs and provide additional information. Even if you do not have all the answers, do your best to find the right one for your customer. This is the way to avoid negative feedbacks and A-to-z claims. It has been statistically proven that claims and negative feedbacks tend to flood your account during Christmas period.
Writing Tips
Write from Your Customer’s Point of View
Remember, the customer is always right even if it can sometimes be frustrating. Never use a critical tone even if it helps you feel better. It will never help your business. No need to protest when you can empathize. Before writing, re-read the customer’s email and choose similar words and language.
Personalized Messages
Customers are always aware when they are talking to a robot, so avoid sending an automated reply. It will only generate more questions and it might be more time consuming for you. Insert seasonal greetings and even cheerful holiday quotes. This can create a positive atmosphere even if the customer’s message has a negative tone. Be careful though. If a customer is very upset, this can make them think you’re not empathizing.
Conclusion
Keep in mind that anyone can sell a quality product, but not everyone provides quality customer service. Great service is what sets you apart.
Remember that a happy customer makes your business smile!