What is good customer service?
The question “what is good customer service” can be simply answered by “providing services to your customers in the same manner you would want to be served!”.
Even if you have a good product with all the expected features that suit your buyer’s needs, it may not be sufficient if the customer service that you provide is not helpful, reliable, or available to customers when needed. This means that if you don’t provide “quality customer service” then you may not be able to satisfy buyers with merely your product.
Putting in your best effort to provide customer service to your buyers is the key mantra for the long-term success of any business.
How do you provide customer service?
While you may already know the broad answer to the question “how do you provide customer service”, let’s discuss this in a bit more detail.
1. Know your product
As a seller, you have complete information about your product. Hence, you must study your product i.e. its features, benefits, functionality, services, etc. and communicate these to your buyers in order to anticipate and troubleshoot product related issues. This also enables you to determine how your product needs to be improved and implement those changes. If you have a thorough understanding of your products, this enhances their effectiveness – thus, enabling you to build strong relationships with your buyers and stay competitive.
2. Maintain a positive attitude
In the world of customer service, you will encounter various types of customers with each interaction. This shapes your perception about the customer and vice versa. Here “attitude” plays a crucial role.
As a seller, it is very important that you listen to what your buyers have to say – be it feedback for improvement or a problem. Listening attentively will not only help you to understand the exact issue but also it will demonstrate that you are willing to help solve the problem. This exhibits your positive approach to solve buyers’ issues and transform a single interaction into a positive long-term buyer relationship.
Let’s look at it from a different perspective. Suppose you do not handle this situation in a positive manner and instead respond to the buyer in a negative tone or use unsympathetic words, you will damage your relationship with the buyer and the buyer will have a bad buyer experience. This may result in negative feedback from the buyer and no repeat purchases.
3. Respond quickly
Customers appreciate it when they feel that their feedback and suggestions are valued and prioritised by the seller. So, when a buyer raises a query on a transaction, it goes without saying that he/she expects a prompt response from the seller. Fulfilling this expectation is your job as the seller and should be taken very seriously.
Customers may be willing to understand that certain issues may take time to resolve or at times do not have a solution at all, if you communicate this to buyers in a timely manner. This way, buyers may be less likely to give negative feedback about your products and customer service.
Remember: Speed is the essence of good customer service, but not at the cost of providing a wrong or incomplete resolution.
4. Focus attention on buyer
Have you ever wondered why businesses focus on being “customer centric”? This is because it’s the customer who is going to pay for the product or the service being provided and it’s the customer’s money that you need for your business.
This is why you should focus on providing the right support to your customers. This means not only delivering the product but also listening to buyers, their needs, concerns, feedback and making sure that all these are responded to in a manner that not only meets their expectations but exceeds them. This will help you build a strong relationship with your buyers which will enhance their loyalty towards you.
5. Keep your word
One of the most important values that buyers expect sellers to exhibit is keeping their word. Would you like it if a certain promise made to you is not kept? Similarly, this is the same expectation your buyer has from you.
It is important that you follow your commitments with regards to the handling time, estimated delivery date (EDD), providing the product as described in the listing, abiding by the return policy specified within the listing, keeping the buyer updated at all times, etc. A failure to uphold these commitments may damage the buyer’s experience and reduce possibilities of a repeat purchase.
Keeping your word will make the difference between “good” and “great” customer service.
6. Let buyers know when their items will arrive
Being informed about the status of their order is one of the most crucial aspects of a buyer’s online shopping experience. Informed buyers are also less likely to make item not received (“INR”) claims. Keep your buyers happy by:
- Setting accurate handling times. The handling time you set for each listing is a commitment to buyers to get orders to your shipping carrier on time. It’s important to stick to your handling time and to set handling times you know you can achieve. You may wish to adjust your handling time during busy seasons or popular promotions.
- Uploading tracking information. You are required to upload integrated tracking in the structured data field before the EDD has passed in order to appeal an INR claim. eBay will not protect you from a claim if you send the tracking number to the buyer via email. Without tracking information, eBay can’t protect you because we won’t be able to confirm your item was delivered. Some shipping services don’t add or integrate tracking at all, and manually uploading tracking can lead to errors. Did you know that when you choose to ship via eBay Global Shipping (“EGS”) the tracking details are automatically updated in your eBay account against the order? Know more about EGS.
7. Offer extended returns policy
One of the filters commonly used by buyers when searching for a product is to check if the seller is offering a return policy. By providing a clear and extended return policy (i.e. a longer duration to return the product irrespective of the issue and also choosing to offer “free returns”) you are telling your buyers that:
- You are confident about your product;
- Your product is unlikely to be returned;
- In the unlikely event that a return is necessary, you are happy to help buyers with the return process.
A hassle-free return policy is one of the ways to encourage buyers to make purchases with confidence and trust. Buyers are more likely to buy items when they’re confident that they can be returned if necessary. That’s why offering an extended returns policy makes good business sense.
8. Create clear and accurate listings
The information that you provide in your item listing works in many ways. It:
- Helps buyers to make their purchase decisions;
- Helps buyers know what exactly you are offering;
- Sets buyer expectations correctly;
- Makes you stand out amongst your competitors;
- Boosts your listing visibility.
If your listing information is not clear and accurate it may lead to negative experiences for both you and your buyer such as:
- Lack of trust;
- Increased negative feedback;
- No repeat purchases;
- Increased returns;
- Drop in sales;
- Compliance issues leading to eBay account restrictions, etc.
Therefore, it is important that you write accurate descriptions of your products and include clear photos. This will enable your buyers to have a good idea about what they’re ordering. If your buyers know what to expect from their orders, they’re less likely to be dissatisfied when they receive it.
9. Avoid unpaid products
You may wonder how “avoiding unpaid products” is one of the ways to deliver great customer service to your buyers.
Let’s see how an unpaid item situation occurs. Items are unpaid mainly when the seller has not setup the option of “immediate payment” within the listing. So, if a buyer ends up purchasing an item but does not pay – as a seller you may raise a cancellation request stating “buyer hasn’t paid” which could result in a negative impact on the buyer’s account. This may cause the buyer to not make any further purchases from you or even give negative reviews about your products to their friends or on social media, thereby losing you potential buyers.
Therefore, you should require immediate payment for both fixed-price and auction-style listings with a Buy It Now option. Resolving payments immediately helps avoid possible disputes with your buyer down the road.
10. Manage buyers’ requests and disputes
Another important factor that plays a vital role in ensuring buyers buy with confidence from you is managing your buyers’ requests and disputes in a timely manner. Buyers appreciate it when their issues or concerns are addressed within committed timelines.
eBay’s Seller Hub section is a complete panel that helps you with order management – right from creating listings to shipping your products to managing feedback and handling disputes. You can view your buyers’ refunds, returns, INR and item “significantly not as described” (“SNAD”) requests, and payment disputes in the “Orders” tab on Seller Hub or in “My eBay”. Keeping on top of these requests and disputes helps keep your buyers satisfied, increasing the chances that they’ll become repeat customers.
If you are looking at growing your business, then you need to manage your buyers’ requests and disputes proactively and in a fair manner.
Great customer service examples
Providing a great customer service should not just be limited to only timely shipping and delivering products as described. Go ahead and take additional steps to build that relationship with your buyers. Here are a few ways how you can do this:
- Add a personal touch to your shipments with a handwritten thankyou note.
- Buyers love receiving discounts, so why not add a coded coupon in the package for the next purchase?
- Get creative and descriptive in the manner you list your products. Read about our item description best practices.
- Keep your customer support team updated at all times with the relevant information to ensure they are able to respond to buyers’ queries effectively and quickly.
- Don’t wait for your buyers to keep track of their shipments – you should proactively keep your buyers updated with tracking information.
- Check what your competitors are doing to enhance buyer experience. Terapeak is one tool that can help you gain valuable market insights.
Conclusion
If you are really looking at delivering the best customer service to your buyers then this is only possible if you always put yourself in your buyers’ shoes and look at situations from their perspective.
Delivering great customer service is not a task that can be accomplished in a single day. It requires effort, dedication, commitment and willingness to do it.
By examining the ways mentioned above and adding your own personal experience, you should be able to achieve high customer satisfaction for your sales on eBay.
Frequently asked questions:
What makes a great customer experience?
a. great customer experience is a result of the seller’s clear communication, attention to buyer’s needs, timely response, commitment to his/her word and a willingness to ensure that the buyer is satisfied with the transaction.
What is the difference between “good” and “great” customer service?
The biggest difference is keeping your word and then exceeding customer expectations.
How can I improve communication with buyers to provide better customer service?
If you want to improve communication with your buyers, you need to learn to listen to what they have to say. Listen with empathy, provide clear information, be responsive and personalize your connection with the buyer.
Are there any specific strategies for providing excellent customer service in an online marketplace?
Indeed, there are a few, such as clear communication, timely response, providing regular updates, setting up transparent policies and keeping your word.
Is it important to follow up with buyers after sale to ensure their satisfaction? How should I do this effectively?
It is very important to follow up with buyers after sale. This is the crucial time when you may receive honest feedback from your buyers. To do this effectively, simply keep your communication clear, timely, accurate and empathetic.
How do I handle difficult or challenging interactions with buyers while still providing great customer service?
Listen to your customer first. The answer to the problem lies within the concern raised. If you listen attentively to your customers, you will understand their issues and concerns and thereby provide a suitable solution.
How can I establish trust with my customers through excellent customer service practices?
Establishing trust is a very straightforward yet vital task – you need to stick to your commitments at all times, address issues promptly and show your customers that you value their feedback.
Should I offer refunds or returns to buyers for better customer service?
Whether you should offer refunds or returns on your products is ultimately your call. However, you must bear in mind that offering a return and refund policy is one of the best ways to let buyers know that they can trust your products and make purchases with confidence.