Customer Experience Helps Customers Complete Their Shopping

In today’s digital age an exceptional customer experience is one that seamlessly integrates real-time guidance and self-service technology, backed up by live human experts who can resolve breakdowns to the process.

Your customers want to enjoy the benefits of online customer service software that enables them to have a fulfilling shopping experience with a full shopping cart this holiday season.

The festive season is firmly upon us and customers everywhere are scrambling to complete their online purchases. With so many people to buy gifts for, the average customer is overwhelmed with a glut of products available at retailers.

Christmas shopping is undeniably the most lucrative time of the year for retailers, and the most exciting time for shoppers around the world. However the process of shopping online can become tedious, therefore it is essential that shoppers are provided with all the tools and features they require to complete their purchases online. Chief among them is a terrific customer experience which seamlessly integrates real-time guidance by way of a self-service engagement strategy.

This is especially true during Christmas shopping endeavors where customers are spoilt for choice at every conceivable opportunity.

Understanding what makes a REAL customer experience

With just days to go before Christmas shopping lists have to be finalized, online customers need to be assisted in every way possible. Websites need to be optimized – not only for SEO and SEM purposes – but for the customer experience too.

Customer experience management is essential to the overall shopping experience. Help desk services integrated into an effective customer support system can certainly boost overall return on investment (ROI), and provide shoppers with an improved customer experience. Viewed from this perspective, an online customer service software that seeks to maximize the shopping experience is certainly of great benefit to shoppers and retailers alike.

There are many inherent benefits to an improved customer experience, not least of which is a satisfied customer. By providing support as and when it is required, customers develop a relationship with their online retailer of choice. The human element is brought back into the online shopping process – apropos during the season of giving.

By making it easier for customers to understand all the relevant components, features and characteristics of individual items, and the shopping process, they can purchase what they want quicker and easier. Navigation through the site and the shopping process is enhanced and shopping carts fill up quicker and customers check out with more goods in hand.

Ways to help customers fill their christmas stockings

The Christmas shopping season is peppered with calls to action. These signs are everywhere – buy now, buy one get one free, buy today save today – and they should be implemented effectively on your website as a retailer. Clarity above all else is imperative.

Customers like to see precisely what it is that they are purchasing – product specs, variations, different angles of the products, prices and complements – among others. Since there are many clearance items in-store, customers should be notified about these items to boost sales in those departments.

Another great way to engage with customers is to provide information regarding items that are in stock, and the expected shipping times as well. And if certain items are out of stock, but in demand, it is essential to have a customer support solution that notifies shoppers when the items will be available or perhaps suggest alternatives to shoppers.

Internet enabling a better customer experience

Since the Internet provides a global platform for shoppers to make their Christmas purchases, it is especially important not to fall into the trap of overgeneralizing. Customers in specific geographic locations enjoy tailored marketing messages. In this vein, local currency should be used.

Additionally, delivery of shipped items should list specific couriers in the country and the expected arrival times of the shipped products. Of paramount importance in any knowledge-based system is the ability to provide multilingual support services to customers. Remember that your website is your best place to make a first impression with your customer – you don’t get a second chance at making a first impression.

Consistency is especially important as customers like to attach themselves to brands provided their needs are being met. Fortunately, websites can be tailored to customers wherever they are in the world and a unique experience can be enjoyed by all. By knowing your customers, you can also suggest what types of Christmas goods would complement their prior purchases.

Deliver your message to your customers in style

Businesses looking to improve customer service will do well to learn about their customers. International customers can be a lucrative segment of your total market, and their needs should be made a priority. If items qualify for tax-free status, this is a great niche that can be targeted as a sales point.

Messages that are being delivered to specific regions can penetrate further into market segments by personalizing their marketing message. For example, the North Western United States is typically cool and rainy, while the southeastern United States is typically hot and humid. Similar messages can be directed to consumers wherever they are in the world.

Arguably the biggest concern for retailers is that of shopping cart abandonment. Put simply, this phenomenon – occurring at all retailers online – is the act of not following through with a purchase. Consumers may add items to the shopping cart, and then simply close out the screen without making the final purchase.

For the reasons listed above, it is possible to greatly reduce the problem of shopping cart abandonment by providing an easy flow of information and inquiry platform to customers at any stage. Information greatly assists in selling products, especially when doubts creep into the equation.

Multichannel assistance for products

Customers don’t like to feel limited when they visit a website. Take the case of a toll-free number that is only available during certain hours on certain days of the week. Online sales take place 24/7, and if a customer is limited to when they can ask questions, they are less likely to follow through on their sale.

The old adage it’s better to have support and not need it than to need support and not have it holds true. Multiple communication channels are imperative to assisting customers at each and every point in the shopping process. This reduces the waiting time for customers and increases their overall shopping experience and diminishes abandonment issues.

There are several ways that assistance can be offered to customers. These also include self-service channels as fully comprehensive FAQs, product question answer pages, and even automated tools to receive instantaneous answers without having to wait or engage with a live agent.

Putting it all together to enhance experiences

Other ways to escalate queries to live chat support include chat functionality, e-mail and telephone. Viewed in perspective, multi-channel assistance for purchasing products will be of great benefits to retailers and consumers during the Christmas shopping season and well beyond.

via Business 2 Community http://www.business2community.com/customer-experience/customer-experience-helps-customers-complete-shopping-0723596?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=customer-experience-helps-customers-complete-shopping