Raise your hand if you have done, or will do some Holiday shopping online this year. Raise ’em up high for me. Now keep your hand up if you had some questions about what you were receiving, whether it be shipping costs, how sizes run, or how to use the discount code you received. We shop online to avoid the traffic, commotion and headache that Holiday shopping can bring, but sometimes we miss out on that in-person customer service experience.
**Preparation – What are the questions that your customers are going to have? Do your product descriptions cover all areas of the item? When a customer does have a question, do you have the staff and resources to answer it quickly and effectively?
**FAQ – Sometimes the best customer service, is never having to give customer service! The more potential questions/issues that are answered in the journey through your Web site, the less work your customer service team will have to do.
**Duplication – What would be the customer service experience in your physical location? When someone comes into your store, what would be the sequence of questions that gets asked: Sizes? Colors? Shapes? Designs? Shipping location? Take that process and duplicate it into your online marketplace. Make your customer really feel like they are part of the buying and customization process.