Some of you may be old enough to remember the multi-story department stores of yesteryear that were attended by well-dressed sales clerks who were in the know about ways they could go above and beyond when helping their best customers. Maybe they saved a particular dress “in the back” in the size of a good customer or knew to have certain orders gift-wrapped without being asked. They knew how to make the customer feel special.
Customers still want to feel special, even if they’re buying hardware to fix the dishwasher from an online supply house. Providing exceptional customer service in the era of eCommerce is different than it was during the department store era, but it is no less important. Fortunately, workflow software can help companies develop outstanding customer service protocols, whether they serve customers in person, online, or both.
eCommerce Has Revolutionized the Concept of Customer Service
As vast as the internet is, you can find customer service ranging from awful to terrific, regardless of what you want to purchase online. By and large, however, eCommerce has raised the stakes for customer service for everyone. A cultural shift from buying things in person to buying things online depended on people feeling secure that they could easily fix any problems that might arise with merchandise bought online, whether it was the wrong size, damaged, or what have you.
The eCommerce providers that don’t make things easy on customers are the providers that don’t remain in business for long. Shoppers have every expectation that their concerns will be addressed, and that they can receive customer service 24/7. High expectations for online customer service have raised the bar for customer service in bricks and mortar stores too.
Speed and Accuracy Are Table Stakes
Whether your business sells in retail stores or online (or both), speed and accuracy of customer service are expected, with very few exceptions. Having customer service agents who are well-trained is only the beginning now. Workflows that ensure consistently high-quality customer interactions are necessary, as are easy online options, like online forms that in-person customers can use once they get their merchandise home. Having an automated workflow that your customer service reps can use to ensure they dot every “i” and cross every “t” when addressing customer service issues promotes consistency, however, dispersed your customer service workforce is.
Exquisite Customer Service Is a Differentiator
Amazing customer service has been a competitive differentiator for a long time, and it will continue to be as long as human customers exist. When a person makes a purchase through a process that is easy and enjoyable, confident that if they experience problems they can get help readily, they’re far more likely to return to that provider if at all possible.
Upscale retailer Nordstrom has long known the goodwill that can be generated through prioritizing customer service, and they’re still using it as a differentiator with their new upscale boutiques that provide personal in-store shoppers, even while many bricks and mortar retailers struggle to compete with an online economy. There’s no reason to believe that customer service that goes above and beyond will cease to be a strong competitive advantage anytime soon.
Automated Workflows to Power Customer Service
Whether you operate a tiny online store or a huge retail conglomerate, excellent customer service training, undergirded with outstanding workflow management software that guides customer service interactions is a key to success. Ideally, you should develop workflows that are custom tailored to your products and your customer base.
PerfectApps is workflow automation software that allows users to fully customize workflows, whether they’re workflows used in HR, the transportation pool, IT, or Customer Service. The intuitive interface PerfectApps offers eliminates the need for bringing in a programmer to create the ideal workflow, and the flexibility inherent in PerfectApps empowers users to get creative with their workflows, designing them for maximum utility and benefit. If you’re interested in stepping up your customer service approach, we invite you to watch the PerfectApps demo video. You’re sure to be inspired to envision workflows that serve multiple aspects of your business, including the all-important Customer Service.
