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Archives for the ‘Customer Service’ Category

Like most people today, I’m an online shopper. I buy everything from parts for the 1979 Ford Fairmont I am restoring to toys and books for my son — and, of course, jewelry for my wife.

When shopping online I expect to be able to easily browse a retailer’s site, but there are always questions, often things I need to know right now. That’s why, before I get too involved in the shopping process, I always make sure a website has a toll-free number.

Immediate Answers Mean Immediate Conversions

Online shoppers want immediate answers. According to a 2008 Forrester Research study, 42% of online shoppers contacted a store prior to making a purchase. That means if you have a toll-free number available, your potential customers are likely to call you for an answer instead of putting off the purchase or worse, finding the answer at another store. If your potential customer is on the fence and the buying decision depends upon getting a question answered, requiring your customer to pay for the phone call could lead to a lost sale. It’s much easier and less expensive for a shopper to return to the search results to find another retailer, perhaps one that has a toll-free number.

Likewise, if a consumer has already decided to buy from your site and runs into a problem during the checkout process, having a toll-free number prominently displayed can keep that customer from leaving your store and instead, can encourage them to call for help. Once the customer is on the phone, your customer service representatives can strengthen the relationship and as a bonus, take advantage of upsell opportunities.

Reduce Post Sale Issues, Like Returns

After publishing a toll-free number and manning the phones, retailers generally report a significant drop in returns. With a free, easy way to contact your store, consumers can call in to resolve issues instead of returning the item. For example, a customer may call in to report a broken or missing part and ask for a return voucher. A customer service representative can talk the customer through the issue, perhaps explaining that the part was purposely shipped that way and just needs to be assembled or that the part may be small and actually packed inside another part.

Broaden Your Reach

Today’s consumer is not only Internet savvy, but is also more worldly than 20 years ago. When I shop online, I don’t look for retailers that are located near me geographically; location becomes irrelevant. If your site has a local number listed you are not taking advantage of all the Internet has to offer. Remember: the Internet is global. The eCommerce site for your store in Pennsylvania can attract customers from all over the world. As an online merchant, your marketplace is no longer confined to a 10 to 20 mile radius. To me, a local number says the store owner is still only thinking about his local market and not counting on the power of the Internet to reach beyond those borders.

Set Up Easier Than You Think

Some business owners are afraid of the costs involved with setting up a toll-free number. Others may worry they are not technical enough to setup and operate the toll-free number. There are many resources available to help you get started with a toll-free number such as your local phone company or web-based service providers. Another thing to keep in mind is that by offering an easy way for customers to reach you, your call volume may increase. With that in mind, if you are partnering with (or planning to partner with) a third party call center such as Solid Cactus, a toll-free number is likely included with your initial account set-up. And remember, the toll-free number issued to you is yours and can be used on any marketing material or within online advertising. How nice would it be for you to be able to tell your customers, “Call us toll-free at…?”

No matter how large or small your company, a toll-free number listed on your eCommerce site gives your store a sense of professionalism. For small businesses, a toll-free number also gives the sense they are dealing with an established company with rich resources to provide customer service and support.

Be Prepared

There’s no better time than now to consider adding a toll-free number to your store. The holidays are fast approaching and retailers are getting ready for Black Friday (November 27) and Cyber Monday (November 30). In today’s economy, no business can afford to lose even a single customer. Make sure your customers aren’t navigating away from your site because they can’t find a toll-free number to contact you prior to purchase. Remember. Around the holidays people will have questions about availability, sizing, ship times, gift wrapping, and more. And more importantly, a toll-free number doesn’t
mean much if no one is there to answer calls. Solid Cactus Call Center Services can help. Visit callcenter.solidcactus.com or call 1-888-361-9814 to learn about obtaining a toll-free number and having it answered by our eCommerce experts.

Solid Cactus, Inc. has designed or redesigned more than 3,000 e-commerce sites. Solid Cactus is an Inc. 500 company and was named one of the "Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania" in 2006 and 2007.

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What does your post order customer communication say about your business? Are you always on top of the post order e-mails, surveys and communication? Or after the order ships, does that customer just become another conversion number without further follow up? A new service being offered at Solid Cactus Call Center is our Outbound Calling Campaign. With limitless possibilities, the Outbound Campaign reconnects you with your loyal customer base.

Our agents can survey the customer service experience, ask customers their thoughts on a newly released product line, reach out to customers who contacted you with product questions yet did not order, or offer something as simple as a personal “thank you” for the purchase of a product — possibly offering a “Repeat Customer” coupon code on the next order.

As a store owner, you should have clearly defined campaign goals. Are you trying to create buzz about a new product line, offer repeat customer coupons, rate products, or reach out to previous customers? With the understanding of your goals, our team can help mold the program to suit your needs. If your goal is to spread the word about the newest product – we may suggest that you offer a coupon code; with the coupon code, in addition to explaining the latest and greatest addition to your site, we would advise the customers of a special savings coupon they could take advantage of and share with their family and friends. Word of mouth AND a coupon are great marketing opportunities for your store.

The actual operational process of an outbound calling campaign is simple:

1. You provide us with a call database of names and phone numbers.

2. You let us know your specific goals – what is it you hope to gain from this service?

3. Our staff will create a unique script to be used on each call to entice customers to visit your website.

4. A dedicated staff will be assigned to your project with knowledge of your daily goals. During each outbound call, our staff members keep a detailed log regarding the call; we will log calls that go unanswered and attempt to call back the customer the following business day.

5. Your account manager will stay in close contact with you throughout the project, and will e-mail you a daily report containing the calls made that day as well as the results.

Solid Cactus Call Center conducted an outbound calling campaign during the first quarter of 2009 for BigPawDesigns.com, an e-tailer who specializes in accessories such as bandannas and collar charms for today’s fashionable pet. BigPawDesigns.com had several goals in mind for this project: capture orders, inform customers about new products that were recently launched, inform customers of recent changes to the wholesale ordering policy – a gracious offer from BigPawDesigns.com, who understands customers feel the crunch during the economic downturn, and most importantly, remain fresh in the minds of customers. These goals were reinforced with e-mail and mailers. During this campaign, our staff focused on calling wholesale customers who have ordered previously and those who had requested information but didn’t order.

BigPawDesigns.com discovered multiple successes with this project; most notably, there was an increase in orders placed, and there were more customers who were excited to learn about new products and who were interested in placing future orders. We also helped the client clean up their database, eliminating businesses that no longer existed, which was 29% of their list! Eliminating that 29% saved future marketing dollars.

Carol Perry, owner of BigPawDesigns.com, passed along some statistics regarding the overall success of the project: approximately 50% of the calls resulted in a message left with an employee of BigPawDesigns.com or a voicemail; 19% of customers who called were excited to learn about the new product lines and said they would be ordering in the near future, and approximately 2% of the calls resulted in a sale either on the outbound call or within 48 hours.

Even though the conversion numbers
may seem small, it is a success for BigPawDesigns.com, as generally sales are slow until after a scheduled trade show. The company took into consideration the fact they would not be attending a trade show for another month and needed to find a way to generate interest in the products. In addition to the trade show, BigPawDesigns.com understands they are in a slightly different niche market; the goal isn’t a hard sell conversion, but rather the soft sell with long-term conversions.

As illustrated by the BigPawDesigns.com experience, outbound calling keeps your store fresh in your customers’ minds; they tell their friends about you and help expand your customer base. Outbound Campaigns can be modified to fit your specifications by calling targeted locations during specific hours and pitching certain products. We can also poll customers to determine a satisfaction rating based upon the ordering process from beginning to end. This includes site navigation, search tools, shopping cart features, delivery time, and overall expectations met. This would provide you with a beneficial view of your business from your customer’s vantage point, alerting you to changes that need to be made or features that should be highlighted to help increase your productivity.

Solid Cactus, Inc. has designed or redesigned more than 3,000 e-commerce sites. Solid Cactus is an Inc. 500 company and was named one of the "Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania" in 2006 and 2007.

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Each potential customer has a price range in mind when purchasing from your website. In a call center, it is the Customer Service Representative’s (CSR) job to listen to your customers’ needs and to increase the order value. The most successful techniques a CSR uses are active listening and probing questions. A good CSR will make the call a personalized shopping experience.

To increase each order value to the max, the CSR needs to understand WHY the customer is purchasing and what the intended use is. By understanding the need for the purchase, CSRs are able to offer additional features and products to complement the main purchase. Website features such as related or recommended products, gift wrapping, quantity discounts and free shipping promotions also help reps increase average order value.

Consumers turn to e-commerce shopping for unique and hard-to-find items. CSRs know this – and use it towards the website’s advantage. When a customer reaches a representative to make a purchase, the CSR explains we can offer several related products to make the purchase unique.

Here is a true story about a woman who called a scrapbooking site’s CSR to purchase a starter kit for her daughter. Since the website does not offer scrapbooking kits already made, the CSR asked the customer her daughter’s favorite colors, to which she advised pink and purple. The CSR asked the caller to be patient with her for a moment while she customized a scrapbook starter kit unique to her daughter. About three minutes later, the CSR added several ala carte items to the shopping cart to create the perfect starter kit – everything a 14-year-old girl would need. The customer was so pleased with the one-on-one attention the CSR provided, she practically doubled her order! This testimonial just goes to show that listening to a customer and being creative will increase order value.

Oftentimes, by asking probing questions, reps can create a flowchart of the customer’s wants and desires. The customer wants to purchase a charm to give as a gift; the rep’s first question is, “What type of metal (yellow gold, white gold, sterling silver)?” Once the desired look is achieved, the up and cross-selling starts. The customer has selected to purchase a yellow gold charm priced at $49.99; the rep will then attempt to increase order value. Offer the customer a similar, upgraded charm made by a different manufacturer. When reps offer the product, we also explain the benefit of the upgrade: “Mr. Customer – by upgrading your purchase to charm-X you will also receive a lifetime warranty.” Explaining the benefit of the purchase will put callers at ease and urge them to spend the extra money.

Once the upgrade suggestions have been provided and the base product decided upon, our reps will offer related items. A customer is purchasing a brand new charm, so that’s an instant red flag to our reps to offer something to hold the charm. “How about a bracelet or rope chain?” If the customer has selected the rope chain. “How about a few decorative beads to complement the charm, or upgrade to a deluxe gift box?”

Another widely used tactic for increasing orders is free shipping or free gift promotions. If your site offers a free gift over $75 – we will encourage the customers to increase the order until they hit the $75 level. It could be as simple as a reminder to the customer, or more persuasive tactics: “Mr. Customer, the free gift we offer on orders over $75 is valued at $19.95. It’s a beautiful gift to keep for yourself, or you can give this to your special someone.”

More often than not, customers are so driven to the perfect item on your website, they may miss the promotional offers or not bother to look for complementary items. Suggestive selling is key. Simply make an offer. Our CSRs make the offer in a first person perspective; an example would be, “Mr. Customer, that is a beautiful jewelry selection. I would just love if my husband bought this bracelet and the matching necklace. You have very nice taste.” A simple compliment that has a built-in suggestion will make the customer feel special and often boost the ego with the hopes the person they are purchasing for raves about it as much as the CSR did. Don’t believe me? Try it, it works!

Solid Cactus, Inc. has designed or redesigned more than 3,000 e-commerce sites. Solid Cactus is an Inc. 500 company and was named one of the "Best Places to Work in Pennsylvania" in 2006 and 2007.

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Customer appreciation events such as the recent Continental event go a long way to distinguish Continental from its competition while at the same time providing a direct conduit for communication between customers and management, and providing instant feedback on new ideas and innovations being considered by the airline. Continental consistently reaches out to their customers for input, and most importantly, they truly listen to the customers. Such an event not only provides face to face contact with their customers to get this information, but shows customers that Continental values their opinions as well as their continued business.

—Art Pushkin, Chairman and Co-Founder of Frequent Flyers Organized and Concerned about Unacceptable Service (FFOCUS).

In the January/February issue of eBiz Insider, my column was called “Good Riddance 2008” and in it I discussed the new mantra on how we all have to do business moving forward in this “new economy”. I talked about how as small business owners we’re not going to get any government bailout, how we all need to keep a close eye on our balance sheet and expenses, and how we must keep one step ahead of our competition.

I ended the column by talking about the importance of good customer service, giving customers what they want and kissing your customers’ backside in order to earn the business. It is the absolute truth that the businesses that take care of their customers today will be around to service them tomorrow, so pucker up.

After that column ran, I was shocked to receive so many e-mails from business owners who chastised me for even suggesting that they should make things easier for their customers or make an attempt to bend over backwards to make them happy. I wish I could have taken these people to an event I attended in Houston, TX, so they can see how much one company values their customers and works hard to earn their business in an industry notorious for poor customer service.

The customer appreciation event was put on by Continental Airlines and was attended by well over 500 of their most frequent flyers. About 99% of them were also participants in various aviation forums such as FlyerTalk.com, FFOCUS.org and USAviation.com. As someone who frequents many forums, I can tell you, these are the people you want on your side, and Continental Airlines knows it.

With social media so prevalent in today’s world, good news spreads quickly and bad news spreads at MACH 2. The frequent flyers who participate in these social media outlets asked Continental four years ago to put on an event where they can come together, express their opinions and get feedback from management. Continental obliged and for the past four years they have taken a very active interest in hearing from their customers and developing products and services around them.

This year’s event kicked off with a cocktail reception Friday evening where company executives, including Chairman and CEO Larry Kellner, were on hand to meet and mingle with the attendees. The theme of the event was “Fun & Games” and Friday featured a couple rounds of “Deal or No Deal” where lucky contestants could earn up to one million frequent flyer miles. Throughout the evening, Mr. Kellner and company executives stood for photos, listened to attendees, answered questions and made themselves available for anyone who wanted to chat.

Saturday was a fun-filled day which included tours of the airline’s maintenance facility, baggage handling area, catering facility where 9,000 turkey sandwiches are made a day, and some lucky attendees got to test their skills in a flight simulator. From all accounts, the best tour was the one billed as the “Mystery Tour” which actually turned out to be a flight. About 150 people were welcomed aboard a Continental Boeing 757 complete with champagne and were given a scenic tour over Galveston Bay at only a few thousand feet.

Later in the day, the group broke-up for several break-out sessions which covered a variety of topics. The most anticipated session was the final presentation hosted by Mr. Kellner and Continental Airlines President and Chief Operating Officer Jeff Smisek. The two top guys fielded questions from the audience for well over an hour and answered questions ranging from “Do you ever fly in coach?” to questions on the new Boeing 787 and Continental’s frequent flyer program, OnePass. They talked about new products and services the airline will be offering including LiveTV on their Next Generation Boeing 737’s and their new lie-flat seating being installed through BusinessFirst class on international routes. They also acknowledged their weaknesses and mistakes, which is what any customer would want to hear.

The event kicked off with a party at the airline’s newest hangar at the Houston airport where the theme of “Fun & Games” continued, along with plenty to eat and drink, and a new Boeing 737-900 on display to tour and photograph. Again, Mr. Kellner and Mr. Smisek were on hand to mingle with the guests and again lend an ear.

Continental Airlines did not have to put an event like this together, but they did. They know that their most important assets aren’t made of aluminum and carbon fiber; they’re made of flesh and bone. They know that the people who paid to fly to Houston and take part in this event are going to blog, Tweet, e-mail and Facebook about the fun they had. They know they are going to tell others who are going to say, “Wow, it’s amazing that a company would do that for their customers; I’m going to try them out next time I
fly.” Most importantly, they know these are the customers who deserve to have their behinds kissed.

I came back from this event with a renewed sense of what customer service really means. I’m already looking inside our own organization to see how we can put an event like this together to reward our customers for their loyalty and business. The wheels inside my head are turning! After reading this, yours should be too.

Co-Founder, President & COO of Solid Cactus

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