Customer service - what is it and how do you serve customers abroad?
Tips
31 March 2023
The best quality products or services and large sums spent on advertising on the Internet and in the legacy media are not enough to achieve financial success. For it to be possible, it is necessary to know what customer service is and what tools make it possible to implement it.
Czym jest customer service?
Customer service is nothing other than customer service in the broadest sense. Its impact on brand perception cannot be overestimated, as it not only directly increases revenue, but additionally reduces consumer acquisition costs. Exemplary consumer service takes into account the needs of the company's approach to both the sales process itself and after-sales service.
Customer service has been growing in importance over the years, and this has to do with the increasing expectations of the next generation of product and service buyers. Nowadays, it is important to them, among other things, that things are available within the longest possible time frame and every day of the week. In addition to this, consumers pay attention to a company's adaptation to their individual needs and its taking the initiative. All these aspects build positive associations with the business, giving hope for buyer loyalty and attracting new ones, and ultimately gaining an advantage over the competition.
Key elements of customer service
Products do not always meet customers' expectations, especially in the case of online shops, where it is not possible to see the goods before the transaction. As a result, returns must be expected. In order to build and maintain a positive customer experience, a convenient return system is therefore essential. The most important thing is that the purchase can be returned not only quickly and easily, but also for free. This approach to consumers ensures that purchases do not involve the risk of losing money. This increases the chances of a return visit to the shop, even if the first product is, in the opinion of the shopper, unsuccessful.
The basis of customer service is also to approach the buyer as yourself. It is therefore important to be aware that everyone sometimes has doubts about a pre-selected product and may therefore have questions. In stationary shops, these are answered by employees, which is generally sufficient. In the case of e-commerce, this is for obvious reasons not possible and thus requires a different approach to informing users about the offer. It is therefore necessary to create as many channels of communication with customers as possible.
Customer communication channels in customer service
It is a good idea to have a FAQ section, i.e. answers to the most common queries. Comprehensive answers, which are also easy to find on the website, will influence consumers' perception of the company as being friendly to them and will help to increase product sales. Sometimes, however, even a very well-designed FAQ section is not enough. In this case, the buyer may want to use a more direct form of contact. This is why it is worthwhile to organise the customer service department and provide reliable training for the people who answer calls and chat requests, preferably not only in Polish.
At InPost, we take care of our customers and try to resolve their doubts both through FAQs and the contact form, hotline or chat. Activities on various channels mean that customers can choose from the most preferred form of contact.
Where do you start building relationships with your customers?
The first step in customer service is to build a relationship based on trust. This can be achieved by providing all the information about the product and how to buy it. In other words, it is important to ensure that all product features, return methods (or a clear statement that this is not possible) and possible promotional conditions are clearly presented. Terms and conditions that are difficult to access and written in an indecipherable language are an easy way to convince consumers that the shop is hiding something from them and is not credible.
The next phase of creating exemplary customer service is crucial for online shops. It is to make the shopping experience as easy as possible. The customer should be intuitively guided through the successive pages so that the visit to the site does not end with abandoning the basket, but with ordering or paying for the product. In doing so, it is worth minimising the risk and dispensing with compulsory user registration. Not every person has the desire to leave other data than that necessary to complete a transaction. Forcing this on shoppers significantly increases the risk that they will leave the site and buy the product from a competitor.
From the outset, consumers need to be provided with multiple methods of payment for goods. Different habits mean that there will be those who choose to pay quickly by card or BLIKA, as well as those who prefer to hand over cash to the courier. Importantly, delivery to the home or workplace may not be the only option. Customer service today is all about deliveries to 24/7 machines such as Paczkomat® InPost. In addition, it is worth making the widest possible choice of delivery companies available. 
What influences the quality of customer service?
The quality of such service is influenced, among other things, by its professionalism. A professional approach gives the buyer the feeling of being looked after by experts ready to help in any case. For this reason, it is worth investing in a customer service department. The people employed there are able to provide all the answers and solve any problems that may arise. Transparency is also key. Both on the website and in conversation with the consultant, the consumer should know that he or she is dealing with an honest seller, i.e. one who genuinely cares about his or her satisfaction and satisfaction with the purchase or service.
It is also important to remember that customer service is never perfect at the beginning, even if every effort has been made to create the best service. In addition, even after a longer period of time, shortcomings may come to light. This is why constant contact with customers and asking them for their opinion on the quality of service is so decisive. This not only allows mistakes to be corrected, but also shows buyers that their opinion is important and that the company they have chosen cares about their satisfaction with their purchases.
Why is time so important in customer service?
Even the best intentions and procedures are not enough if the interested party is left alone for a long time. Purchasing should be both simple and fast, as this is the only way to ensure that a potential buyer does not take advantage of a competitor's offer. The customer service department should be available during the longest possible hours and preferably around the clock. In order to reduce costs, it is advisable to use 24/7 automated chat rooms, which can replace consultants during the evening and night hours. At InPost, the 24/7 support is the MAT chatbot available in the most popular messengers.
Essential tools for communicating with customers
It is not only important what customer service does, but also what tools it uses to respond quickly to customers' questions and expectations. CRM systems that collect buyer profiles, which can be used, for example, to personalise promotions, therefore work well. This, in turn, facilitates the use of another tool such as email marketing. In addition, ERP programmes are useful, i.e. databases showing, for example, stock levels. This makes it possible to answer questions from others about, for example, product availability.
Is customer service the new marketing?
Customer service can undoubtedly be considered an important part of a company's promotional activities. It allows you to create positive brand associations and also count on the benefits of word-of-mouth marketing. A service that stands out in the market can do more than even the best advertising spots, sponsored articles or promotional campaigns.
Customer service - why invest in it?
Customer service can have an impact on solving problems related to poor conversion and brand perception, thereby increasing profits. At the same time, it is one of the cheaper marketing activities. For this reason, it can be an effective tool in building brand awareness for companies with smaller financial capabilities. In this way, the company has the chance to generate more revenue at a small cost, while spending less and at the same time attracting new consumers.
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