Ecommerce Customer Service: 5 Tips Before You Outsource

Featured image by Charanjeet Dhiman via Unsplash

Your ecommerce business must effectively interact with online buyers who have problems with or questions about your products or services. Ecommerce customer service is therefore a vital process that contributes to success.

Outsourcing improves your operations, and many business process outsourcing (BPO) companies are willing to help you.

However, before reaching out to a service provider, check these five valuable tips to get the most out of customer service outsourcing. Continue reading all the way to the end to learn more.

1. Choose a Reputable BPO Provider for Your Ecommerce Customer Service

Pick a BPO partner that boasts multiple accomplishments. For example, look for a provider whose profile lists different startups and established companies they have served. A strong reputation indicates the service provider does its job well and satisfies clients.

Why choose a reputable BPO provider:

A reputable BPO provider has advanced technologies that protect your sensitive consumer data, improve customer satisfaction, and enhance workflow efficiency.
Such a provider attracts more talent. This is because skilled and experienced customer service agents want to work for respected organizations.
Its solid standing guarantees the delivery of high-quality services and the completion of business requirements, giving you confidence and peace of mind.
It will not close up shop soon. Choose a company that has at least a decade of industry experience, has survived business challenges, and has established financial stability.

One proven way to determine a service provider’s reputation for ecommerce customer service is to get client testimonials. So check the different independent online resources for impartial reviews and feedback about the company’s performance and achievements. This method is unquestionably better than reading the company’s website testimonials.

2. Outsource to a Dedicated Team of Specialists

Opt for a service provider that offers you a team focusing solely on customer service for your ecommerce site. However, some BPO companies use a single or “shared” team to do tasks for more than one client to save on costs. Hiring a dedicated crew is more expensive, but it is worth your investment in the long run.

Why outsource to a dedicated team:

Agents are knowledgeable of your processes, culture, and procedures. Therefore, they answer all customer questions about your products or services and address any issues.
A dedicated team will be quick and accurate in helping online buyers by providing them with item descriptions, choices, and other options.
They are fully trained to deliver excellent customer satisfaction and experience, resulting in higher loyalty and retention. In short, satisfied consumers return to your online store to buy again.

An effective means of assembling your dedicated team is to look into the soft skills vital for the job. For example, these skills include problem-solving, interpersonal communication, empathy, team play, persuasion, and active listening.

3. Monitor Ecommerce Customer Service Processes Regularly

Quantitative and qualitative procedures measure customer service productivity and efficiency.

The quantitative procedure measures customer support performance using numbers and values, including net promoter scores (NPS), average response time, and customer satisfaction scores (CSAT). The qualitative method, on the other hand, gauges agents’ soft skills.

Why continually monitor processes:

Continually monitoring processes ensures the customer service performance and output are within your expectations and continuously aligned with your overall business objectives.
Frequent monitoring also detects workflow or process issues and resolves them at their initial stages.
It spots factors of customer dissatisfaction and finds solutions to ease, if not eliminate, their frustration.
It keeps track of customer support improvement initiatives and helps you assess their progress. If satisfaction picks up, then your efforts are going in the right direction.

Conduct regular meetings with the team manager for better customer service monitoring on your ecommerce site. Also, check whether the team meets key performance indicators (KPIs) or metrics such as NPS and CSAT.

4. Include Multilingual Support

Select a service provider offering support in different languages. This is because many online shoppers prefer to interact in their native language. Non-English consumers are transferred to an agent or a web resource (such as an FAQ page or a self-service option) they understand.

Multilingual capabilities are ideal for voice support. Customers in Germany, Japan, and Brazil, as well as foreigners in the US and the UK, depend on calls for product or service assistance.

Why include multilingual support:

Multilingual support establishes your brand globally. More consumers will buy your product or service if customer support communicates in their language.
It opens up opportunities for higher sales, especially when your competitors don’t have this service. International customers can switch to your brand because they are more comfortable interacting with agents who speak their first language.

In China alone, the market potential is vast. For instance, Global Times reports that China’s internet users reached over a billion in 2021, with an online penetration rate of around 73%. On average, users spend almost 29 hours on the internet per week, primarily using their mobile phones.

5. Adopt Global Coverage for Ecommerce Customer Service

Your ecommerce store is always open to your target customers worldwide. For this reason alone, a potential service partner must provide around-the-clock and multichannel support to help you serve your global customer base.

Multichannel support means customers can contact you through different channels, including phone calls, email, social media, live chat, chatbots, self-service options, and knowledge base resources.

Why adopt global coverage:

It gives consumers access to customer support anytime, including weekends, late nights, and holidays. Twenty-four-seven availability encourages buyers to place more orders or purchase new ones.
Global coverage offers a wider market reach and higher revenue. Operating internationally allows you to generate more sales than does running locally.
It helps the business survive longer because its market is diverse. If you lose money from domestic operations due to an economic downturn, your gains from overseas markets can offset such a loss.

The worldwide ecommerce market might continue to grow. Statista reports that online global sales will reach over $7 trillion by 2025, up from about $5 trillion in 2021.

Final Thoughts

The right strategy for outsourcing customer support will lead to high-quality service. Delivering excellent and consistent consumer satisfaction must be your goal to help build and sustain revenue, customer loyalty, and a competitive edge.

Look for a dependable BPO provider to handle your processes. Make an effort and take the time to shop for the right one.

About the Author

Rene Mallari is a B2B content writer for Unity Communications, an Arizona-based Inc. 5000 company specializing in outsourcing and offshoring services.