We can define online service as any one in which there is instant communication with the customer, through virtual channels. In order to answer questions, solve problems or even carry out transactions, the online service can work either through a human agent offering the service through a digital channel, or through an artificial intelligence system.
In any case, it is important that, in every business, there is a science of the need for good online service. It is not new that the issue stopped representing simply a differential for companies and started to configure a basic item of survival in the market.
This phenomenon does not occur by chance – after all, in the age of information, we are talking about something that directly influences the sense of customer experience, which in any business is one of the most important factors.
While good virtual customer service channels are essential to convert sales, engage and retain customers, poor communication can completely destroy the prestige of a brand, both in front of the public and the entire market.
Keep reading this guide, as we will go through points that show how important online service is and how you can apply it to your business.
What is good online service?
Good online service covers all areas of the company. Choose carefully the type of communication (formal, informal or intermediate) to be established with the target audience. After all, the first contact between customer and company will mark their first impression, regardless of whether it is made via chat, messaging app, self-service, social networks, email, customer service video, etc.
Therefore, it is correct to say that the quality of your service can be decisive for both the success as to the failure of your enterprise.
Interestingly, it is possible to perceive that, even if this importance is a fact, in many cases, digital transformation - which includes solutions such as digital signature – is found more in the field of corporate discourse than in the field of practice.
Second data collected by Vanson Bourne, only 6% of Brazilian companies operate with technology fully rooted in their activities.
This information can be explained, in part, by the constant concern with the fluctuating dynamics of the Brazilian economy, which do not favor managers to adopt many innovative measures and which may pose certain risks to their ventures.
However, as much as this concern is legitimately understandable, it cannot be denied that, with an increasingly volatile and accelerated market, the level of consumer demand only tends to increase.
According to a survey conducted by Right now, 86% of consumers were willing to pay up to 25% more, simply to guarantee a better customer service.
The importance of dynamic and adaptable online service
When it comes to online service, the biggest frustration factor in the consumer experience lies in the long wait times between the moment of contact and interaction with the agent.
It is correct, therefore, to say that it is necessary to prioritize agility in these procedures, which requires not only investment in service software, but also a sensitive understanding of the social, cultural, economic and structural contexts of the moment.
The world is constantly changing, and in the face of this sense of agility, empathy and humanization is increasingly necessary – especially if we consider an even more recent reality with a gigantic impact on all sectors of our society: the Covid-19 pandemic. XNUMX.
A report carried out by Ebit|Nielsen reveals that the need for isolation and the increase in activities of home-office drastically transformed buying and selling behaviors, pointing out that, in the first half of 2020 alone, there was a growth of almost 50% in the e-commerce sector.
Therefore, more than ever, consumers are looking for digital channels, and companies need to respond to these new expectations.
The main online service channels
Now let's see the channels you need to know about.
1 Chat
O chat online It is a very functional communication channel, as it is practical and accessible to the customer, and also because it allows the use of artificial intelligence to identify frequently asked questions and, quickly, offer their respective solutions in an agile and automated way.
So tools like the WordPress greatly facilitate its implementation in sites, blogs, minisites, microsites and landing pages.
2. Messaging apps
Apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and, more recently, the Zoom, are tools whose popularity has been growing exponentially, as they are already part of people's daily lives.
Through them, communication between company and consumer takes on a more personal tone, falling into the preference of all segments of the public, from the youngest to the most advanced age group.
3. Self-service
A quality self-service system works in such a way that, when the consumer enters his question, the system promptly recognizes it and thus offers the appropriate answer, combining agility with efficiency, and optimizing resources, since contact via self-service costs much less than which is done over the phone.
4. Video service
This is an extremely useful channel when the product or service offered by the company is more complex in its operation.
After all, certain explanations can ask for a certain visual appeal, and a video service can be essential to meet this demand, humanizing the process and bringing the consumer closer to the company.
5. Social Networks
Social networks are the most used support channel by the younger audience. This is mainly due to the fact that they are already extremely present in the daily lives of this segment of the public, and because the exchange of direct messages with the company makes people feel more connected to the brand.
6. Email
One of the most traditional forms of online service and, nevertheless, obsolete. One research conducted by Forrester points out that 54% of customers used this service channel in 2018, which shows that, despite the advent of new channels, such as apps, video calls and social networks, email remains highly relevant.
The main reasons attributed to this are the fact that all conversations remain documented (generating a sense of security and transparency in the consumer) and that the email can be sent at any time, without the client having to be restricted to operation.
Poor online service and its consequences
In the same way that competent online service builds customer loyalty, bringing them closer to the company through a streamlined and efficient communication process, when poorly executed, it can have dire consequences.
A good online customer service cannot, under any circumstances, present many bureaucratic processes or make the customer wait, transferring calls excessively.
Disregard for the consumer's experience is also not acceptable: a culture focused on the customer and their needs is necessary, prioritizing the resolution of the audience's problems and transparency in relation to what is offered and what is fulfilled.
Errors in this sense, they are, unfortunately, very common, and end up harming the results of a business in a way that is often irreversible. Among the negative consequences of poor online service, the main ones are mentioned below.
Loss of reputation by the company
A complaint generates much more impact than a compliment. And, in the midst of social media, networks like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are full of negative reviews from dissatisfied consumers. Most of these complaints are due to poor service issues.
Difficulty in acquiring, keeping and retaining customers
More than having their problem solved, the customer wants to feel special. It is a basic requirement to offer a humane, empathetic and attentive service to the consumer. Otherwise, even if he consumes your product or service, he will not propagate and defend it to others.
As already pointed out here, the dissatisfied customer does not make much of a ceremony when switching companies. Research indicates that It costs five times more to acquire a new customer than to retain a new one..
What are the benefits of online service?
Below, we list the main advantages of this type of service.
Agility in problem solving
Online service stands out for its ability to offer quick and efficient responses. Unlike traditional methods, where customers can wait hours or even days for a solution, online service significantly reduces this time.
This not only improves the customer experience, but also optimizes the work of agents, who can focus on more complex issues, leaving simpler ones to be resolved quickly by automated systems.
Instant communication
The expectation for immediate responses is a reality in the modern world, and online service perfectly meets this demand. Using artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies, companies can provide almost instantaneous answers to customer queries.
This not only increases customer satisfaction, but also increases the overall efficiency of the service process.
Gathering relevant metrics
Online service allows the collection and analysis of important data more effectively. Digital fulfillment systems often offer the ability to monitor key metrics such as response time, resolution rate and customer satisfaction.
This data is essential for understanding service performance and for making adjustments that continually improve the quality of the service offered.
Process unification
The centralization of data and information is another important benefit of online service. This approach allows for better organization and monitoring of interactions with customers and prospects.
Furthermore, it facilitates the standardization of responses and the optimization of workflows, which contributes to the efficiency and effectiveness of the service team. This unification of processes results in more cohesive management and a more consistent customer service.
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Tips for a good online service
Based on an understanding of the importance of a well-executed online service and the risks that poor service implementation can pose to your business, we have prepared some tips for your company to operate in the best possible way in this regard.
1. Have an online service system
A conversation management system is one of the best ways to keep tabs on the ever-increasing volume of messages in online chats, especially if your business has many social media platforms.
In recent years, WhatsApp has stood out as one of the most used online chats, for be present on the cell phone of 99% of the Brazilian population.
In this way, it may be interesting to select an online service tool via WhatsApp. Another good alternative is to provide a direct chat through your business website.
2. Train your team
A well-trained team is essential to provide a good service. It's no use having a huge team if it's not capable of doing the job. Remember that quality is worth more than quantity and invest in your team: offer courses, workshops and maintain constant communication with all members of your company.
Empathy with the customer is also very important, after all, humanized service and close to the user is fundamental. Your team needs to be prepared to put itself in the consumer's shoes, raising awareness of the situation and building adequate solutions for everyone.
3. Allow a callback
A callback is a feature through which the customer can request a call from the company through the website. This tool makes phone service less of a problem, preventing the consumer from waiting on the line for a long time, in addition to adapting perfectly to the availability of your team.
4. Have clear and objective communication
Nowadays, the whole concept of communication points to a more agile operation than a few years ago. It is necessary to consider that the client does not have all the time in the world and seeks to make a dynamic and objective reading.
Therefore, avoid gigantic blocks of text, and prioritize short messages, spacing the phrases to make reading easier. Likewise, always try to respond as quickly as possible.
When you don't have the answer, be direct and transparent: say you're analyzing the situation and will get back to you shortly. While communication must be fast, it must also be well contextualized.
Know your customers well, anticipating questions and ensuring that your answers are complete and detailed.
5. Get customer feedback
Many customers, when dissatisfied with the service, simply leave for the competition. So it would be too naive to expect feedback to come naturally. In addition, just waiting for the customer to move to show some dissatisfaction denotes a certain degree of disregard for the consumer.
Therefore, it is important to always keep an eye on customer impressions. Be sure to collect feedback, either through satisfaction surveys via email or talking to your audience during the service itself.
Also consider implementing assessment systems in order to automate this process.
6. Know your customer
The Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) is a way to perform a general mapping of your target audience and its specifics.
Through this process, you can define which type of customer comes to your company more easily, and then establish which service channels may be the most suitable to serve them.
A young audience, for example, will probably prefer to be served by social networks, while an older audience may prefer to opt for the good old telephone.
Taking this into account, it will also be easier to collect feedback from customers, since they will be in the virtual environment where they feel most comfortable.
7. Be careful with grammar
Even those who are already used to writing can make mistakes in Portuguese. However, extreme care must be taken for these errors to occur. The attendant is a communication professional.
Any service in which the person in charge demonstrates not knowing how to communicate loses, and a lot, in credibility.
Whether in written or spoken communication, your team must not only be oriented to use Portuguese correctly, but also trained not to use gerunds and to avoid technical or overly complex terms.
Capital letters should also not be used, or they will give the impression that the attendant is yelling.
Just as the language must be clear and uncomplicated, the rhythm of the dialogue must also be observed: accelerated speech, in addition to generating noise in communication, denotes haste on the part of the agent, which can impair the customer's perception of the service.
On the other hand, communication that is too slow can generate anxiety and agony in the consumer.
8. Beware of excessive informality
It is extremely important to know the segment your business is aimed at and adapt your language to the particularities of your audience, so that the customer feels comfortable dealing with a company that belongs to the same world as him.
However, when trying to humanize the relationship, many organizations end up falling into the trap of informality, which can be a fatal blow to your company's credibility.
9. Consider multi-lingual support
For the company that wants to expand its borders, it is essential to offer the possibility of carrying out the service in other languages. Plan that at least a part of your team is made up of people fluent in languages from other countries.
Thus, it will be possible to embrace audiences from different parts of the world, or foreigners living in Brazil – in cases like this, this greatly humanizes communication and reinforces the customer's perception that he is really special.
In some cases, good automatic translation tools can also be very useful, allowing both your team and your customers to use the language of their choice during the service.
10. Automate common responses
In any business, it is natural to have some simple but recurring questions or problems, especially among newer customers. A chatbot can be an important tool to automate this process and resolve these issues in a personalized way.
It is also important that, when programming this artificial intelligence, there is the option of directing the customer to a human attendant, in case the problem is not resolved.
11. Have availability
Be available to your customer when they need it. This is an extremely important factor when it comes to customer service.
To do so, carry out a survey of your peak hours: an analysis of which are the moments when the greatest number of calls, chats, emails and calls occur.
Reinforcing availability on strategic commercial dates – such as Christmas, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Black Friday, among others – is also something to be considered.
12. Review feedback
By analyzing your conversation histories and your performance reports, you will be able to qualitatively evaluate the performance of your company's online service, in which points your employees excel and in which aspects they still need to improve.
This is also a way of observing how your customers perceive your customer service. Likewise, it is extremely valid to pay special attention to the behavior of visitors on your website: which pages are most visited, at which stage of the purchase process there is a higher dropout rate, etc.
13. Use upsell and cross-sell techniques
Upsell and cross-sell are very useful communication and sales techniques, especially during online service.
While the first technique consists of convincing the customer that it is more advantageous to purchase the most current version of a certain product, for example, the second is about increasing the value of the negotiation, by including related products (such as accessories).
One more example: if a customer decides to look for your company to buy a certain cell, it is possible to use upsell to convince them to buy a newer model, and even persuade them to buy accessories, such as a case, screen protector and others, through cross-sell.
14. Define your persona
One of the person is a fictional figure that defines the profile of your ideal consumer. When defining your persona, personal aspects common to most of your customers are taken into account.
Once your persona is defined, it needs to be presented to the entire team, so that everyone understands what type of customer they will be dealing with.
15. Build autonomy for the team
It is essential that your team members have some autonomy so that, when necessary, they can get off the road a little bit – sometimes, some concessions can be necessary and justifiable to win back a client or close a deal.
Evidently, it is necessary to take good care of this autonomy, so that the operations of your service do not fall into total disorder, but a certain degree of improvisation and flexibility can make a lot of difference in the final result, especially with regard to to customer retention and loyalty.
16. Build customer loyalty
Truly good service is not just about providing support and problem solving. You need to think hard about ways to retain and retain your customers, so that they keep coming back to consume more and more of your products or services.
There are basic strategies to promote this aspect, such as loyalty programs and offering new offers through emails and newsletters. That way, your customer will always be viewing your brand and feeling encouraged to return to your page.
17. Integrate with the CRM system
Integrating your online chat with your CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system is another important way to make your service process easier.
But more than that, your team needs to be particularly attuned to using your relationship management system. In this way, your team will operate with excellence during the process of viewing, editing and updating information.
Once you have these tips, you will be ready to implement a good online customer service for your company with excellence. Regardless of your size or your field of activity, good and clear communication is always essential, because that's where it all starts.
Remember that your business depends on the customer more than it depends on your business – if your service doesn’t meet the customer’s needs, there will be someone else in the competition who does – and that, therefore, the importance of a good relationship between both parties.
It is in the face of this blatant reality that companies in the market are mobilizing to improve themselves in relation to online service issues.
There are more and more features to be explored, such as, for example, signing contracts and documents via WhatsApp. Learn more about this feature by reading the content we've prepared about it!
