If you own and run a business, you have learned that customer feedback is critical to staying ahead of your competitors. Customer feedback is not a new concept and has been used by companies for decades to improve their products. In fact, many businesses rely on customer reviews to improve the quality of their products and services.
Feedback is of great importance for those who want to learn about customers’ needs. It is one of the most effective tools to strengthen your consumer base. About 83% of consumers say they are more likely to stay with a company that addresses and solves their problems. However, it is difficult for us to accept negative reviews and complaints. Brands do not pay much attention to them, but every one of them can tarnish your reputation.
Luckily, there are easy ways to not only address customer complaints but turn them into sales, like chat support. Here are seven live chat practices businesses should start today to increase their conversion rates.
Best Practices to Implement in Chat Support
Live chat customer support paves a path that helps brands in customer engagement with a prompt resolution. However, a number of things should be kept in mind by many to boost CSAT scores. Responding and resolving customer queries and concerns are among the best methods. About 75% of customers of online businesses would give a brand a second chance if they could effectively resolve their complaints.
Practice 1: Use Omnichannel Ticketing Systems
With a multi-channel ticketing system, you can manage all your customer communications in one place:
- Phone
- Live chat
- Web forms
- Social media
You can automate answers to specific questions. One of the key features of live tickets is the ability for agents to convert conversations into tickets easily. This results in faster response to queries, higher customer satisfaction, and first-call resolution.
Practice 2: Respond Within Minutes
A quick response is the ultimate way to reassure an irate customer. That is why responding right away when you receive a complaint in live chat is crucial. In fact, complaints are best resolved as soon as possible, so you should aim to reply within seconds. Up to 90% of customers will give your brand a second chance if complaints are handled properly on time.
You can also set up a separate CRM folder to filter out non-severity requests. This allows you to reach out directly to customers who need help. 24/7 live chat support also helps in this regard. So when a customer has a question, complaint, or wants a refund, providing immediate support can make a big difference in funding.
Practice 3: Show Gratitude
Taking responsibility for your mistakes is the first step to improvement. Don’t be afraid to apologize to the customer. Show encouragement and let them know you appreciate their comeback. You can also add a respectful comment like this:
“Thank you for letting us know!”
“We sincerely apologize you had to face that.”
“We appreciate your feedback!”
Research shows that 48% of consumers fix bad reviews for their business after receiving an apology. So be flexible in your interactions and say sorry if necessary. It helps strengthen customer relationships and increase sales.
Practice 4: Compensate for Complaints
Another way to please a dissatisfied customer is to compensate for the failures. You can offer discounts, coupons for your next purchase, or cash refunds through chat support. About 24% of dissatisfied shoppers change their minds about brands after receiving a reward.
There are several ways to offer rewards. For instance, if your brand policies do not allow refunds, you can gift additional stuff, try products or services, or offer free shipping. Dig into complaints and filter out those that require compensation. As a result, many dissatisfied customers become repeat customers.
Practice 5: Help Users Troubleshoot Issues Before Escalating to Tickets
If you have a good customer relationship, you can take advantage of it to resolve issues before they escalate to tickets. But, first, take the time to find a solution to your problem. As a warning, do not write down quick fixes that do not require thorough consideration. Instead, think about what your customer’s problem is and how you can solve it.
This allows creating solutions that go beyond our customers’ expectations. Then you can use your communication skills to solve problems instead of just writing down ready-made answers. For example, if a customer is having trouble setting up your product, take the time to walk them through the setup process. In this way, instead of just one problem, he solves two.
Practice 6: Generate Ticket If it comes to the Push
If you receive a customer complaint, do not just close the ticket because of it. Instead, see if the issue can be resolved before closing the ticket. Customers often turn to you when they get stuck, not knowing where to go next. If you can solve the problem in chat, you can prevent the customer from escalating the issue.
But do not just send canned responses if you can’t solve the problem. Instead, create a ticket with all the information you can remember. Not only does this help you manage your workflow more efficiently, but it also serves as a tool for future clients. Let them know you are aware of the problem and will reply as soon as possible.
Practice 7: Follow Up After Resolution
Following up with your customers has proven to reap the most beneficial results and turn those tickets into business opportunities. Contacting the customer post issue resolution has two benefits: First, it lets you know if you have actually addressed your customer’s complaints. Secondly, keep reminding them that they are in the best chat support hand upon happy customer interaction.
A full follow-up after resolving a ticket is a must for any company trying to build a reputation. Ask if the proposed solution worked for them to assure your customer is content with the help entirely. Few companies take this step to derive a healthy benefit by getting in touch with their customers after the issue is resolved.
Conclusion
Improving conversion rates and increasing sales is not a one-person job. It would be great to cash every possible opportunity. No matter the ticket volume, every brand should handle them with the utmost care, and that too, as soon as possible. People will always have some issue with your product or service. You can also track them with the software that has built-in features for clean management. Reviewing these complaints will help us identify where we need to improve and better serve our customers.
If you are having trouble communicating or resolving issues with unsatisfied customers, chat support can be outsourced to quality live chat support service providers like us. Outsource Live Chat (OLC) is the partner you need to improve your support interactions. From 24/7 availability to bilingual chat agents, we bring everything under the same roof. Use our free trial to learn our chat support features. Our tailored and affordable plans are what you need to thrive in the market.
Now you know everything there is to turn your tickets into sales. Hire the best support partners to see your brand ruling the online market.
