10 Ways to Improve the Customer Experience in eCommerce

For eCommerce retailers, providing a simple, effective, and hassle-free customer experience is essential to winning new customers, and retain existing consumers. There are many ways to improve the overall customer experience, either through technology, systems, or even design.

This guide focuses on the role that a customer service team can play in delivering a positive customer experience, from proactive email responses to the use of technology to help customers ‘self-serve’ their own needs. Whilst improving the customer experience and retaining customers is a huge benefit in itself, there are also cost savings to be made from doing so. For example, reducing the number of complaints also reduces the number of calls and emails a contact centre will receive and have to process. Put simply, fewer contacts require fewer contact centre advisors.

Create FAQ Pages

Frequently asked questions are often the first place to start when trying to improve the customer experience on a website. This content area should provide a comprehensive guide to address any frequently asked customer questions. FAQs should be both product and service-related to reduce queries around delivery or returns. It is also essential to review the FAQ area regularly to address any additional questions that customers may ask through customer service. Gathering qualitative feedback from the contact centre is imperative.

Educate Customers

It’s all very well having an up-to-date and accurate FAQ section, but if customers don’t know where this is, or that it even exists, how can they be expected to use it to resolve their queries?

Ensure your customer service team directs all contacts to the FAQ pages for future reference, enabling customers to effectively self-serve.

It’s also a good idea to add links to the FAQ area on order confirmation emails, on product shipped emails, and even on the rear of delivery notes and email signatures to maximise the visibility of the FAQ area.

Proactive Customer Service

Utilise previous data and the experience of customer service advisors to respond to emails and written communication proactively. Don’t wait for customers to ask to follow up on questions. Anticipate what a customer is likely to react to. An example of this is when arranging a product return. Proactively inform the customer about the returns policy, including when they can expect to receive their refund and how long it may take for the bank to process it. If an exchange item is being sent, notify the customer of the carrier they will be sent with, when they can expect delivery, and any other relevant information regarding their delivery.

Select Suppliers and Partners who Add Value

Many of the larger carrier companies have been investing millions of pounds in their parcel tracking and customer communication technology.

This technology enables customers to receive email and SMS notifications indicating when they can expect their parcels. In DPD’s case, customers are notified within 15 minutes of delivery.

As these notifications are sent from the carrier, this takes away much of the responsibility from the retailer. Best of all, if customers need to rearrange their delivery, they can organise this directly with the carrier, rather than via your customer service team.

Customers Prefer Phone Calls

Perhaps the most obvious tip of all is to respond to more complex customer service queries with a phone call, rather than an email. This should do two things.

Firstly, this allows the query to be resolved the first time around, which also improves first-contact resolution figures. Secondly, it should also completely satisfy the customer, as they should receive exactly the information they require, without needing to contact your customer service team again.

Keep Customers Up-to-Date

Inevitably, issues, errors, or delays will happen. When they do, customers will contact you. And by that time, they’re probably unhappy. A more effective way to manage this scenario is to be proactive, contacting customers as issues arise and informing them of any delays that may occur. This goes a long way to ensuring that customers are kept informed and completely satisfied.

Key retail dates, such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the final week leading up to Christmas, are prominent examples of where proactive customer communication can significantly improve the customer experience.

Consider a Virtual Assistant 

A virtual assistant is an interactive, automated online help platform that enables customers to navigate online help pages and receive assistance immediately, without requiring human input.

Virtual assistant (VA) platforms enable 24/7 self-service, helping customers both before and after they make a purchase. As the platform is automated, using natural language to provide real-time answers, a VA platform reduces the reliance on contact centre teams. A VA will not replace the human touch or address specific order queries; however, the platform will enhance access to FAQs or help pages. If more specific information is required, many VA platforms allow conversations to flow into a live chat or email dialogue.

Offer Product Reviews

In many cases, customers can self-serve simply by reading reviews from other customers, thereby reducing their reliance on the contact centre. Examples of this in the fashion sector include reviews of sizing accuracy, fit, and comfort level. In the electronics sector, this could involve how easily a product is to set up or how long it takes to charge. In many cases, reviewers will also mention the speed of delivery, as well as how well the product was packaged or gift-wrapped, which further enhances consumer confidence and improves the customer experience.

Welcome Negative Feedback

No brand or retailer enjoys receiving poor feedback or complaints. However, those issues are valuable tools for improving customer service in the future. Having the ability to log problems related to specific product features, service delivery, or returns procedures allows brands and retailers to refine their processes and improve the customer experience. A common cause of complaint may be the condition of customer parcels arriving. The issue may be the carrier's fault, and not related to the retailer in any way. In this case, understanding the issue will provide clear direction to avoid similar problems in the future.

Create Easy Return Processes

Offering a simple and free returns policy to customers provides numerous long-term benefits, one of which is an enhanced overall customer experience.

Many brands and retailers request that customers contact them to obtain a code, number, or returns note before returning an item. Whilst this does allow the retailer to predict return volumes, the process naturally increases the steps a customer must take, which can be frustrating for customers.

With 78% of customers stating they would purchase more items in the long run if the retailer offered free returns, this is an area that should not be ignored. 

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