Retail Marketing Virtual Conference & Expo: Customer Service ‘WOW’ Factor Tips
It's not breaking news that great customer service is key for any retailer. In fact, a recent study from STELLAService found that 10.7 percent of online consumers will spend more for a great customer service experience. A session from Retail Online Integration's Retail Marketing Virtual Conference & Expo titled At Your Service: Current E-Commerce Customer Service Trends for Retailers features a roundtable discussion with retail industry leaders on best practices surrounding customer service. Will Freund, senior director of operations at Gilt Groupe; John Ernsberger, co-founder and vice president of sales at STELLAService; and John Rote, director of operations and customer experience at Bonobos, led the panel discussion.
The panel discussed reasons why retailers’ customer service tactics need to be integrated into their social media efforts. Here's a look at what they had to say in the form of tweets sent live during the session by the ROI staff:
Customer Service
- Customer Service is the sum of all interactions btwn shopppers + online retailers that contribute to the overall customer experience
- price, selection and service are the three legs of the customer service stool
- consumers spend 10% more with companies that offer great service
- Customer service begins with loyalty
- High levels of customer service WILL drive customer loyalty - make sure the customer experience is a good one
Social Media
- More people are engaging with brands via social media - make sure you get involved in those conversations
- Customer Service via social media - figure out your own voice and what tone is best for communicating - social media chatter is more lax
- Bonobos responds to its customers quickly; Twitter and Facebook inquiries are answered faster than email
Shipping
- Bonobos treats return and exhanges as a marketing tool, it's fairly open and liberal with its policy
- Surveys from Bonobos show its customers don't really have a preference in shipping carrier
