Amazon has been providing unbelievable, exceptional customer service since it came into existence 22 years ago. Amazon is a customer-centric marketplace that puts the consumers at the center of every decision they make, and everything they do.
It’s time for all the brands, websites, and other e-commerce marketplaces to learn what Amazon has been doing throughout these years and implement their top customer service strategies for your business.
Remember that Amazon has already set a standard in front of your customer’s eyes, so you are already in competition with Amazon customers’ service and experience. Therefore, apart from using the fastest Amazon repricer to offer the best product prices, you should also think about adopting some of these customer service strategies from Amazon for your own brand.
1. Start by focusing entirely on your customers
Amazon’s customer service strategy is ingrained in its DNA. It’s easy to say that Amazon is all about its customers and sometimes, even sellers feel left out. On a serious note, the vision of Amazon clearly states that it wants to become the most customer-centric company on earth. It’s no wonder that Amazon has become the largest e-commerce giant, with a laser-like concentration on customer service and experience.
If you really want to provide exceptional customer service like Amazon, then you must make customers your top priority. Not just when it comes to marketing, or getting sales, but also when it comes to listening to their issues, dealing with returns, and delivering their orders to them. They should be the center of your attention, as well as decisions.
2. Employees should be well trained to handle customers.
The leadership decisions of the CEO are not enough to retain customers, that’s why Amazon ensures that the vision is shared, and followed throughout the organization. Amazon employees, whether they are executive or new, get the opportunity to undergo two days of call-center training. The idea is to teach them how to listen to customers rather than just talking to them.
There’s no point in communicating with the customers when you don’t have the patience to understand what they are trying to say. However, when you actually listen to your buyers, you understand them better and take necessary actions to meet your customer’s needs.
3. Make it easy for your customers to find solutions.
Amazon features a comprehensive yet simple-to-navigate help center, that allows you to look into a variety of issues and identify solutions. There are many articles under the section, but the user interface is simple, visually attractive, and in harmony with the website’s buying experience, which allows visitors to search according to any specific need or category.
It gives purchasers a chance to find solutions to their own problems and helps them save time. Make sure to design a help center that has answers to the most common issues that the customers might face.
4. Create a community of customer service representatives
Sometimes, solving a problem requires a whole village to work on it. However, Amazon has made it pretty simple for customers to use the wisdom of the experienced public to resolve minor issues. It has introduced many forums, and groups that consumers and sellers can join to post their queries and let the crowd help them solve the issues.
When customers end up helping each other, Amazon’s customer support staff can respond to queries more quickly. Users who support one another gain the sense of belonging that comes with being a part of the same community. Create FB groups, and other online forums to help customers get together and help each other out.
5. Make personal interactions possible
Amazon gives the opportunity to customers to contact a live person if Amazon’s community forums or self-service FAQs are unable to resolve the issue. Amazon never puts its callers on hold and provides assistance 24/7. Amazon has also introduced “Mayday”, a free customer service program.
Customers can press the “Mayday” button on their phones to rapidly connect with a tech expert. The user can see the advisor in real-time via video, but the advisor only sees what’s displayed on the phone screen. It’s just another piece of evidence of how crucial human interaction is in providing excellent customer service.
6. Assist your customers in staying connected, whenever they want to.
Most of the purchasers these days are now buying goods via mobile phones, which shows that mobile commerce is growing nowadays. Amazon has implemented the mobile-first approach that has now become the industry standard, which is a remarkable achievement considering the company’s extensive products and categories. Amazon’s site is simple to use and navigate, with excellent product categorization.
Attractive features such as one-click ordering, auto-fill, search functionality, and others have made the shopping experience easier and delightful for modern-day buyers. Follow the footsteps of Amazon and update your site according to your customers, and bring interesting features to help retain buyers and increase brand loyalty.
7. Customers and brands must have a good relationship.
If an issue arises related to the seller’s goods or delivery procedure, Amazon gets a bonus point for advocating for the customer. Furthermore, the marketplace helps in building a connection between its customers and buyers. Amazon Exclusives was an effort made by Amazon last year for the entrepreneurs that wish to market their stories. Such videos help buyers feel more directly connected to the brand and its offered items.
It’s a great way of marketing and if you really want to build a relationship with your customers, then make sure you let them know about every activity and every product you work on. Let them know you are here for them, and whatever you are doing is to make the shopping experience better for them. Connect with them through social media platforms, and keep communication open on your website as well.
Additional tip:
Customer needs and preferences keep on evolving, and Amazon has been bringing changes according to it. The platform is known to offer the best product prices, where sellers invest their money in repricing software to attract maximum buyers and make sales.
Also, it offers a variety of products and exceptional customer support. In short, it has set the best example for other brands to make customers their priority and fulfill their needs. Never get comfortable with what you have at the moment, and always thrive to be better by letting customer needs drive your ideas and innovation.
In conclusion,
Following Amazon’s footsteps can help you get better at dealing with customers, and providing them with what they need. However, make sure to make smart decisions and work according to the nature of your business.
The main motive is to keep your customers happy, but don’t ignore other aspects of your business while doing so.