Online businesses, especially online retailers, are often guilty of some common online customer service mistakes. Good customer support, even when you’re not dealing with customers face-to-face, is a vital part of running a successful business and building word of mouth promotion. At Faraway Furniture, we’ve always prided ourselves on our customer service – finding out what our customers want, and trying to give it to them. That’s why we’ve been able to build a lot of word of mouth buzz about our products and shopping experience. In an effort to help other online businesses, here are some of those common online customer service mistakes and what you can do to fix them:

Online Customer Service Mistakes

Stock Responses – Many companies use form-letter types of responses that are automatically sent to customers based on the text of their question or complaint. This is sometimes done, because companies think a fast answer is what the customer wants. Yes, customers would love a timely response. More importantly, they want the right response. These stock responses often don’t address the customer service issue.

Not Enough Information – Customers should be able to find answers to basic questions about your company, your products, or your policies without having to contact you. The harder you make it for them to get the information they need, the less likely they’ll buy from you in the first place. Most people shopping online are doing so for the convenience, and a lack of information isn’t convenient.

Being Impossible to Reach – It’s a good idea to have phone support (or to outsource your phone-based customer service) even if you’re a strictly Web-based business. Sometimes (especially for larger problems) customers simply want to speak to a real person.

Improving Online Customer Service

Make Yourself Available – Rather than sending those stock responses, have an actual person address email complaints and questions (in a timely manner). This also goes for those ranking high within the company – they should be available, even if only after a customer works their way through a chain of customer service reps or customer service managers below them.

Add Contact Options – Not all customers want to send an email, and not all customers want to talk to someone on the phone. Give them as many options as possible such as phone, email, live online support chats, or snail mail, choosing the best options for your target customers.

Update Your Support Area – Whether you have an all-out knowledgebase or a simple FAQ section to your company’s website, keep it updated. Out-of-date information can make your company appear unprofessional, and can frustrate and confuse customers. Also, when you’re receiving similar questions repeatedly, save yourself and customers time by adding the answer to your website.

Ask for Input – One of the best ways to improve your customer service is to ask customers what they actually want from you, and give it to them if at all possible. For example, we’re in the online furniture business which means our customers often have to be present when furniture is delivered. We were able to improve our customer service by starting to offer Saturday and Sunday delivery options, so our customers didn’t have to take time away from work to wait on deliveries. They told us what they wanted, and we demonstrated that we not only listened but cared enough to act on their behalf. Listening is often the key to great customer service.

Work to improve your online customer service and you’ll build a better brand reputation and more customer loyalty. It’s too easy for online shoppers to click away from your site and shop somewhere else to not take their concerns seriously.