Effective customer service is no longer simply a nice-to-have. To succeed in this hyper-connected digital age, it must be a top priority for every merchant and brand. Making customer communication and satisfaction a priority goes a long way to prevent chargebacks.
First, think about the common reasons customers give for filing a chargeback. Often, customers file chargebacks because they simply didn’t know what else to do. They were confused about a charge, didn’t know whom to contact, or were reluctant and lacking confidence in the merchant’s ability to help them.
This can be prevented and resolved with exceptional customer service and marketing. Yes, marketing – now in this digital age, every blog post, sponsored post, or piece of social content is part of the brand image and impacts heavily on customer perception of the brand. It’s time for the customer service team to move forward and implement new ways of communicating, solving problems, and reinforcing marketing efforts.
Proactive Customer Service
There is nothing worse than being ignored or forgotten. A phone call to customer service about an unrecognized charge on a credit card statement can result in a maze of automated voice responses, resulting in frustration. The customer still has the original problem and has little choice but to file a dispute, because she believes this is the only recourse available.
Merchants must break this cycle and give customers what they need and want – access to information and direct contact to personnel to help them resolve their issue.
- Be responsive. Make it easy for customers to find contact information and to get answers to problems.
- Be clear. Provide regular communication to customers through email, newsletters, and website updates.
- Be honest. Don’t hide problems that are causing delays in delivery or quality of service.
- Be a proactive listener. The best way to build brand loyalty is to listen and act on customer feedback and criticism.
- Be generous. Consider giving customers free trials or extra benefits to reward commitment or to salvage a damaged relationship.
- Be professional. Ensure the customer service team is professional at all times. This means responding quickly, clearly, and courteously.
- Be human. Customers like to feel connected to a known and reliable brand. The best way to do this is to humanize the brand.
Underscoring every moment of customer interaction is an investment in brand loyalty and customer commitment. It’s imperative that building brand loyalty is a key component of your chargeback prevention strategies.
The trickle-down effects of going the extra mile to reach out, listen, and respond can have global implications. A happy customer can be the best marketing tool a brand has.
Customer Service in the Digital Age
Virtually everyone uses social media in some aspect. This means brands must connect with customers where they are and how they use the Internet.
- Social media takes work. Merchants must do more than post to their social media channels. Be attentive to customer questions and tagged posts. Respond proactively and positively.
- Consider brand ambassadors. Brand ambassadors are a great way to help build a digital profile and connect with customers by humanizing the brand.
- Don’t neglect social channels. Too many companies create social media accounts and fail to use them. Customers who reach out on these channels without a response take exception to this lack of engagement – by way of moving on to your competitors.
A bonus of the digital age is that merchants have new tools to prevent chargebacks. Customers expect more from merchants, since they know how easy it is to reach out and connect. Be the brand that others want to live up to – communicate, be proactive, be available, correct and learn from mistakes, be human, and reduce your chargebacks.
Contact us today – Verifi experts can help you put solutions in place to support customer service efforts to prevent chargebacks and extend brand loyalty.