Imagine you go into a physical store to buy a product you have been looking for for some time, but you don’t see anyone serving customers. After waiting a few seconds, still no one appears.
What would you do in that situation?
I’m telling you: leave.
You’ve just had a bad experience, and you’ll probably never set foot in that store again, let alone recommend it to anyone. Its reputation has plummeted for you and your closest circle.
For a physical store to be neglected is unthinkable. How can you imagine such a thing…
So, I ask you a few questions.
If you have an online store, what do you do to serve your customers when they enter your website? What means do you have to do it? How do you solve their doubts or problems at that moment? How long does it take you to do it?
It may have made your head explode right now because you just realized that the situation of having an unattended physical store is exactly the same as having an online store without any form of customer service and support when users enter your website.
If they need to ask a question about a product or have some kind of problem during the purchase process and they have no one to turn to immediately, what happens: they will leave just like you would leave that physical store that was empty of employees.
The importance of automating customer service in an online store
Reputation as a brand and conversion of visits into sales depend, in large part, on customer service.
According to the 2022 study on e-commerce by IAB Spain-Elogia, 50% of people choose an online store because of the customer service it offers.
In other words, one out of every two people who enter your online store will stay in it because of how you serve them. If not, they will go to the competition. A very high percentage to put at stake your reputation as a business and, of course, your sales.
In addition, your customer service needs to adapt to the needs of your customers. Therefore, you have to align your online store with the different sales channels and devices currently used by users (social networks, cell phones, WhatsApp…).
That is why it is so important to use customer service automation with tools such as chatbots.
So, what is a customer service chatbot?
A customer service chatbot is a digital tool that allows you to have direct contact with your potential and current customers.
In an online store, including a chatbot for customer service goes beyond simple user support. Therefore, 3 main objectives can be highlighted:
Customer service:
Solve the most frequently asked questions that users have about your store (shipping costs and methods, exchanges and returns, product catalog…).
Collect audience data:
Increase sales and conversion by applying information collected from users in product recommendations, marketing campaigns, creating new needs and content, etc.
User experience:
Accompany the customer during the purchase process. This increases brand reputation and reduces abandoned carts.
The benefits of automating your customer service
Using a chatbot for the customer service of your online store is an investment in the short, medium and long term, no matter how you look at it. But not only that, it also generates multiple benefits, not only for you as the owner, but also for your customer:
Reduce your costs ⇒ More money to invest in other business areas.
Save time for your customer ⇒ Get an immediate response.
Easy and simple format ⇒ Users know how to use a chat, they are familiar.
Time gain for you (and your business) ⇒ Time to optimize other areas of your store or your life.
After-sales service ⇒ Attention goes further. Positive brand image.
Order follow-ups ⇒ Decreases user anxiety.
Assistance during the sale ⇒ Prevents abandonment of the store and finalizes the purchase successfully.
Product recommendation ⇒ Personalization of the shopping experience.
24/ 7 ⇒ Customers always attended from anywhere in the world for a very affordable cost.
Fast resolution ⇒ You can’t compete with the speed of a bot.
More online reputation than your competition ⇒ Advantage over stores that don’t have a bot.
Economical and easy to implement ⇒ You don’t need any technical knowledge to use a chatbot in your online store.
How to create a chatbot for customer service for your online store
In the market there is a wide range of companies that offer chatbot tools for customer service. In this case, I am going to talk about what you need to take into account to make a good choice when creating your chatbot:
Easy to install:
If you have a hard time using your chatbot from minute 1, you’re in trouble. Look for a chatbot that has a built in base and customizable templates to get you up and running as soon as possible.
Easy to manage:
Sometimes, it happens that a tool can be very powerful from behind but, what the user needs to manage, is not intuitive at all and it becomes very complicated to take full advantage of it. Be careful with this.
Customizable:
Your bot needs to speak for your brand. It needs to convey your values and connect with your audience. Personalization is essential for brand recall.
With possible integrations:
Why do you want a bot if you can’t take it to the channels where your audience is. Web, instant messaging, social networks… Keep this in mind.
24/7 specialized support in your language:
The peace of mind of knowing that there is someone behind you to help you when you need it most is essential. Look for a good tool, but with the best support.
Money back guarantee:
Don’t run the risk of hiring something that doesn’t work for your business. Having a money-back guarantee means peace of mind and confidence in the company offering the service.
After taking this into account:
Want to know more?
Come in and try Arkibot,
your business customer service is going to change after this.