How to Handle Customer Concerns in Your Online Store

We know that resolving simple issues in Brazil can be bureaucratic, draining, and, above all, stressful. I say this from both the customer’s and the entrepreneur’s perspectives. Of course, whenever we make any kind of transaction, we never expect to have to focus on overcoming obstacles. We just want to complete the process and be satisfied with the outcome. The same is true of e-commerce. As online transactions increase, so do cases of dissatisfaction related to the lack of solutions for issues that arise during transactions. The one thing that isn’t increasing is the attention many companies give to helping customers and resolving their requests. Up until the moment they make a purchase, everything goes smoothly. Customers place their trust in your online store and expect everything to go well, that their satisfaction will be real, and that the purchase won’t turn into a major source of dissatisfaction. Much of this dissatisfaction is the fault of online store owners who pass on a culture of putting profit above all else, including customer satisfaction, to their employees. This shallow culture then takes hold, and the customer is all but certain to receive poor service and even a rude response from the company. After all, it’s not uncommon these days for some companies to email or call customers with a very rude response. Of course, every case is different and deserves special attention so you can understand what prompted the customer’s concern and how your company should and can help. One useful step is to create a procedure that covers all the possible questions customers might raise and explains how your company should respond to offer an effective and fair solution. You can even develop this procedure based on your company’s experience. Another point to consider is your online store’s customer service culture. I’m referring to having a clear and proactive after-sales service. Don’t just assemble a task force to drive transactions and profits without a well-planned foundation for satisfying customers once they have your product or service in hand. Your employees need to understand that you want to satisfy your customers and address their complaints in a fair and committed way. So don’t hire employees who are focused only on clearing the “complaint queue” as quickly as possible. Remember, every customer is different, and that needs to be kept in mind every day. Many entrepreneurs see only the company’s side, as if all customers had complaints that made no sense. To avoid becoming part of that statistic, when you’re thinking about how to handle a customer’s concerns in your online store, remember that you’ll also be served by another company. Put a procedure in place for your business that reflects how you’d like your own requests to be handled.