Whether you’re running an online store, service-based business, or on-site shop, customer experience is the key aspect of growing a business. It can make or break a business’ reputation that can affect their customer flow, credibility, and reputation. While companies strive to offer the best customer service to gain more clients and sales, we still hear stories about businesses with poor customer service. If you’re really keen to stand out in the ever-competitive marketplace, you need to reevaluate how you treat your customers. It’s easy to assume that you’ve satisfied a customer if they gave you their money or left a five-star review on your website. In reality, customer service should be present in all business stages, including after-sales. Being mindful of customer’s needs is critical to encourage them to return and promote brand loyalty.
For example, companies in the e-commerce industry ensure a seamless customer experience for their online store. They use SAP (Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing) to manage everything from order placement to delivery. This type of software makes the customer experience easier by facilitating the return-to-vendor process through SAP.
For entrepreneurs, investing in after-care services is important in captivating return customers as well as new ones. The success of a remarkable after-sales depends on the type of service provided and its impact on your customers. In this article, we’re going to provide some examples of after-sales service and ways to deliver them successfully.
Provide support service
While companies can contact customers for feedback and promotions, they should also ensure customers can easily reach out to them. In after-sales service, customer contact plays an essential role in handling customer queries before, during, and after the purchase is made. Thus, a business should prioritize maintaining an open communication channel to meet the customer’s current demand.
Leaving customers on their own after the purchase is a big mistake. Although you’re confident about the overall quality of your product or service, customers will still need support to make the most of the product or service. They may also need other information about new promotions to discover more about your product line.
Having poor or lack of after-care support is enough to ruin a business’ reputation. A customer with a bad experience with your product or service can share their sentiments over the Internet, which will be seen by their family, peers, and even your existing and potential customers. So when offering after-care support, make sure to provide an efficient and complete service.
Returns, repairs, and replacements
Some companies offer a limited period of free repair and replacement after the sales in case a customer encounters an issue. For example, a customer returns the wrong or damaged product to the company and receives either a refund, a replacement product, or store credit. The mode of return may depend on the company. For instance, you can provide returns for fully stocked products but offer a replacement for limited ones.
Meanwhile, a product replacement may also depend on the company. They replace the entire device or only the defective part. This often applies to electrical gadgets or appliances that face different levels of issue.
When offering returns or replacements, make sure to state the guidelines clearly on the terms and conditions. You can place this near the store counter or the receipt so the customer has their own copy.
Warranty service
One of the most popular forms of after-care support is warranty service. A warranty is a form of guarantee a business or manufacturer makes about the product’s condition. It includes terms on how a repair will be processed if the product did not work as originally intended or described.
Warranties also have certain exceptions that limit the company’s obligation to solve an issue. For example, a company will only fix the product if the issue resulted from poor workmanship or defective parts. Meanwhile, other companies will only repair a product from the purchase date until a certain period.
The warranty period and the type of warranty depend on the company. One example is the extended warranty, where the customer pays an extra fee to extend the warranty for a certain duration.
Warranties are only applicable to those products that haven’t been modified or altered after the purchase. When offering warranty services, make sure your business follows a strict process for handling warranty-related issues.
The examples above are just a few of the many ways to provide effective after-sales service and encourage more return customers. They are also great marketing methods to enhance your business’ credibility and promote your products and services. But before putting these things into practice, make sure to understand how each strategy will affect your sales results.
Meta title: After-sales Service: Three Ways to Provide Remarkable After-sales Experience
Meta desc: Offering an after-sales service is a great way to promote brand loyalty. Discover ways to provide efficient after-sales service and increase return customers.
