Call centers have helped businesses across all segments, but arguably, e-commerce is the only segment that has benefited the most from the ongoing pandemic.
According to the McKinsey Customer Survey, e-commerce has witnessed a surprising increase in the overall percentage of online shoppers during the pandemic. As per the stats, it increased from 37% to nearly 80% in January 2021, which is the highest rate ever. Since the pandemic made customers to the online landscape, more businesses plan to enter the e-commerce space.
For e-commerce, customer expectation is one vital factor that demands high focus to stay in the competition. As customers aren't only interested in product purchases these days- they look for overall experiences. It makes customer support an inescapable part of every business. Ever since outsourcing became a norm a few years back, it’s a proven fact that customer support is best when outsourced.
Outsourcing is benefiting all sectors and industries, now let us see how it’s helping e-commerce start-ups. Before getting deep into the discussion, let us first understand why outsourcing customer support to call centers is crucial for e-commerce start-ups.
Adding Customer Support to 4Ps Marketing Strategy Is the Need of The Hour
Why Call Center Outsourcing is a great option for businesses today?
You must have heard about the 4Ps of marketing, i.e., Product, Promotion, Price, and Place. Now, it’s time to add C to it, which means Customer Support. The 4ps alone doesn’t guarantee the continued business growth. Now the question arises, what are the secrets to customer satisfaction, engagement, and loyalty?
E-commerce businesses have to deal with many customers at the same time. The irony is every second customer expects an instant response to their queries. So, if businesses are not proactive to their concerns, they will move to the competitors within a fraction of a second. And for start-ups, losing customers isn’t a good practice.
According to a 2015 Forrester’s Survey,
- 73% of the customers appreciate e-commerce who, provide good customer service. Here good services mean answering customer's queries on time. Because of this gesture, customers prefer to repeat purchases from the respective sites.
- 53% agree that they will abandon the purchase if agents aren’t proactive to their concerns.
As stated in the above survey, customers prefer to buy from e-commerce that immediately responds to their queries. That’s where call centers chat/ calling agents to come in.
Call centers that offer support by using chats or calling tend to provide a low-friction channel for direct interaction. This move enables businesses to be responsive to their concerns. It eliminates all such scenarios that could affect the sales, such as long wait time, unattended customers, etc. Also, the agents ensure that customers continue to make repeat purchases and spread the word.
These few features highlight the importance of outsourcing customer support to call centers for e-commerce. If you wish to know more about other reasons, continue reading our blog.
Now that it’s proven that customer support is a crucial factor for e-commerce, the question is why most start-ups struggle to accept it as a support strategy.
Customer Support Is Key Factor for E-commerce Success
Why is call center strategy a challenge for most e-commerce start-ups?
Managing customer inquiries with core operations is a challenging and time-consuming task. For start-ups, who are yet to generate a steady revenue flow, setting up an entire in-house team for customer support doesn't fit in their budget?
Most start-ups fail to anticipate customer queries and support associated with it during the initial stage. Therefore, when their sales start increasing, they struggle to keep pace with increased customer interaction. Hence, it's better to start strategizing the customer support function since the branding and other marketing activities begin.
By availing call center services for support, businesses can deliver more customer-centric experiences. It in turn leads to satisfied customers, which leads to more sales and increased revenue.
Outsourcing helps businesses unlock several sales possibilities. Watch out for the given 2-min video to know how call center outsourcing helps businesses achieve these goals.
Now, let us share some of the key benefits of outsourcing support to professional call centers.
Increased and Confirmed Sales
Whenever a customer visits an online store, there is a 50% chance of making a purchase. But if they have some questions about the products, they expect instant explanations. If those questions/ doubts aren't answered right away, they are likely to hesitate before making any purchase. This gap results in a poor experience. So, customers may start doubting whether buying the product is worth it or not.
If the customer has lost interest because of the late response, it will take more effort and time to get them back. It's where call center agents come in. They use technologies such as chatbots or live chat support to answer customer's queries in real-time. By leveraging outsourced support, businesses can respond to customer's concerns immediately. Customers who get answers in their purchasing journey will make the purchase. Overall, it results in increased and confirmed sales.
Increased Customer Engagement
According to Talkdesk Data, 60% of customers want answers to their queries in less than one minute. Getting a response isn't enough for customers these days- all they want is prompt services.
For e-commerce start-ups, it's vital to engage with customers because of the high competition. A little carelessness can lead them to the competitors in no time. So, e-commerce needs to increase customer engagement to stay ahead in the competition. Call centers are making it possible by using modern-day technologies i.e., AI-powered chatbots. It acts as a helping hand for both customers and agents. As customers get their queries resolved immediately and support agents get the time to interact with more customers.
Increased Customer Loyalty
Professional agents know the importance of fixing customer's concerns on time. It gives them the confidence to continue with their purchase and takes satisfaction to the next level. A satisfied customer will give repeat business. So, by choosing call centers for support, e-commerce can provide seamless support. It later results in increased customer loyalty and high volumes of repeated sales.
Wrapping It Up!
Customers may have adopted new buying behaviors but their expectations are the same. They prefer companies that deliver prompt support and improve the overall customer experience. So, businesses choose to outsource customer support to professional call center services providers. If you're also looking for one such professional, then consider Go4customer- a perfect fit for e-commerce. We help e-commerce create unique customer experiences resulting in increased sales and revenue.
