Exceptional customer support in your dropshipping business can help you attract a number of customers. A recent research proves that more than 80% of the customers give importance to the type of customer support an online store provides while making a purchase.

The customers not only need good products in your store but also want an easy system when it comes to managing returns, clarifying the queries and making any alterations in their order. Here is a list of some significant steps you may take to provide an exceptional customer support in the dropshipping store owned by you.

Tips to provide exceptional customer support in dropshipping business

Managing delayed orders

Remember, you are a dropshipper and not a supplier. It is known to you that it is not you who maintains the stock and delivers the products. A dropshipper is the one who makes the deal possible. It may happen that a customer has placed an order in your store.

The dropshipper just goes and informs the supplier to process the order. He then waits for a confirmation from the supplier that the order has been processed so that he can inform the customer. No such confirmation arrives.

How to handle delayed orders in dropshipping business?

It may happen with any dropshipper. Don’t think that you will lose the customer. If you are managing the limitations really well, I don’t think a customer would leave you. In such a situation, it is better to contact the supplier immediately and confirm the reason for the delayed order processing.

Without any hesitation, rush to your customer and tell him/her the exact reason for the delay. Assure your customer that the order will be processed as soon as you overcome the limitations of the delivery system. This would build up the trust of your customer. It will assure him that you were there and did not leave him with a question mark.

This is an assured way to provide exceptional customer support in your dropshipping business.

Product is out of stock

As a dropshipper, you may try your best to keep the information regarding the availability of products with the supplier updated but it is not always possible. It can happen that your customer ordered a product and you immediately inform it to your supplier.

Unfortunately, the product is out of stock.

How to handle the problem in dropshipping?

• Preventing such a situation in your dropshipping business would be better than finding a solution later on. So, its always better to have more than one supplier for your dropshipping store. Its easier to locate a product with one if there is a shortage with the other.
• In case, you rely on just one supplier and you need to find a solution now, it would be better to inform it to your customer immediately. When it is a bad news, it is better to contact your customers personally rather than informing them via an e-mail.

Managing returns

There may be many cases of products being returned if you are going for a dropshipping business. The product may not be as per the description. There may be some issue regarding the size, color or the product may be damaged and defective. Whatever the reason is, you are going to get the products back, your customers would return them.

How to manage returns in dropshipping business?

• The first thing is that you must be familiar with the return policy of your supplier. Offering a return policy in accordance with the policy of your supplier would be better.
• It is always good to set up a standard procedure with all your suppliers regarding the returns.
• It must be sure that the suppliers you are dealing with will provide an easy return policy.
• When your customers are making returns especially in the case of damaged products, listen to their complaints and queries and assure them that their issues would be resolved.
• The supplier’s address can be used for making the return and you need to refund or send a replaced product as soon as possible. Don’t forget, you need to make your customers happy. That is most important.

Hire an expert: customer support executive

Hiring a customer support executive for your dropshipping store may prove to be really beneficial in providing excellent customer support. A customer support center or a contact center with a customer support executive will make your customers rely even more on you.

They will find a suitable way where your business will not only handle their calls but also respond to their queries through e-mails, faxes and even live chats.

When your customers will be sure enough that there is a communication route which makes it quite easy for them to put forward their complaints or queries, they will rely easily on your exceptional customer support system and connect themselves to your business.

Timely response: value their time and they will value your business

Responding timely to your customers can make a lot of difference. Your dropshipping business can be a success or failure. Your customers don’t want to wait for days or hours for getting the answers to their queries. They expect you to be really quick when it comes to their problems.

Making delays in responding to them would lead to the loss of potential customers. It is a must that you make it an important part of your exceptional customer support system if you want your business to run successfully.

Make use of FAQ tool

You may use the FAQ tool to provide exceptional customer support in dropshipping business. A FAQ page is a page comprising of the most frequently asked questions that would make it easier for your customers to know various procedures they need to follow and the terms and policies of your business.

While creating an FAQ page, you must remember that:

• Make the most frequently asked queries its part.
• The language used should be quite simple as it you are doing it to make the things easier for customers and not more difficult.
• Categorize the questions and answers really well.
• Maintain your FAQs regularly.

Drift and intercom

Drift and Intercom are the two tools that help you provide exceptional customer support to your customers. Drift is a tool that makes it quite easy for you to talk to your customers when they are live on your website and you can answer their queries much clearly.

It offers your dropshipping business a marketing platform where you can target the right customers. The live chat option on drift provides you with the ease of contacting the right person whether you are online or not.

Intercom too helps you to make your business personal and be able to communicate with your customers easily. It is quite informative as it not only helps your contact with the customers easy but rather it enables you to see all your customers and how they are interacting with your software.

Provide the best customer support in dropshipping business to enhance the trust factor and goodwill of your business

The above-mentioned tips and tools can prove to be really beneficial for providing exceptional customer support in the dropshipping business. Implement these strategies in your business model and see the positive results and feedback from your customers.

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