3 ways B2Cs can improve their CX by proactively supporting consumers throughout their journey

The world has changed, and so have consumer expectations. Consumers want products, services, and solutions fast and without hiccups or mistakes along the way. As a result, every customer interaction is a moment that can make or break your business. And every opportunity to help your customers is imperative, whether it’s helping them make a purchase or refunding a product.

If B2C brands want to survive and flourish in the post-pandemic era, they have to avoid reacting, and instead be able to anticipate customer needs and proactively support customers in the moments that matter most. Here are three ways that modern B2Cs can proactively support consumers throughout their journey to improve the overall customer experience.

1. Support buyers as they make a purchase

Cart abandonment is a major issue in retail—88 percent of all online shopping carts are abandoned as of March 2020. Consumers are quick to fill their virtual shopping carts, and pause if they have questions about product specifications, pricing, fulfillment. and more. In those moments of hesitation, there is an opportunity to have their questions answered quickly, instead of becoming the reason they drop their purchase.

By using live chat, customer service support teams can proactively engage buyers as they research products or add/remove items from their shopping cart, giving buyers an opportunity to ask questions to get the information they need to make a purchase.

Modsy, an online interior design service provider, uses Zendesk’s web widget to allow customers to engage with Modsy designers as they contemplate which services to purchase, driving more conversions and reducing cart abandonment.

2. Offer transparent real-time order tracking for customers and agents alike

How many times have you purchased something online and then had no communication about what happens next, leaving you wondering:

• When will my order ship?

• When will I receive my order?

• Where is my order now?

Consumers expect transparency when they make online orders, and it’s not just up to fulfillment teams to provide it. Customer support plays a key role in providing transparency for consumers during the fulfillment phase.

Many Zendesk customers use Ada, a key technology partner and industry-leading chatbot provider, to allow customers to quickly check their order status without having to speak with a support agent.

By resolving issues like this with self-service and AI, your support team can not only save time but also focus on higher priority issues that require a human touch.

3. Make it easy for customers to request refunds, returns and exchanges, just like they can at a brick-and-mortar store

Buying things online can be stressful. What if the purchase doesn’t meet your expectations? For example, what if you buy a t-shirt and it doesn’t fit? How do you return it and get a refund?

Consumers should be able to return, refund, and/or exchange products and services easily, whether via self-service or customer support. If customers choose to reach out to your support team, your agents should be well equipped with the tools to make the return process as smooth as possible.

Spartan Race, a fitness and wellness platform, empowers its support team to manage orders and purchases with ease using the Zendesk-Shopify integration, increasing agent efficiency by 15 percent. With one click of a button, agents can process a return, refund or exchange, and even cancel an order or specific items within that order.

Delivering proactive customer support is imperative to building a better overall customer experience because proactive support is a catalyst for building stronger relationships with consumers in an ever-changing B2C environment. Don’t just react to your customers’ needs. Give your customers the support they need without them having to ask for it.

Want to learn more about how Zendesk can help you deliver great customer support?
Contact us for a free CX consultation.