Customer support is one of the most critical parts of every business. However, it can take up a lot of your time.
Many business owners are responsible for multiple tasks, so finding the time to effectively support existing and new customers can be tricky.
If you find yourself nodding along at this point, you might be delighted to know that your business has a hidden superhero who can reduce your support queries by up to 80%.
The superhero is your website.
With a few adjustments, you can set your website up to provide self-service support to your customers. They’ll be able to answer their own questions and get the support they need or the information required before making a purchase.
In this blog post, I’ll explain a five-step process that will help you provide a better support experience to your customers. You’ll also free up time so you can focus more on growing your business.
1. Build an FAQ Page
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) are the questions that your customers most commonly ask. Creating an FAQ page gives your website visitors access to immediate answers, helping them with your products or services, or providing key information before a purchase.
To get started, make a list of the most common questions your customers ask. These could range from product details to shipping times and return policies. Focus on clear and concise answers with your FAQs and update the page periodically to reflect any changes in your business. This not only saves time but also improves the customer experience, as users can find answers without waiting for a response from you.
2. Set Up a Support Ticket System
A support ticket system or helpdesk allows customers to send an enquiry as a ticket. This benefits your business, as every support query is stored in a central location. You can even manually create tickets, which is ideal if an enquiry is received via a phone call.
Support tickets help you (and your team) prioritise and track issues effectively. They ensure that no customer enquiry is lost or forgotten. Most support ticket platforms include knowledgebase software, so they integrate together perfectly. By using a system like GrooveHQ, Zendesk, or Help Scout, you can manage your support more efficiently and provide a consistent experience for your customers.
3. Create a Knowledgebase
A knowledgebase is a library of articles, guides, and tutorials split into multiple categories. You can consider it to be the big brother of your FAQ page.
The answers in your knowledgebase are typically more in-depth, providing extra detail and information for your customers. Whether it’s detailed instructions on how to use a product or troubleshooting common issues, a knowledgebase allows your customers to find the answers they need without contacting support.
Your knowledgebase integrates with your support ticket system, which allows you to send links to knowledgebase articles in reply to customer support tickets. This not only resolves issues faster but also helps educate your customers, reducing the likelihood of repeat queries.
4. Integrate with Your Website
Once you’ve chosen your support ticket system and created some knowledgebase articles, you should integrate these with your website. Your support ticket system will provide some code that adds a widget or icon to the bottom corner of your site.
When a customer clicks on the widget, they’ll see commonly answered questions from your knowledgebase. They can use the widget to submit a support ticket if they need further assistance. This integration makes it easy for customers to get the help they need directly from your website, reducing the need for them to leave the site or search elsewhere for answers.
5. Create Tutorial Content
It’s a good idea to create tutorial content on an ongoing basis. Two common types of tutorial content are video tutorials and written tutorials.
Video tutorials focus on common issues or questions that customers have about your products or services. For example, you might choose to create a video that shows a customer how to get started or how to get the most from their purchase. These can be hosted on platforms like YouTube and embedded directly on your site, driving traffic and improving your SEO.
A written tutorial is a longer guide, including images or videos, usually in the form of a blog post. Each post would be between 500–2000 words in length. This content can be highly valuable, as it not only helps your customers but also establishes your website as an authority in your industry.
[Bonus] Use Live Chat
If you have a team available to support your customers, live chat could be a helpful additional option. With live chat, customers can ask questions directly on your site. One of your team will be able to answer these questions and chat in real-time to assist your customers.
Live chat is not suitable for solo business owners as it requires you to be available, which can be challenging when you’re wearing many hats in your business. However, if you have the resources, live chat can significantly improve customer satisfaction by providing instant support.
Conclusion
Improving your customer support doesn’t have to be a time-consuming task. By following this five-step process, you can enhance the customer experience on your website, reduce the number of support queries, and free up more time to focus on growing your business. Your website has the potential to be a powerful tool in your support strategy – you just need to set it up for success.
