Studies regularly show that customer service is one of the best or the best ways to market a business and grow a business.  When you are developing your online marketing plan, you need to put customer service into the business Internet marketing online equation.

If you want to fight competition in your niche, regardless of size, customer service can be your Trojan horse.  Customers now expect online stores to deliver high-quality service. If you do not, they will just go to the next person on the search engine list.  If you do, you are moving ahead of the business ahead of you.

An online business guide to excellent customer service is not rocket science. Here are some things to consider when establishing your plan to start an online business:

1)  Make yourself easily accessible for questions and concerns.  Some customers may want to send an e-mail or look at the FAQs when having a question, but many others want to talk with a live person. Provide company name, address and phone number.

Let customers know the hours you can be reached by phone or, they will have their e-mail question answered within 24 hours.  Even if the e-mail is a simple, “We are searching for more information,” be sure the customer hears from you.

2)  Do not promise anything you cannot provide. Why say that you can get a product out within 24 hours if this is not possible?  Then the customer is twice as upset when not receiving the package.  Give good reasons why you must take certain steps, “In order to ensure high-quality, all products will go out within 48 hours,” and then follow your own orders.

3) Make sure that your customer service people know your product well and can answer all questions, including any sales or item changes.  Provide training to insure that these reps are handling customers correctly.

4) If you are using a distributor rather than sending your own products, perform a test on a regular basis. Order an item from the distributor using someone else’s name and address to find out how quickly the package was sent out, if it was wrapped properly and that your company’s name was on the outer box.

Here are somethings that do not always sit well with customers:

1)  Having to listen to a whole list of reasons before choosing the correct number to push on the phone.  Either list the numbers on the Web site by the phone (e.g., shipping question, press #4), shorten the list to only a few choices or have the “zero” choice forward more calls.

Also, many times people’s concerns do not fall neatly into one area. Or, buyers do not know where their concern falls. Pigeon holes are for pigeons.

2) Needing to wait after hearing a cheerful message, “Your business means a lot to us. Your wait will be (five minutes–says robot). ” If good business means that much to your company do not let people wait.  The other line: “If you want answers more quickly, go to www.moreinformationnow.com. If they wanted to find information online, they would would not have called.

3) Being shuffled from one person to the next. It’s all right if they hit zero and then go to the customer service rep, but not from one rep to the next and next.  Anger mounts with each move.

Why take a chance? Provide easily accessible life customer service and maximize your online business’ ability to succeed.