Photo from Pexels
Originally Posted On: https://www.mediumbuzz.com/business/how-can-quality-customer-service-help-you-avoid-chargebacks/
Chargebacks are like a long battle between buyer and seller. It often appears that the buyer has an advantage as chargebacks come into play to resolve unauthorized transactions. Unfortunately, the seller risks big losses if more buyers continue to file chargebacks.
Fortunately, they can be prevented with the help of excellent customer support. You need to win that battle. And here are some steps you should follow to triumph.
Quality Customer Service Helps You Avoid Chargebacks
Communicate with the customer after the delivery
If only you knew the customer was unhappy with the delivered product, you would work together to find a mutually acceptable solution. Then the client would hardly have issued a chargeback.
But unfortunately, in the real world, a very small percentage of customers contact the seller directly to solve the problem.
If your goal is to know how to avoid chargebacks, you need to be super active in resolving conflicts. If you lend a helping hand in time, there is a chance. But if you don’t ask, clients may never say a word.
Make sure you have a very strong customer support team
If customers try to contact you, their experience should be as satisfying as possible. We all value our time, so make sure the first person a client talks to can solve their problems.
That’s why it’s so important that your customer support team is well aware of the company’s policies and procedures.
Set up a system to document customer experience
Let’s face it, you want to value your time, and customers want to value theirs. They don’t like having to explain their order history or past conversations with a customer support member every time.
They expect your team to talk to each other and make sure everyone is in sync.
By reducing consumer annoyance, you will not only trigger chargeback prevention but will also ensure that you can use official data if a client disputes a transaction with a bank. That’s why it’s important to have chargeback services in your arsenal. As a rule, they enable merchants to respond to cardholder inquiries about unrecognized transactions and other potential disputes by providing relevant merchant information close to real-time. This can be realized through, for example, the Inquiry Callback API, which can also be a database of previous customers’ inquiries.
Be kind and understanding
Customers are more likely to overlook your flaws if they feel valued and appreciate what you have to provide. A devoted, understanding consumer is also less likely to issue a chargeback.
Employing amiable and sympathetic customer service staff helps to express gratitude and respect for your clients. This makes them fall in love with a brand and prevents any disputes from escalating into customer chargebacks.
Help clients solve problems on their own
Today, everyone expects instantaneousness in everything and gets annoyed if there is a delay. That is why many clients solve problems on their own, rather than waiting for someone to help.
Consider investing in self-service tools such as an online customer service portal, online chat, mobile app, or voice response system.
If you made a mistake, admit it
Your consumers will appreciate you more the more sincere you are. If something goes amiss, simply admit it. Don’t make excuses, and don’t try to hide the truth.
If a company is transparent, 9 out of 10 customers will give a second chance after a bad experience.
You will have a far greater chance of preventing chargebacks if you inform clients of the issue and provide a solution rather than letting them find it out on their own.
Work with reviews – good and bad
The consumer is not necessarily lost forever just because they leave a negative internet review. In fact, less than half of customers consider switching brands after a bad experience.
If you are working on a solution to a problem, even after the customer has made it public, there is still a chance to prevent a chargeback and keep the customer. A response can help you avoid being charged back by an upset customer, and as a bonus, public comments also help reduce the risk of other chargebacks.
Everyone reads online reviews before choosing a company. But the negative impact of a bad review can be eliminated if it’s clear that you are doing your very best and trying to improve.
And, of course, don’t be afraid to ask for positive feedback. Generally, customers tend to leave reviews after a negative experience, so you need to be proactive. Do not hesitate to request and get more reviews from your grateful and devoted clients.
Engage social media
Customer service and marketing departments should jointly handle your social media profiles. Social media may quickly turn into a one-way dialogue if marketing is your company’s main channel of communication.
Use social networks like any other communication tool. Make that customer care managers reply in a timely, accurate, and professional manner.
Don’t ignore traditional communication methods
Your customer service approach may benefit greatly from the use of social media and self-service tech, but they shouldn’t replace more traditional forms of contact like phone and email.
More than half of consumers use email as their primary form of digital contact for customer care. 40% of consumers prefer to speak to a live person on the phone when dealing with complex issues like a payment dispute.
Try out new customer service choices, but don’t eliminate or drastically reduce the use of traditional channels.
Final thought
It might be challenging to avoid chargebacks, so there are several factors to think about. Although it’s a crucial component, customer service plan optimization is only one small element of the bigger picture. Start simple, then refine each component of your plan. Wish you good luck!
