Ecommerce is a big hit right now and more and more people sell products online. It might seem like everything is for sale on the internet nowadays (yes everything! Remember those people who used to sell their souls on eBay or craigslist?). Don’t get me wrong, I am not telling you to go sell your soul. My point is that even the most complex products can be sold online nowadays. And you are going to have to start thinking about upscale online customer service. High-end products usually come with high-end personal customer service. If you think emails or a hotline are personal communication channels then think about how you feel after calling, emailing or text chatting with a company. Do you feel like you just met a really nice person and would become a loyal customer just to talk to them again? Unless you chatted with this awesome Netflix representative, I doubt that’s the case. Now what about the last time you went to the bank? You might not have been happy about it but the person you met with certainly made an impression.
Video chat can help you recreate in-person meetings and therefore making it easier to gain your customers’ trust and tap into their emotions. Here’s what ecommerce professional Jason Kemp says about it :
“With widespread broadband adoption and the evolution of smart devices, live chat that is both video and text based will become increasingly popular. These services will help increase conversions especially on complex E-commerce purchases that require collaboration with the customer. ”
- Jason Kemp, Director of Product, Demac Media
If you told me 10 years ago that I would buy a car online I would have probably laughed and said « yes sure like you can trust someone that sells cars on the Internet ». The thing is, now most car companies do it and while still not so popular in the western part of the world, online car shopping is rapidly gaining market shares in Asian countries.
Many expensive and complex products are following the same trend as ecommerce sales are increasing every year. However, high value product resellers are still hitting few bumps down the ecommerce road. Customers are still hesitant to purchase online when it comes to expensive products as it is hard to know if a website can be trusted. That’s why customer service is so important! If you put a human face on your company and show your online customers you care, they will be ready to spend much more money online. You just have to learn few tricks to gain their trust and build a strong relationship.
1) FORGET ABOUT YOUR SALES PITCH AND LISTEN!
There is nothing more powerful than a face-to-face conversation when it comes to trust. The key here is listening. You won’t achieve anything if you don’t listen to your customer first.
When it comes to high value complex products, customers will have questions for you. I remember when I went to buy my first iPhone. I clearly asked the shop assistant what mobile plans they offered with iPhones. Instead of answering me he tried to sell me an android phone, listing all their advantages over iPhones. This was the worst sales pitch I ever had to listen to. Not because it was bad in itself but because it wasn’t what I was looking for. I came in with a simple question and got a totally irrelevant answer. This was total waste of time for both the sales clerk and me and he lost a pretty easy sale.
My point here is that you might want to sell some products more than others because you get a higher commission or for any other reason. But you have to listen first. It is ok to make a sales pitch about Android phone to someone who asks you about your opinion or is still hesitant. It makes sense to do so then.
I am sure you are a really good listener, that’s what I thought about myself too before I started to read about it. We all do it, our friend John starts to talk about how he went on a trip to France and was stuck at the airport for 3 hours because there was a problem with the plane. There is probably something in that sentence that reminded you of one of your experiences. Maybe you went to France or were also stuck in an airport. The thing is once your own memory comes back to you, the only thing you want to do is to share your experience. Then the only thought in your mind is « when is he going to stop talking so I can tell my story? ». This happens to the best of us and can kill a sale so easily.
Never act like you know better than your prospect or customer. Using phrases like “Obviously”, “Like I just said” or “Are you sure” you are acting superior and are not listening. This can kill the conversation very quickly as the customer will consider that you won’t listen and will start to slowly shut down.
The good news is that we can all become good listeners with a little work. Follow those 3 simple tips you can try right now to start communicating better:
Ask questions to make sure you got it right.
Summarize what the other person just said and finish with « am I right? » « Did I understand correctly? ». You can also ask them to clarify some words or thoughts. Don’t be afraid to ask if something isn’t clear to you, it will only show the customer that you are listening. Use sentences like « What do you mean when you say? » « I am not quite familiar with the term, could you explain it to me?».
Ask customers about their thoughts and feelings.
People tend to protect themselves behind common thoughts and knowledge when they meet someone for the first time. As comforting as it can be, these thoughts won’t help you sell anything. The best way to get useful feedbacks from customers is to get a little personal. Ask them questions like « How do you feel about the product? » « What do you think could be done better? ». Asking for their opinion will make them feel valued as a customer but also as a person. The problem is it doesn’t do you any good to ask for opinions if you don’t take them into consideration afterwards. A good practice when you do so would be to follow up with the customer afterwards saying how his/her contribution helped you even if you didn’t implement it. By doing that you earn their loyalty and create an environment that encourages feedbacks.
Try to put yourself in your customer’s shoes.
Try to picture what the customer is saying. Turning words into images will help you understand customers’ emotions better. This will also help you focus on what THEY say and not what you want to say. For that you have to find a way to relate to what the customer is saying without making it all about you. You can use simple sentences like « I know how you feel » « I’ve been in a similar situation before, I know it’s not easy ». The hard part is you have to stop there and forget about telling your story, unless the customer asked you for it. Just be careful to not fall into the « my story is better than yours » or « I had a worst experience » trap. No one likes that, don’t steal your customers’ emotions, just make them know you understand.
Listening is key when you want to sell high value products. If customers can relate to you or feel like you understand, they will be more eager to listen to you.
2) ADOPT A POSITIVE BODY LANGUAGE
Body language is a double-edged sword. You have to learn to control it to get your message across more easily. This is one of the first things you learn when you study sales or communication. People who are used to speaking in public or meeting with clients know all about it but it still is a struggle for most of us. I remember reading for hours about body language before an important job interview and still I couldn’t help but playing with my pen during. This takes a lot of practice but you can practice it everywhere, every time you meet with someone. Tell your family, friends and colleagues you are trying to improve your body language, and ask them for feedbacks.
Let’s get you started with some basic dos and don’ts that shouldn’t be too complicated to put into action. Just remember you can’t achieve anything without practicing.
Body language Dos
1) Smile even when you don’t feel like it
Did you know that forcing yourself to smile could actually put you in a good mood? According to scientific studies a forced smile will actually make you feel happier and eventually turn into a genuine one. So stop making excuses and start smiling even when you are having a bad day.
A smile is your most powerful sales weapon. It is highly contagious and can be spotted at 300 feet (that’s a whole football field). It was also proven that people remember smiling individuals better and keep a positive feeling about them.
One last amazing fact about smiling to convince even the most reluctant readers: smiling people live happier and longer. Smiling has the same effect on the human body as sleeping does. It lowers our stress level and stimulates our reward mechanisms. Scientists even stated that « smiling can be as stimulating as receiving up to 20,000 Dollars in cash ». Pretty powerful reward, uh?
2) Use open gestures to get your message across
Few simple gestures can radically change the way people see you and listen to what you have to say. For example, people that have open arms and show the palm of their hands are usually pictured as honest and open-minded. Experts also recommend that you sit straight and spread your arms when you are speaking as it helps you take up more space and look more powerful and assured. Finally don’t hesitate to use your hands to emphasize your words, it will make the conversation more dynamic and will help you feel more confident.
3) Release your stress beforehand
There are several techniques to release your stress before a stressful meeting or presentation. You can try practicing yoga or meditation but even a simple walk in the fresh air will help you relax. The key is to make sure you have a little free time before a meeting or before starting work where you can just relax and do something that makes you happy.
A study from Harvard also shows that striking « high-power » pauses like sitting back with your feet on the desk or standing up with arms and legs spread can help you relax and feel more powerful.
Body language Don’ts
1) Adopt closed gestures
Don’t cross your arms and legs. This will send the messages that you are not willing to talk and are not interested in what the other had to say. Also try to avoid looking down too much. It might be a sign or humility to do so from time to time but if you abuse it people will feel like you are uncomfortable and not confident.
Just try to take as much space as possible while preserving a professional posture. Make it a game if it can help. This way you are sure to avoid most closed gesture and you will keep a positive spirit and feel more confident.
2) Self-touch
Most of us tend to touch our face or legs when we are stressed but those gestures are seen as highly negative. Touching or rubbing your nose will for example send the message that you are not being completely honest. The same goes for touching the back of your head and neck, it will seem like you are hiding something. Stroking your chin as you are looking at someone will appear as judgmental gesture.
Women also tend to play with their jewelry or their hair, which is a sign of low self-confidence.
3) Act like all you want is for the conversation to be over
Be careful what your feet are pointing towards. Always point them towards the person you are speaking to but never towards the door. The similar advice goes for what your chair faces. If you are facing or pointing towards the door, it will seem as if you are ready to run away at any time.
Another big don’t when you are talking to someone is to check your watch or inspect your fingernails. This is extremely rude and is seen as a sign or boredom. People sometimes use it during interviews to throw off candidates and see how they react under pressure. You don’t want to put any pressure on your customers if you want them to return.
4) Touch objects you don’t need to use
One very common mistake everyone makes is to play with a pen while talking to someone. It will make the other person feel like you are distracted and not totally into the conversation. Trust me they won’t be impressed with your ability to take it apart and put it back together in few minutes.
Also try to not hold object in front of your body. Professional communication trainers often advise people to not take a cup of tea of coffee during an interview. It might be challenging for you to drink it while talking. You don’t need to make the situation even more difficult for you.
Don’t hesitate to practice again and again in front of a mirror for example. It might seem silly at first but it will help you focus on what you need to work on to become an even better sales or customer service representative.
3) SHOWCASE YOUR PRODUCTS
One of the big advantages of video chat is that you can showcase your products live. It might require some preparation beforehand but it can go a long way. One of the main reasons customers still hesitate to buy online is because they can’t always see the product they will get. Photos might make your job easier but people have learned to get suspicious over good-looking photos.
In the clothes industry for example customers know that clothes won’t look the same on them. Everyone has a different body and if a dress looks nice on the model it doesn’t mean it will look good on you. There is also a trust problem knowing that most pictures are photoshopped to make the product look better.
Showing a product on video might not erase all problems but it will give the customer a better picture of your product, therefore reducing the chances of return. Luxury products often represent a big decision for people as they won’t replace them as often as cheaper goods. If you decide to buy your engagement ring online for example you will want to be sure you are making the right choice. Seeing the ring on camera might reassure the customer that he will get what he’s paying for and is not being deceived.
If you decide to showcase your products online here are a few things you might want to consider beforehand:
Are products easy to access for your customer service team?
Chances are your products are stored away from your office in a warehouse. In that case you will want to bring part of your most popular items into the office. You don’t need to showcase everything. Just select a group of best-selling high value items that are worth for you to showcase.
If you are working in a car dealership, have live chat installed on laptops so you can take them with you to offer clients a « tour » of the car.
Are your products going to look good on camera?
For that you will want to check your lighting and your background. Always try to show the product on the neutral one-color background so it instantly grabs the attention. Lighting is always really important. Run some tests beforehand to see how your product looks on the client’s part.
You might also want to consider that some customers might not have a good Internet connection therefore making it hard to point out small details on camera. Diamonds on a ring might not look as good as you think on the other side of the camera.
This point is really important if you sell high quality products. People are expecting them to look better than average and they won’t take into consideration the fact that lighting or video quality might be the reason they don’t look as good as they should.
How are you going to display those products?
We’ve covered the lighting and video quality but you also need to think about how your products will be displayed. Will they be in a box? Do you have a special background for them?
Those might seem like details for you right now but going the extra mile here can make a big difference. Remember that when you sell high value products you are often selling a lifestyle, a dream that is as important as the product in itself. Look at Apple for example and how the apple stores look like. The design is build to create a modern, high-end atmosphere around the products. You can replicate the same on video chat and sell an experience.
4) FORGET ABOUT MULTITASKING
It feels like the must-have quality lately is the ability to multitask. If you are going to video chat forget about that. You’re going to have to learn to single task again. There is nothing more annoying than talking to someone who doesn’t pay full attention to you.
You will be able to multitask if you use text chat only. Don’t think the user won’t notice that you are not only focusing on him. He will know but he won’t mind because chances are he will be multitasking himself. Unfortunately this can’t be applied to video chat. You’re going to have to fully focus on your customer like you would do in a shop in person.
Learn how to single task again
Keep a clean desk
Keep a clear desk so you are not tempted to play with your pen or start doodling. We also tend to look at products around us instead of looking at the screen and that can be very disturbing for the person you are speaking to.
By getting rid of objects around you, you are making it a lot easier to single task. You can’t use what you don’t have!
Make video chat your priority
Make it clear that video chat is a priority. This means that agents shouldn’t be disturbed when they are video chatting. They shouldn’t have to take other chats, deal with emails or answer their colleagues. Set up a clear set of rules and make sure all your staff knows about them.
Consider that a client willing to video chat is 5 to 10 times more likely to convert. It doesn’t mean you should just forget about other clients but make sure you will be able to answer video calls at any time.
Focus on one goal
A good practice is to start the conversation with a clear objective in mind. You can set up different objectives depending on how the client came to you but always have one goal in mind for every conversation.
You don’t have to be precise, your goal can be to « please the customer » or « sell a product ». Just pick a goal and stick with it. It can be good to set up goals that will force you to listen to the customer. You can for example decide that you want to get at least one idea to make your product better after each conversation. Customers will often come up with useful suggestions on their own during the conversation and it might be good for you to encourage them to share their thoughts.
Did you know that multitasking is actually pretty bad for productivity?
Facts are taken from this amazing Infographics by Online College
What you call multitasking is really task-switching, says Guy Winch, PhD, author of Emotional First Aid: Practical Strategies for Treating Failure, Rejection, Guilt and Other Everyday Psychological Injuries. “When it comes to attention and productivity, our brains have a finite amount,” he says.
“It’s like a pie chart, and whatever we’re working on is going to take up the majority of that pie. There’s not a lot left over for other things, with the exception of automatic behaviors like walking or chewing gum.” Moving back and forth between several tasks actually wastes productivity, he says, because your attention is expended on the act of switching gears—plus, you never get fully “in the zone” for either activity.
Just don’t try to do everything at the same time, especially when you get started. It takes time to get used to video chat and chances are your first chats won’t be the bests. You shouldn’t let that stop you! It is an excellent opportunity to pick up few skills that will be useful to you all your life. Just really get into the conversation. You can learn through every conversation, personal or professional if you are willing to listen. It’s up to you to make your job interesting, just remember that every client is different and if you listen you will find a way to relate to each and every one of them.
Start paying more attention to your customers, if they are talking to you, they are interested in your product, and they don’t need another sales pitch. The best way to sell anything is to forget about yourself and start thinking about your customer.
What do you think the product will bring to him? How do you think your product is helping people? What emotions can your product help creating?
Use video chat to find new innovative ways to help your customers and get ahead of the competition:
“Adding a video element to traditional online customer service platforms provides the unique ability to communicate with customers in a whole new way. Customer service and sales departments can utilize this new technology to participate in product demonstrations, tutorials, in-depth sales conversations, and more.”
- Jim Cover, Customer Success Manager, Demac Media
Always focus on your customer and you will be able to sell anything online!
Share your thoughts and sales tricks!
We are interested in your thoughts on the subject, come share them with us on Twitter @customericare.
Have you ever sold products using video chat?
Do you have any sales tricks that can be used to sell products online?
Are you having a hard time quitting multitasking? (I know I do)
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