It is incredible how a person’s opinion can turn on the smallest thing. In online business, that would be customer service through a virtual assistant. This is so important to an online business, as customer service can mean the difference between success and failure. The way you handle this can determine how you are viewed compared to your peers and it can make you really stand out, in a good way or a bad way. It has the potential to really build a trust-based relationship with your readers, customers and those who are ‘on the fence.’

Describe Customer Service?

Think about these points, carefully for a second. A reader signs up for newsletters or your affiliate program. A number of days pass and they haven't received any notification, information or confirmation. That reader decides to withdraw their request because you have become “persona non grata.”

It is important, to say the least, to follow through on the offers you make to readers and customers alike. This is why they came to you first. Doing your part helps them make the decision to stay, and this action is essential, for any real chance at success.

Just like in a store, no one wants to wander around aimlessly without support. If you have to ask for help you then the point has been missed. It is the primary function of the business owner to be available, in case help is needed.

How to Provide Good Customer Service

Of course it's unrealistic to think that somebody would be hanging around the computer around the clock, waiting for a random question to be asked by a reader. A process must be put in place, though, so that somebody, like a virtual assistant for example, is waiting for just such an eventuality, 24/7.

Here are some suggestions:

• Messages sent via autoresponder
• Scheduled delivery of newsletters
• FAQ page that is always updated
• User-friendly tabs, site map and links to get around the website with ease
• Answering service
• Virtual assistant

It's important that when you aren't available personally, your customers and readers are catered for. As an example, when you have an affiliate program, the information or links should be sufficient to educate the readers and to tell them how they can go about signing up. Sign up forms need only include pertinent information so they are as simple as possible to complete.

In due course, you should go through the e-mail messages you have received to find those where a question didn't correlate to one of the categories you included on your "contact us" page. The auto-responder message for them gives you an additional 24 to get back to the reader with the information requested.

Any truly professional virtual assistant will guarantee to you that prompt service on your part is an indication that you are very serious about somebody's business. You value their input and want to keep them very happy. In business, customer service is such an important part of creating a lengthy relationship with your readers and you should make sure that you attend to it at all times, as you could be sacrificing a potentially great online investment otherwise.