For many online shoppers, customer service ratings help determine which retailer will get their business. That is why more businesses are touting their exemplary service in a variety of ways, including in their digital advertising and marketing campaigns.
Golfballs.com, an online-only retailer that offers customized products to golf enthusiasts, has seen a notable improvement in click-throughs since creating ads that promote its Elite service rating from StellaService.
StellaService offers customer service performance ratings based on a number of factors, including: speed and quality of information; product delivery and presentation; and refund and account credit process. Elite status is achieved by only the top 5% of all online retailers, which helps “speak to the dedication that Golfballs.com has on customer service and really helps to differentiate us in the marketplace,” according to Brad Pecot, Director of Marketing at Golfballs.com.
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“Providing great customer service is an integral part of Golfballs.com and we have a commitment to 100% customer satisfaction, 100% percent of the time,” said Pecot in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “Our customer service reps go through an in-depth training and shadowing process to understand what is expected from them. There are constant reminders of our company core values throughout to reiterate to our employees that none of Golfballs.com’s success would be possible without our customers. Customer service isn’t just a side duty to running a business.”
A key objective for Golfballs.com is to engage with customers through whichever channel they prefer, and at any time, Pecot explained. The eTailer makes its customer service channels — which includes a call center, email, live chat and social media— a core part of the site experience, “so that we can assist customers no matter where they are on the web site. We take pride in providing awesome customer service at every possible touch point. We also provide the contact information to all of our employees and directors, to be as transparent as possible. Anyone in the company can help a customer out if needed.”
Promoting Elite Status
To further endorse its dedication to providing quality, highly personalized customer experiences, Golfballs.com integrated its Elite ranking in a series of Facebook and Google AdWord campaigns.
“After learning of our StellaService Elite status and the sort of ‘rarified air’ that it brings with it, we decided to try and use that to our advantage in some of our online ads,” Pecot said. “We launched an A/B test featuring a series of ads using the StellaService logo and Elite language, alongside some of our house ads.”
Text for the ads, which were rolled out during a three-week period in Summer 2013, featured statements that honed in on Golfballs.com’s customer service tactics. For example, messaging included: “Highest possible customer service rating from StellaService” and “Elite StellaService rated customer service.”
Because many Golfballs.com competitors also promote their service offerings, the eTailer included an image of the Elite badge in ads whenever possible. This is because the seal is “different than what our competitors are advertising and also resonates with just about anybody,” according to Pecot.
In each A/B test comparing StellaService ads and standard house ads, Golfballs.com saw higher click-through rates for the customer service-focused messaging.
“If a potential customer is interested in Golfballs.com or the products and services we offer, why wouldn’t they react positively to a statement that articulates that the company was recently rated the very highest as it relates to customer service?” Pecot asked. “It just seems like a no-brainer. We plan on rolling these types of ads in and out depending upon the time of year and particular campaigns.”
Keeping its Elite status top of mind, Golfballs.com continually tracks StellaService results to identify top successes and potential areas of improvement, Pecot explained. “We are always looking for ways to improve our customer service process and having the Elite rating helps keep us on our game.”
Golfballs.com is one of hundreds of retailers using the StellaService seal on their home pages, product pages and checkout areas, according to Ty McMahan, Director of Content for StellaService. “Leveraging the seal on the e-Commerce site will drive higher conversions as it gives the message of great service, and that translates well with consumers. We’ve also seen other retailers experiment with using the StellaService award in campaigns. At the end of the day, a third-party, trusted source indicating that a retailer is going to deliver a consistently great experience is going to carry a lot of weight.”
