Customer service is one of the hallmarks of business, but online it looks entirely different than generations of business owners are used to. It’s so different and varied that even digital-savvy business owners still often trip up when working to create a digital strategy to improve customer satisfaction and retention.

To help you improve your customer service and retention strategy, we have put together five tips to get you started: 

1. Create Buyer Personas 

If you can talk to every single customer one-on-one and discuss what their problem is, then you can work out on the spot how to best sell your product or service to them. Online, this needs to be done very quickly and almost automatically, which is where buyer personas come into play. 

Buyer personas are, at their core, why someone would buy your product or service. There are many different reasons, so collaborating on ideas and using your data are of key importance. Create different personas, and corresponding content and marketing materials, so that you can get to the core of your customer’s pain and ease their worries in a moment. Be the shining beacon of a solution just by knowing your buyer personas inside and out and having the materials on hand to quickly appeal to them in their time of need. 

2. Create Valuable and Informative Content 

No matter what the content on your site needs to be well-written, valuable, and informative. Your customers should find it a breeze to find the information that they need, not have to frustrate themselves digging for an answer that should be front and center. 

3. Be the Trusted Source of Information at Every Buyer’s Stage 

The quality of your content should be above reproach, but you need to also make sure that it hits at the right points. You cannot just create content designed to attract customers at the start of the buyer’s journey. You need to create content that appeals to customers at every single step. Be the only source of information and guide your customers to hiring you or buying your product in a non-invasive, gentle way. 

4. Be Quick and Thorough When Contacted 

Have several means for customers to get in touch with you. This could include a report button if something on your site isn’t working all the way to an email contact form if they need more direct support. Have an FAQ page, guides, how-to videos and so much more. Vary up the ways you can provide help and support so that customers can use the option they enjoy the most. 

5. Keep Your Customers Coming Back 

If you want to provide your customers great service, then you need to continue your relationship beyond that sale. Offer great email newsletters, special discounts for loyalty or for referring friends and family, and so on. Give them reasons to return, and you’ll grow your relationship step by step until you have a lifelong customer that is thrilled to have you in their lives.