Recently, I ran into a situation as a consumer that both shocked and amazed me. A company operating solely online tried to pull a fast-one with an unclear, hidden return policy. When all was said and done, I had to bring in the credit card company to resolve the matter. The company's stance on the matter…”We have a policy.”
It got me thinking about representation on the web and what we as marketers can do to ensure that our customers never feel tricked, deceived, or down-right robbed.
1. Examine any important policies and make sure they are clearly stated.
The tiny click for terms link is fine for the long legalese but if it's important and liable to come back and bite you, make sure it's visible somewhere within the main body of the site.
2. Listen to your customers.
If you are receiving a number of complaints about one thing, it's pretty safe to say that the policy should be revisited. Maybe the wording is vague or open to interpretation.
3. Value your online persona.
Once people feel burned by a company, they do not keep quiet about it. Whether the story shows up in a blog or not, you can bet every person they talk to that week will hear a version of the story, and it is not likely to be in the company's favor.
Customer service is as important in the online arena as it is in a face-to-face situation.
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