Beginner’s Guide to Great Customer Service

The Afrosmartshop community relies on its sellers to provide consistently excellent customer service. As a business owner, creating strong relationships with your customers is key to the success of your shop. Putting in the effort to connect with your clients can have a powerful impact on your positive reviews, repeat sales, and exposure on Afrosmartshop.com.

We expect sellers on Afrosmartshop to read and follow our Service Level Standards.

Create a great customer experience in your Afrosmart shop

Customer service starts the moment a shopper first clicks on your listing. Your product alone isn’t enough to help a shopper decided to make a purchase. Shoppers also want to know key information like product specifications (size, color, material, etc.), how long it will take to ship, and if they can return or exchange products. Clear listings and policies build trust with potential buyers.

Tips for providing great customer service in your shop and listings:

• Make sure product photos are clear and show the details.
• Make sure important product specifications are clear to avoid shoppers having to message and ask questions.
• Set expectations that you can realistically meet for things like production and shipping timelines.
• Communicate detailed and transparent shop policies.

To edit your shop policies:

1. On Afrosmartshop.com, click the Your Account icon, then click Shop Manager.
2. Click the pencil icon.
3. Scroll to the Shop policies section.

Your shop policies have several sections. Each section is a template and you can select the options that you want for your shop.

• Shipping
• Payment options
• Returns & exchanges
• Privacy policy
• More information

Communicating with buyers

Communication between sellers and buyers is one of the most important factors in a successful transaction. Shoppers may message you with questions before they purchase a product, after they order with questions about shipping timelines or issues with their order, or with questions or concerns after they receive their order.

Tips for communicating with customers:

• Use an inviting and polite tone to establish trust.
• Be consistent and quick to get customers the information they want fast.
• Address questions or concerns with clear, concise answers.
• Be honest and set expectations you can realistically meet.
• If you plan to be away, use auto-responses with info about when you will respond.

To reply to a Message:

1. On Afrosmartshop.com, click the Your Account icon, then click Shop Manager.
2. Click Messages.
3. Click a message with a buyer.
4. Type your response in the text box.
5. Click Send.

To start a Message with a buyer:

1. In Shop Manager, click Orders & Shipping.
2. Find the order you want to contact a buyer about.
3. Click the Message button on that order.
4. Type your message in the textbox.
5. Click Send.

Resolving customer service issues

Whether it’s a lost package, delayed production, or a customer is not happy with a product they purchased, sometimes things go wrong. By acknowledging the problem and taking practical steps to resolve the issue, you can often alleviate a frustrating situation and build customer loyalty.

Tips for resolving customer service issues:

• Acknowledge the customer’s concern so they feel heard.
• Instead of placing blame, focus on doing what you can to make it right.
• Be patient and understanding in your communication with the customer.
• Work with the customer to find a solution swiftly.
• If a product is lost in shipping or a customer requests changes to a custom product, consider taking a small loss for the return of customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Building relationships

Customer service doesn’t stop after the transaction has ended. Many customers become repeat buyers so keeping in touch can go a long way to build those relationships. Before reaching out to customers, be sure that you have the buyer’s consent to message them and are complying with applicable local marketing laws.

Tips for building relationships and customer loyalty:

• Follow up after a purchase to make sure the customer is satisfied.
• Consider offering special coupon codes to entice past buyers to purchase again.
• Stay in touch with loyal buyers to let them know about special offers, new products, or shop announcements.
• Follow up with customers who have expressed an interest in your products but never followed through.

To set up a sale or coupon:

1. On Afrosmartshop.com, click the Your Account icon, then click Shop Manager.
2. Click Marketing.
3. Click Sales and coupons.
4. Click New special offer.
5. Specify which type of discount you want to offer.