It’s no secret that consumers are buying online now more than ever, there is a wider range of products and services to make life easier for customers. However, that certainly means more work for customer service departments who are required to complete more orders with the same number of resources in the same amount of time. 

That’s where eCommerce automation comes in handy to reduce the chance of mistakes, which eventually lead to less customer satisfaction, thus losing future business. Automation helps businesses when they are expanding to a new product line, to grow at a lower cost, and much more. Here are 3 ways automation perfects business and the customer experience. 

  

  1. Improving Customer Service 

Customer service is a determining factor of an eCommerce website experience, leading to customer satisfaction as well. At least 96% of consumers say that customer service is a key element when it comes to brand loyalty, eventually driving this audience to purchase again and recommending that brand to family or friends. As some may expect, according to this study, 58% of US customers have manifested that they switch brands when they encounter a careless customer service experience. 

For example, implementing chatbots is always a good idea, keep it in mind because they’re here to stay. Statista expects the chatbot market to grow to an estimated $1.25 billion in 2025. 

These kinds of tools let customers get quick answers to their questions on a daily basis, 24/7, and best part is that most of them can be integrated to different platforms such as Shopify or WordPress. They help reduce the amount of time a customer service team would normally spend on common questions that can be easily resolved. 

From finding out about an order status, shipping times, stock enquiries to other detailed product information. And if a question is not resolved by your automation solutions, it can be passed onto a customer service representative that will have the previous “conversation” between the consumer and the chatbot, which will help to manage the situation at hand in an effective manner. 

  

  1. Optimizing Omnichannel Marketing 

What is omnichannel marketing? To simply put it, it’s the integration and cooperation of an organization’s different communication channels used to interact with customers. 

First things first, for customers it’s important to have a consistent omnichannel experience across different online marketplaces and social media platforms. Having your eCommerce website automated can help build immersive experiences throughout these platforms and channels. 

Marketing campaigns that make use of 3 or more channels see an increase of purchases of 287% compared to single channel campaigns. So, how do we optimize our omnichannel marketing campaign while making use of automation? 

Automation allows to personalize using individual customer data from different channels. For example, let’s talk email marketing. 

When a customer leaves an abandoned cart, they can receive an email reminding them what they forgot to complete their purchase and informing them if the item is running low in stock; now, they might also see an ad on social media, or even getting a text message with a link that redirects them to their forgotten cart. 

If a customer has already made a purchase, you can do a follow-up in their process down the sales funnel with emails or text messages that updates them regularly on their order status. When the package has been delivered, you can show your appreciation for their purchase by sending them a “Thank you” email, this will improve customer relations making them feel that you actually care about their individual experience. 

You can also make them feel seen by requesting feedback. Sometimes the importance of positive reviews is overlooked, but they’re crucial for building trust among new customers and consolidating your website’s SEO. However, keep in mind that negative feedback is necessary too, because it will allow you to pinpoint where there’s room for improvement, whether for your website or your business in general. 

  

  1. Inventory, customer, and product data synchronization 

Unifying product and customer data ensures a seamless and consistent consumer experience on different channels. SKU counts, prices, descriptions, and images can be synced via an omnichannel, causing inventory stock and product information to always be updated! 

Inventory planning and management is key for an eCommerce business, it’s important to have a clear view of the available inventory. Automation allows an eCommerce website to have an easy and real-time visibility of inventory, which lets us forecast demand and manage stock in advance. It’s frustrating for customers to see that a product they want to acquire is constantly out of stock. 

Customers want immediacy, inaccuracies harm the customer experience and eventually, the brand reputation. Consumers associate online shopping with speed. So, implementing automation to organize your business’ supply chain will help you serve customers faster, better and with greater accuracy. 

  

The goal is to provide a harmonious experience for your website throughout different channels. Having automation integrated into your eCommerce experience leaves room for fewer error opportunities, fewer opportunities for problems between supplier and vendors, and more room for growth, cognitive work and planning new strategic initiatives. 

Automation has become an important step for businesses that heavily rely on their eCommerce website; it guarantees reliability and consistency. Most automation fixes happen behind the customers, but it’s all an effort on behalf of the business, the consumers, and their satisfaction. 

As eCommerce continues to grow, we must grow and improve with it, and implementing automation solutions is a great way to start.