Providing realistic customer support when selling online products

I wanted to share a few things to remember if you do any sell any kind of digital products or offer online teaching and need to support customers and students.

I’m friends with a lot of folks who handle online customer service (and I do a lot myself behind the scenes) and you’d be SHOCKED at some of the vitriolic emails we get.

1. No one reads the fine print or the big, bold copy. You can shout YES, THERE WILL BE A REPLAY in every note, every post and every web page. And you will still get multiple emails asking if if there will be a replay. I make it a point to add a note that replays will be posted within 24 hours AFTER the event (people often don’t realize it takes time to download/edit/upload videos). Add this note to the registration page, any automated emails and reminder notes. Also be very clear how long people will have access to the content. I’ve also started noting this info directly above any support forms. It’s cut down on the emails, but some still come through. ​

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2. User error accounts for most tech-support issues. Feel free to internally use this acronym I’ve long loved – PEBCAK. Problem Exists Between Chair and Keyboard. Incorrect passwords, misspelled email addresses and registering multiple accounts make up the vast majority (over 95%) of all tech-support issues. If you find yourself repeating how to do something, create a list of pre-written canned responses that you can cut and paste for quick replies. And make an easily accessible FAQ / how-to page that you can direct people to with instructional videos and clear how-to language.

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3. People can be really nasty in the inbox. It’s taken me a LONG time to not take angry emails so personally. You never know what kind of day someone’s having – and sometimes they take it out on your inbox. It’s best to be professional and to the point. Don’t put anything in writing you’d be ashamed of seeing posted online (or could get you in trouble!)
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   And remember, you don’t have to respond immediately. It can be hard to be kind and patient when you get all fired up. Set a clear boundary on an expected response timeframe (and note this on the contact form so people know what to expect when contacting you). 24 business hours is a perfectly respectable turnaround time – especially for free stuff.
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4. Some people are always working an angle. If you’re selling something, you’ll almost always get someone asking to get it for free. Now I do give a LOT of stuff away for free (as do all of my clients). And if someone truly needs something, we’ll likely give them access or offer a scholarship. But you’ll start to get a gut check about folks who continually ask you for freebies.

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5. You can refund, block and delete. The one thing I don’t tolerate? Continued disrespect. I’d rather give a refund or remove someone from a list if they are rude to support, make inappropriate comments or send threatening remarks. Need to block a user from your email list? Here’s how to do that in ConvertKit.​

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Now the vast majority of folks I deal with are pretty awesome – but I know a snippy email in your inbox can ruin your day. Create some rules and procedures for your business BEFORE you start selling to make your life easier.