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Top Ways to Deal With Unpleasant Customers

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Top Ways to Deal With Unpleasant Customers

During your daily operations, you are bound to come across angry and upset customers. Many times, such anger is justified while other times the real reason behind their irritation is not related to your business. However, in both cases, you need to find ways to calm such clients and win their trust back again. Here are some top tips to deal with such clients and ensure that they not only stick with your business but also bring more revenue to you.

Keep Calm: no matter how worked up or rude your customer is, the foremost rule is that you retain your cool. If a person is verbally abusive then take a deep breath and listen to their problem. This approach will allow you to analyze the problem in a rational manner. If you immediately jump the gun and respond to the client in a reciprocating manner, then the issue is bound to get out of hand. If you are interacting with the person in an electronic manner, then re-read your response multiple times before hitting the send button. This stance will let you re-assess and remain calm. However, keep in mind that you are also responsible for your own safety, so if there is any threat of physical harm then report to the appropriate authorities as per your organizational policies.

Listen & Apologize: even if the customer is angry and rude, they still deserve your proper attention. Listen to them carefully when they state their problem. If you have any doubts or concerns then ask appropriate questions. It is also important that you let the customer vent out. Do not interrupt while they are speaking and let them finish before you offer a solution. This approach builds trust and confidence. It also lets the client know that you are genuinely interested in solving their problem. Whether the problem was on your end or the customer’s issue was not genuine, even then offer a sincere apology. However, in the latter case, you may explain the situation to ensure that the client gets the true picture.

Act Fast: once you are done listening to your irate customers, it is important that you take immediate steps to resolve the issue. If the issue lies within your jurisdiction then resolve the issue as soon as possible. In other cases, escalate it to appropriate persons. You should also ensure that you properly communicate all the steps taken to resolve the issue to your client. This will make your client feel valued. During the process, keep the communication channels open with the client so that they are aware of latest developments. It will also satisfy your customer that their grievances are being addressed in a proper manner.

Remain Firm: as important as it is to be courteous to your client, it is equally important to hold your ground too. Being polite does not imply that you have to concede to each and every whim of your customer. If there are any issues which are either the clients’ fault or some other party’s responsibility then explain this situation in a calm manner to the customer. If the customer is making any unreasonable demand then explain organizational policies to them. However, in all the cases, it is important that your business does not suffer on account of client side problems.

Solve the Problem: it is important that you follow up appropriately that the problem is being resolved in a time-bound manner. Also keep the client updated about the steps taken and listen to their feedback. If a client has some specific concerns then ensure that such issues are explicitly dealt with during the resolution process. However, if the clients’ demands are unjustified that clearly communicate such issues to your customer. In such cases, mutual negotiations may be undertaken to reach a solution which is acceptable to all the parties. Once the issue has been resolved, ask your client for feedback to ensure that the things are settled in a complete manner.

Businesses are now required to provide the highest level of customer satisfaction. In many cases, this may become an odious task. However, with above guidelines you can ensure that your clients are always happy and satisfied.

A Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Dynamic Ads for eCommerce

A Beginner’s Guide to Facebook Dynamic Product Ads for eCommerce

Online advertising is a highly vibrant concept and is constantly undergoing drastic changes. It is highly challenging to draw customers’ attention and then to keep them engaged. Facebook dynamic ads are one of the most powerful marketing tools available today. Despite their unique features, these ads are not difficult to master. So here are some of the tips to get you started with Facebook dynamic ads.

What are Facebook Dynamic Product Ads?

Facebook is constantly innovating when it comes to product ads on its pages. The social media site has a well diversified product portfolio which contains different types of ad formats to suit different requirements. Its latest offering is dynamic product ads which are highly amenable to personalization, making them more effective. As per the definition given by Facebook itself, dynamic ads eliminate the need to create individual ads for different products. Instead, you are just required to provide a template and the data and images from your feed are automatically incorporated.

How to Set it Up?

Dynamic ads are highly impressive but fortunately, the task of setting them up is not that daunting. With a couple of directives, you can easily install your own dynamic ad mechanism. However, before you embark upon this journey, you need to make sure you have your basics down i.e. you already have a Facebook Page, a Facebook ad account and a Business Manager account.

Install Facebook Pixel: Before getting started with dynamic ads, you have to make sure that you have properly installed Facebook Pixel, which is a small code which is required to be embedded in the website. Alternatively, you can opt for installing Facebook SDK, which is highly useful for tracking the performance of the ads and providing analytics. However, if you are using any compatible eCommerce platform such as BigCommerce or Shopify, then you are not required to alter your code for creating Facebook Pixel. Instead, you can simply use a third party module to install Pixel.

Designing Product Catalog: For running dynamic Facebook ads, you are required to prepare a detailed product portfolio. This portfolio should contain vital information such as item description, pricing and pictures. A well-designed catalog is highly important as it acts as a repository of the product information. Your data feed should contain all the information which you want to be included in the ads. You can also create multiple data feeds.

Create Product Sets: For making dynamic ads more productive, you can go for creating product sets. This exercise is useful ensuring that your dynamic ads are more targeted and result in better cross sells and up sells. You can use different criterions such as availability, category, brand or product type. The ideal way is to create sets with broad themes as very narrowly defined parameters may lead to sparse products in each category. Facebook dynamic ads allow up to 5 custom columns for adding more data.

Define Target Market: Now is the time to identify the market segments you are looking to capture with your dynamic ads. The retargeting option allows you to focus on a range of visitors such as people who added items to cart but did not actually purchase them. You can also cater to specific customers to up sell or cross sell your products. Another interesting option is to go for custom combination where you can create your own filters to better meet your business’s requirements. You can also choose to broaden your horizons and go for broad audience targeting by opening up your products to newer market segments.

Create an Ad Template: Now comes the final stage of creating the ad template. For this purpose, you need to head to the Ads Manager option and click on Create and choose Catalog Sales. The process designed by Facebook for creating an ad template is highly intuitive. You can use your product catalog for populating various fields. There is also the provision of using dynamic placeholders to let you control the content.

Once your dynamic ad is live, it is important to keep track of its performance. You can accordingly change various parameters of ads to make them more suitable for your business and business objectives.

7 Online Payment Definitions You Should Know

7 Online Payment Definitions You Should Know

Online payment systems are a complex mechanism with very specific and specialized terminology. In order to fully understand the operations and working of online payment systems, it is important to be conversant with various terms associated with these systems. Here are some of the most important and widely used terms which you need to know to remain updated about online payment ecosystem.

  1. Merchant Account: This is the type of account which a business needs to acquire while entering into a contract with an acquiring bank. A merchant account has several features, the most important ones pertaining to the ability to process debit card or credit card payment system. Once an online transaction is executed, the acquiring bank proceeds to accept payment from the customer. The funds are then deposited into the merchant’s account after making due deductions. These funds are later paid into the merchant’s business account.
  2. Acquiring Bank: An acquiring bank is responsible for processing card payments, including debit and credit card payments for a business. Such banks are associated with different card networks including Visa, American Express, etc. The main function of these banks is to act as a middle person between issuing banks and the businesses. An acquiring bank carries out a large number of services such as accepting card payments from card issuing banks. It also carries out the verification of the transactions for approving or disapproving the payment.
  3. Issuing Bank: This bank is entrusted with the task of issuing debit cards or credit cards to customers. The name of such bank is printed on the card and thus is easily identifiable. An issuing bank is also known as card issuer. This bank is authorized to extend credit facility to its clients by implementing letter of credit process. Some of the major card issuers around the world are Visa, HSBC, MaterCard, Citi and Barclays.
  4. 3-D Secure: Ensuring safety and security of the sensitive information is very important in online payment ecosystems. 3-D Secure refers to Three Domain Secure protocol and helps in preventing fraud in online debit card and credit card transactions. This protocol establishes the identity of the card holder by assigning unique username and password to the cards. For example, Visa uses Verified by Visa service for this purpose while MasterCard uses MasterCard SecureCode to carry out 3-D Secure procedure.
  5. Chargebacks: A chargeback is a mechanism to ensure customer protection in the case of online transactions. It is done to provide security to customers in the case of disputed transactions. Under this system, the money is either reimbursed to the cardholder or to the merchant, depending upon the particulars of the transaction disputed. Some of the main events which may trigger charge-backs are the non-receipt of the goods, dispatch of wrong goods or the use of the card without being authorized by the card holder. Excessive charge-backs may lead to revocation of online payment privileges for the business organization. Alternatively, they may be saddled with high fines.
  6. Rolling Reserve: This term refers to the proportion of the transaction value which is kept in abeyance by the acquiring bank. The amount is later released in a staggered manner to the merchant. The main purpose of rolling reserve is to protect against various risks associated including chargebacks with online payments. Rolling reserve ensures that the merchant has enough liquidity to honor chargebacks. Acquiring banks carry out periodic review of rolling reserve ratio applicable to different merchants. Such limits are decided based on volume of online transactions and the risk profile of the firm. This constraint is not universal in nature and thus is not applicable to a large number of businesses.
  7. PCI DSS: This protocol refers to Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, as defined by the PCI Council. The main purpose of this protocol is to improve the security factor of online payments. It enumerates various policies and procedures which need to be adhered to so that the sensitive information pertaining to the business and its clients is handled in a well-defined and recognized manner. The Council was created through the collaboration of various credit card companies such as Visa and MasterCard.

Though these are the most important ones, there are other terms also which are important to know in the context of online payments. The need of the hour is to keep oneself completely updated about the changing norms in online transactions.

What are the benefits of working with a payment processor?

What are the benefits of working with a payment processor?

Reliable and foolproof payment processing is of utmost importance for any online business. While an online business can choose to have its own payment processing system installed, it is generally advisable to collaborate with a specialized payment processing service providers. Such collaboration brings several benefits such as dedicated services and access to latest technologies. So here are some of the pointers to let you decide whether you should go on your own or should work with a payment processor.

What is Payment Gateway or Processor?

First off, you need to be clear about the comprehensive definition of payment gateway or payment processor. These are the service providers which enable businesses and organizations to process online transactions made through debit or credit cards. Payment processors are able to support the payments made using website or apps. While choosing a pp service provider, you should ensure that they accept wide range of cards to let you expand your business without any hassle.

Payment processors may provide additional services such as carrying out validity checks and encryption of transaction details. These service providers may further ensure that the payments are sent to the correction destination and the responses are appropriately decrypted.

Why Work with a Payment Processor

Security: Since online payments require transfer of highly sensitive data, it is important that the security of such data is ensured. In the absence of any such securities, the clients may not be willing to share their details, leading to revenue loss for the business. Payment processors are dedicated service providers and hence invest in providing state of the art technological solutions to ensure the safety and security of the data. Overall, collaborating with payment processors can help you make your business more user friendly and secure.

Wider Payment Options: with the help of a pp, you can offer larger number of payment options to your customer, which will then lead to higher potential revenue for your business. Typically, payment processors support payments made through online banking, debit cards and credit cards. They may also extend their services to the use of online wallets. Through this service, a business may design a payment mix to ensure that it is able to provide different options to its clients. A business can widen its customer base by letting the clients make the payments the way they are most comfortable.

Flexibility: Collaborating with a pp lets you scale your business in an efficient manner. As payment options are changing rapidly, it is important that your business is able to change itself accordingly. Dedicated payment processors are in a position to provide latest services and technologies to aid the process of online payment.  With the help of these service providers, a business can offer cutting-edge payment solutions to its clients without incurring formidable transformation costs. While some processors may be directed towards certain specific business forms such as startups, still they are able to grow their services in a prompt manner.

Payment System Integration: Business organizations employ a large number of systems for their smooth operations. It is important that these systems are properly aggregated to ensure that there is smooth flow of information throughout the organization. Similar is the case of a payment system where it is optimal to integrate with other systems running in the organization. Payment processors offer integration services so that their clients are able to draw synergies in their operations and are able to economize.

Better Analytics: Working with a pp offers a business access to larger amount of data, which in turn helps in better analysis. Such collaborations are highly conducive for analytics purposes. Payment processors also tend to provide state of the art tools designed for analytics. With the help of these tools, businesses can analyze big data and determine trends to better forecast the future. Such analytics are helpful in several ways including for the purpose of planning and controlling. Analytics also aid the process of innovation by providing useful information.

Overall, it can be concluded that working with a pp is an ideal option for small and medium scale businesses. Large business may have enough internal resources to set up their own online payment system, however, even such businesses may be better served with collaboration.

7 Ecommerce Tips for New Entrepreneurs

7 Ecommerce Tips for New Entrepreneurs

E-commerce occupies a primary position in today’s economy. Every new business is now required to have online presence to ensure its overall growth and survival. E-commerce landscape is highly dynamic and is continuously evolving. In order to make your business more efficient and productive, here are some tips for a new entrepreneur regarding eCommerce.

  • Deliberate Before Going Live: one of the biggest mistakes committed by new entrepreneurs is to launch half-baked products and services. While online business world follows the practice Minimum Viable Product, it is still advisable for new businesses to endeavor to perfect their products before launching them online. Such precautions should be undertaken with regard to the product as well as with regard to the infrastructure required for online launch. Before making your website live, you should ensure that your domain name, outbound links and SEO are all in the right place.
  • Integrate your Marketing Efforts: as eCommerce is fast evolving, the marketing tools are also changing at a fast pace. In such environment, it is therefore important that the marketing mix is designed in such a way that frequent changes may be incorporated seamlessly. E-commerce generally uses email blasts, newsletters and social media. It is imperative that these promotional media are used in an intertwined fashion. New entrepreneur can use these media to cross target their markets and draw synergies.
  • Use Funnel Approach: in simple words, funnel approach implies that you need to be aware of the path taken by your target customers to eventually buy your product or service. The various facets involved in the process of funnel approach is to retain customers and upselling. Further, entrepreneurs may also use subscription based models and cross selling approaches under this framework. There are various tools available for this purpose such as plugins which may be easily integrated with your website to achieve desired results.
  • Keep Your Systems Flexible: it is important that the infrastructure used for running your eCommerce venture is flexible and is able to accommodate your growing business. The backend system should be designed in such a way that it expands with your endeavor. While selecting various elements such as server capacity, you should keep in mind not only the present requirements but also future potential. In case of eCommerce, later upgrades in the system may prove to be prohibitively expensive and tedious. Therefore, it is advisable to anticipate the future requirements and incorporate them into the infrastructure in the beginning stage, thus minimizing the need for later additions.
  • Go Social, Go Mobile: proper use of social media can work wonders for your online business. With a number of platforms available, it is important to ensure that your social media mix offers you synergies, without causing any duplication of efforts and resources. The use of social media not only allows you to provide latest information to your clients but also to keep track of their changing preferences. Further, one of the most important trends is to use mobile access. More and more people are using eCommerce through their phones and tablets. In order to fully harness the power of mobile eCommerce, it is important that you optimize the mobile rendering of your website. Alternatively, you can opt for designing a dedicated app for mobile devices. In order to future proof your eCommerce venture, it is essential that you pay proper attention to mobile segment.
  • Pay Attention to Analytics: as eCommerce changes at a fast pace, the businesses are required to keep pace with them. This can be done by using various analytical tools which are helpful in gathering data. Such data is then analyzed to find trends and predict future patterns. The important data required for such purpose is the number of visitors to the website, the conversion rate and loading time. Such data is then analyzed and the strategies are designed accordingly. In order to design robust marketing and other plans, the use of analytics cannot be overemphasized.

The above given pointers offer simple and fast way to optimize your eCommerce business. It is essential that an entrepreneur ensures that they are constantly evolving to keep their eCommerce ventures relevant and effective.