Did you hear about that massively successful business that gets away with zero online customer engagement? Yeah, neither have we. In the age of the internet, high quality customer service is just about as important as the quality of products or services you provide.

Effective online customer service requires more than just a website though – you need to actively engage with your customers, pre-empt queries whenever you can, and always be aware of what is said about you. Below are a few steps you can take to make sure your clients are satisfied with their online interactions, every time.

Invest in a management system

With so many brand touchpoints these days you can receive customer enquiries from almost anywhere, so having a system for managing them all is essential. Management systems such as Zendesk or Talkdesk make dealing with all those connections online simple and easy, so you won't ever miss a sale or drop the ball on a vital business relationship. You can get customized systems to handle a wide variety of channels, ranging from email through to all your social media accounts.

Look alive

Providing the option to talk to a real-live person can be the difference between making a sale or not, so be sure that someone is always available to chat about your products or services right now. There are live-chat tools available to suit every business and budget, ranging from the inexpensive SnapEngage through to more comprehensive solutions such as LiveChat and LivePerson. Whatever you choose, be sure that whoever is answering those calls is both knowledgeable and friendly. If you want a great call center setup, investing in quality business phone services is a must.

Monitor your mentions

Don't be the last one to know if someone has a problem with your business. Instead, start monitoring mentions of your business online. Tools such as IceRocket, Social Mention and Topsy make it easy to know when your business is being talked about and you can even use applications like 'If This Then That' (IFTTT) to automate basic responses. It helps to have one main person in charge of monitoring your online mentions, as this will give your business the best chance of responding quickly and making the most of any hype you've generated.

Facilitate self-service

The easier you make it for people to find the information they want, the better – while most people will help themselves if they can, the vast majority will leave rather than contact you with their questions. While a decent Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page will often handle the majority of inquiries, it is a good idea to include photos, videos and tutorials to explain more complicated information. Setting up systems that allow customers to book their own appointments or manage orders will further improve customer service and satisfaction.

Effective online engagement is crucial to a successful modern business, so don't take it lightly. Hopefully these tips will help you grow a support system that leaves your customers happy.

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Written by Jo Sabin on Monday, August 24, 2015

Jo Sabin is Head of Designer Community at DesignCrowd. She's led the company's public relations and social media programs since 2012. With more than ten years' experience working with Australian and international tech startups in the creative industries, Jo has been instrumental in meeting DesignCrowd's objectives in Australia and abroad. Get in touch via Twitter.