5 tips for using Facebook Messenger in e-commerce

E-COMMERCE How can companies successfully use Facebook for their customer communication and online customer service? Caroline Langer, International Marketing Manager at iAdvize, gives five tips for using the messenger in e-commerce.One billion messages are exchanged between companies and consumers every month via Facebook's Messenger app. This digital contact channel should be used to optimize customer service. Caroline Langer from the platform for conversational commerce  iAdvice reveals how it works.1. the potential of the messenger identify Companies should review the usage behavior of their own target group in relation to Messenger. Among 18 to 34-year-olds, almost one in four (22%) would prefer to interact with companies via digital real-time channels such as website chat, Messenger or social media. An e-commerce company in the B2C sector that values direct and personal communication should definitely test Messenger as a communication channel. There are already successful examples in the tourism and telecommunications sectors. It should also be borne in mind that communication with Messenger allows you to get into the customer's pocket, so to speak. The entire conversation is recorded in the messenger and can be resumed at any time. This means that customer communication via Messenger also has a positive effect on customer loyalty.2. offer the messenger for customer service inquiries Messenger is to be offered to customers as a service channel, for example as a supplement to the live chat on the website. If all advisors are in conversation, the customer can first use the messenger to express their concerns and an advisor will deal with the inquiry as soon as they are available again. Messenger is not only a real-time channel, but also another contact tool that can be used outside of daily business hours.3. use Messenger for transaction-based communicationWhen completing the order, the customer should be able to choose whether they want to receive transaction-based information and updates directly in Messenger or by email. This includes, for example, order or booking confirmations, invoices or parcel tracking. Messenger is also ideal for sending images, videos or links that support transaction-based communication (rich content). It is essential to measure the proportion of customers who prefer Messenger to email for transactional information. Important conclusions can be drawn from this for the further strategic use of Messenger.4. use the messenger with intelligent targetingMessenger should be offered to customers as a communication channel at the right moment. This can only be achieved with good targeting. Based on various data, such as customer profile, user behavior or shopping cart value, it is determined in real time which person needs which support and which service channel is used. An example: A customer is browsing the store on a mobile device and has been looking at a high-priced product for several minutes. It is late in the evening and no chat can be offered because customer service is no longer available. Now the customer can be invited to chat via Messenger and the service team will help them as soon as they receive the message.5. bundle customer communicationDue to the popularity of social media platforms among consumers, more and more contact channels outside of the website are becoming important for companies. Companies should therefore bundle all contact channels and customer inquiries on one platform. This means that customer advisors do not have to switch back and forth between individual channels and can respond particularly quickly while maintaining the same level of quality. This also has a positive effect on processing costs.