Voice bot: how do you improve after-sales in retail?

Have you ever felt trapped in a telephone maze, listening to endless hold music only to be transferred multiple times, repeating your request to each new agent? The post-sales experience can be a real headache for many people, especially in retail, a sector that naturally deals with a high volume of demands. However, in a market where customer satisfaction is the key differentiator, it is urgent to invest in solutions that improve this service, ensuring the satisfaction and loyalty of more and more consumers – and this is where voice bots stand out as excellent supporters.

Post-sales is the golden opportunity to strengthen the relationship with the customer. After all, when a brand takes good care of its consumer after the purchase, it builds loyalty, becomes a reference, and even increases the chance of being recommended to others – the famous "word-of-mouth" marketing. In today's competitive market, this care makes all the difference in keeping the customer close, showing how much they are valued and that their relationship with the brand does not end with the transaction.

According to studies by Harvard Business School, as proof of this, an increase of just 5% in the customer retention rate can lead to a profit growth of between 25% and 95%, depending on the sector. This is because loyal customers tend to spend more and more frequently. But how do voice bots fit into this topic?

They have arrived to revolutionize post-sales with various functions at the retailers' fingertips: 24/7 service, which allows for the agile resolution of common queries such as order status, exchanges, or returns, at any time; instant feedback, listening to what the customer thinks about the experience and adjusting what is necessary; request tracking, easily scheduling repairs, exchanges, or support; and personalized service, recognizing the customer by name, checking their history, and guiding their journey in a way very similar to a human.

With the expansion of artificial intelligence, these voice agents have become even more precise and optimized, constantly improving their knowledge base to assist each customer in the best possible way, being much more proactive and receptive in resolving these demands. And what are the results of all these advantages? More satisfied consumers, loyal to the brand, and with a much higher chance of recommending it to others.

After all, even if there is some problem with their purchases, it is this positioning of the retailer in caring to help them, with agility and quality, that will make all the difference in avoiding greater frustrations and damage to the image. However, for each retailer to be able to redefine their post-sales and enjoy all these benefits, it is clear that some considerations cannot be overlooked in this tool incorporation process.

First and foremost, understand with utmost clarity who your audience is and which pain points are most recurring based on your products or services. This way, in addition to programming the voice agent to solve these issues, you will also be able to enable the integration of this agent with other service channels, so that each customer can continue the service in their preferred medium. Do not fail to offer, here, the option to speak with a human, as many may still choose to talk with a professional to help them.

Personalize and train the bot whenever possible, so that it conducts post-sales with increasing assertiveness. Also, keep the conversation light, natural, and fast, thinking about the best customer experience so that they do not waste time in this resolution. Here, real-time data management is crucial, performing curation that monitors the results of these services aiming for continuous improvements that bring greater efficiency.

Ensure first-class integration with your internal systems, ensuring a smooth journey instead of a robotic one, and adhering to the particularities of your business. And, undoubtedly, investment in information security cannot be overlooked, something essential nowadays in light of regulatory norms such as the LGPD (Brazil's General Data Protection Law).

The voice bot is not just a technological tool, but a solution capable of transforming frustration into satisfaction and casual buyers into loyal customers – without them having to wait in a service queue or await a return email. For retail, it is a valuable piece for building lasting relationships based on trust and a smooth experience, from the first click to the last post-sales interaction.