{"id":7646,"date":"2023-05-01T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-01T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T09:42:01","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T09:42:01","slug":"customer-service-level","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","title":{"rendered":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-toc single-toc\" data-controller=\"blog-toc-controller\" data-action=\"scroll@window-&gt;blog-toc-controller#scrollChanged:passive\" id=\"toc-component\"><div class=\"single-toc-overview\"><p>Table of Contents<\/p><div class=\"single-toc-read-time\"><p>** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"#h-what-are-customer-service-levels-nbsp\">What are customer service levels?&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-how-to-measure-customer-service-quality-7-essential-kpis\">How to measure customer service quality (7 essential KPIs)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-how-to-improve-customer-service-satisfaction\">How to improve customer service satisfaction<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-proven-ways-to-improve-the-quality-of-your-customer-service-nbsp\">Proven ways to improve the quality of your customer service&nbsp;<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"#h-customer-service-levels-faqs\">Customer service levels FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>An eye-popping <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/content\/dam\/web\/en_ie\/www\/PDF\/state-of-connected-customer-fifth-ed-comp.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">94% of customers<\/a> say that positive customer service experiences make them more likely to buy again.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Improving your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/ecommerce-customer-service\/\">ecommerce customer service<\/a> can have a strong impact on your brand reputation, customer retention, and revenue. But before you can improve your customer service quality, you need an objective way to measure it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is where customer service levels come in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019m Bri Christiano, the Director of Support for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gorgias<\/a>, the customer service platform built for ecommerce brands. My team and I put together this guide to give you a better understanding of customer service levels and how they help you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Measure your team\u2019s performance objectively<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gauge how customers perceive the quality of your service<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Set achievable customer service goals at the individual and team levels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-customer-service-levels-nbsp\">What are customer service levels?&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer service levels measure the quality of service a company provides to customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are a lot of factors that determine the level of service your team offers. To make things more concrete, we focused on the major elements of customer service, ordered from most to least important:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times<\/strong>: how fast you respond to messages<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times<\/strong>: how quickly you fully resolve customer issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>how friendly, on-brand, and helpful your agents are<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessibility (support channels):<\/strong> how easy your support team is to reach<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service:<\/strong> how many <a href=\"https:\/\/knowmax.ai\/self-service\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">self-service options<\/a> you offer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>whether your brand reaches out to visitors, and how meaningful they make those interactions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Delight: <\/strong>how you go above and beyond to create memorable customer experiences<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most businesses use five levels to gauge their customer service quality: unacceptable, below average, average, above average, and stellar.&nbsp; <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-unacceptable\">1. Unacceptable<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this level, the bare minimum of <a href=\"https:\/\/avada.io\/resources\/customer-satisfaction-metrics.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customer expectations<\/a> isn\u2019t being met. Think week-long delays for an email answer or hours of waiting for a call centre agent to pick up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most brands that offer unacceptable service look something like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times: <\/strong>Multiple days for email, and over 1 hour for live chat and other instant channels<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times: <\/strong>Up to two weeks (for email) and several hours (for chat), or high rates of abandoned conversations before a resolution<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>Responses with errors that make the message difficult to interpret, and incorrect information about your products and policies<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessibility (support channels): <\/strong>Only one channel (usually email)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>None<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service resources: <\/strong>None<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Unacceptable customer service can have devastating impacts on your store\u2019s repeat purchase rate and brand reputation. Constantly drowning in tickets and dealing with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/angry-customer-email\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">frustrated customers<\/a> can also stress out your support team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Leveling up from unacceptable customer service can be done by:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Look at how many questions you receive (day by day, and hour by hour) and adjust the staff\u2019s schedule to accommodate<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Creating templates to help agents provide high-quality responses faster<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keeping a record of all past conversations, so agents don\u2019t have to ask customers to repeat themselves<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Building an FAQ page and order confirmation emails that answer very simple requests, like how to place a return<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-below-average\">2. Below average<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This level is a slight improvement because your team can resolve common issues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, customers still have to wait way too long for responses and resolutions, so this level also has a detrimental effect on your brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below-average support teams typically have the following (or something similar):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times: <\/strong>Over 1 day for email and social, and 30-60 minutes for live chat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times: <\/strong>1 or more business days<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>Tickets are easy to understand and consistently share accurate information about your products and policies, and you get mostly 3s and above on CSAT surveys<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support channels: <\/strong>1-2 channels (Email and chat, or social media if it makes sense for your business)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>Have a small library of templates ready for common situations and create more as needed<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service resources: <\/strong>A simple <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/faq-example\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">FAQ page<\/a> somewhere on your website or app&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To move into average territory, you\u2019ll need to:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start analising your ticket volume to staff channels correctly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Build self-service resources for questions your brand gets, beyond obvious ones like shipping and returns<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Invest in quality via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-service-training\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">onboarding and training<\/a> so agents can handle basic questions with accuracy and ease, and escalate complex questions if needed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll also need to expand your presence across channels, so customers have an easy way to reach you beyond email and live chat or social.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-average\">3. Average<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, you\u2019re meeting customers\u2019 needs consistently. You\u2019re easy to reach and respond in a reasonable timeframe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your team can identify trends in tickets and pass along that customer feedback to other departments. Plus, you establish and regularly check metric-driven goals (around speed and quality) for your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times: <\/strong>12-24 hours for email<strong> <\/strong>and social media, and 10 minutes for chat<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times: <\/strong>Reasonably fast thanks to templates and basic automations for common questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>Consistent 4s and 5s on CSAT surveys, regularly train agents, and have a clear internal definition of a high-quality ticket<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support channels: <\/strong>2 channels (likely chat and email)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>Inform customers about upcoming issues and special occasions (via banners on your website and emails)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service resources: <\/strong>Detailed FAQ pages where customers can get info about shipping, returns and refunds, exchanges, and more; including FAQs in the product experience (whether that\u2019s in-app, or in the product packaging)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Brands at this level can try to move higher up by:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creating brand loyalty programs<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Having clear, customer-first policies (like making refund exceptions for VIP customers)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, it also helps to educate new support agents or customers on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.livechat.com\/success\/what-is-live-chat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">what live chat is<\/a>, especially since it&#8217;s one of the most in-demand channels for quick, real-time assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-above-average\">4. Above average<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Above average service means you consistently satisfy customers\u2019 demands and even exceed their expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You leverage automation to help customers as quickly as possible, to spend more time improving your customer experience with <a href=\"https:\/\/monday.com\/blog\/project-management\/the-complete-project-management-software-list\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">bigger projects<\/a> than just resolving tickets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, you use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/proactive-customer-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">proactive customer service<\/a> to address issues before they affect shoppers<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, your customer service team is a well-oiled machine: You consistently <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hotjar.com\/performance-reporting\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">report on performance<\/a> metrics, conduct ongoing training, and optimise wherever possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your service creates a memorable experience and is part of your brand\u2019s competitive advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times: <\/strong>Under 4 hours for email and social, and under 5 minutes for chat, SMS, and phone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times: <\/strong>Fast thanks to a variety of templates, advanced automations, and experience with handling all kinds of issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>Accurate information clearly delivered, with consistently on-brand voice, and an average CSAT score of 4.8 or above<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Support channels: <\/strong>Offer all channels that make sense for your business (likely including chat, email, social media channels, phone, SMS, and WhatsApp)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>Reaching out to customers via chat and informing customers about how to enhance their experience (usually through upselling or cross-selling)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service resources: <\/strong>Everything mentioned above, more advanced tools like automated order trackers, and starting to work with other teams (like your website and product team) to quickly fix systemic problems at the root<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer service teams at this level are already well above the average team \u2014 so don\u2019t feel bad if you\u2019re not at this level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Moving to the \u201cStellar\u201d level requires a shift in your goals from just meeting demands to further optimising processes and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/ecommerce-customer-delight\">delighting customers<\/a> with:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Regular reporting on holistic metrics, as well as variances. (For instance, if you have an average first-response time of 3 minutes but it jumps to 10 minutes overnight, you\u2019ll catch that and staff accordingly.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Personalised welcome videos<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Hand-written notes for VIP customers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Celebrating milestones, like birthdays and anniversaries with special gifts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-stellar\">5. Stellar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, you&#8217;re in a league of your own. Your business is known for its exceptional customer service, which helps attract higher-paying shoppers, retain them longer, and drive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/shipping-strategy-can-improve-customer-loyalty\/\">customer loyalty<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Response times: <\/strong>Under 1 hour for email, under 15 minutes for social media, and under 1 minute for real-time channels like live chat or SMS<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Resolution times: <\/strong>Very fast thanks to a variety of templates, advanced automations, and experience with handling all kinds of issues<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Quality: <\/strong>You consistently score 5s on CSAT surveys and have a consistently high internal quality score<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Accessibility (support channels): <\/strong>You offer all channels that make sense for your business (likely including chat, email, social media channels, <a href=\"https:\/\/getvoip.com\/blog\/business-phone-services\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">phone<\/a>, SMS, and WhatsApp), available 24\/7<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Proactivity: <\/strong>You anticipate common customer issues and provide answers before they become questions, through educational product experiences and 1:1 notifications about upcoming issues&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service resources: <\/strong>Robust FAQ pages, help centres, and automated self-service handle a majority of questions, and your policies and product experiences are clear enough to proactively educate customers<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Surprise and delight: <\/strong>Personalised experiences that go above-and-beyond (like writing handwritten notes or reaching out to customers on birthdays)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And your customers can use self-service resources for most interactions, so they only reach out to your team for complex issues.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Note, however, that aiming for surprise-and-delight <em>before<\/em> you can consistently offer fast, low-effort service tends to backfire. While focusing on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/ecommerce-customer-delight\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customer delight<\/a> is the cherry on top; easy, fast service is the hot fudge sundae.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-measure-customer-service-quality-7-essential-kpis\">How to measure customer service quality (7 essential KPIs)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There isn\u2019t a universal way to measure customer service levels. That\u2019s why most ecommerce brands use a combination of key performance indicators (KPIs) to determine their service quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this section, we\u2019ll discuss eight of these KPIs that pretty much any ecommerce retailer can use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> A good <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/what-is-a-help-desk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">helpdesk<\/a> or <a href=\"http:\/\/www.nextiva.com\/products\/cloud-phone-system.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">phone system<\/a>&nbsp;can help track your call metrics and response times and make it easier to improve them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-first-and-average-response-times\">1. First and average response times <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>First response time (FRT)<\/strong> measures how long it takes for your agents to reply to the first message sent by a customer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Average response time (ART)<\/strong> is the sum of all response times for a specific period divided by the total number of tickets during that time frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Slow responses are a surefire way to annoy customers, so it\u2019s paramount to keep your FRT and average response times as low as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Response times will \u2014 and should \u2014 vary by channel. Customers messaging on live chat expect a response in seconds, so you should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/how-to-prioritize-customer-service-requests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">prioritize those tickets<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Email and other slower channels can wait. Real-time channels like live chat, SMS, or calls to your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.unitelvoice.com\/blog\/how-to-get-a-toll-free-number-for-your-business\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">toll-free number<\/a> should be prioritized to ensure customers get immediate support. In general, email tickets should be answered within a day, while real-time channels should get responses in a few minutes or less.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Average response time is calculated by dividing the total amount of time spent responding to tickets by the total number of tickets during the same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"344\" width=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=1280px\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7639\" data-responsive-img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=700px 650w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=860px 768w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=1180px 1080w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=1400px 1280w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-2-700x344.png?w=1600px 1440w\" fetchpriority=\"low\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Source: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/average-response-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Gorgias<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>You can improve response times by:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creating template responses for your agents<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Using automation to acknowledge or even resolve queries instantly<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bringing conversations from all channels into one feed with a helpdesk, so your agents don&#8217;t waste time switching between tabs and key information doesn\u2019t fall through the cracks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For a detailed look at this metric, check out this guide to lowering <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/average-response-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">average response times<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-average-resolution-time\">2. Average resolution time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Average resolution time (ART)<\/strong> is the time customers spend interacting with your business before their issue is resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The longer your ART, the more time your customers have to wait or go back and forth with your team. This can lead to a frustrating customer experience and prevent shoppers from buying from your store again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This KPI is calculated by dividing the total resolution time for a given period by the number of closed tickets for that same period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"344\" width=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=1280px\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7640\" data-responsive-img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=700px 650w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=860px 768w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=1180px 1080w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=1400px 1280w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-3-700x344.png?w=1600px 1440w\" fetchpriority=\"low\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Source: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/average-response-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Gorgias<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Three of the best ways to improve this KPI are:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Automating common queries, like \u201cWhat\u2019s your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/ecommerce-shipping\/shipping-policy\/\">shipping policy<\/a>?\u201d, \u201cHow can I return an item?\u201d, or \u201cWhat\u2019s my order status?\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Keeping a record of all customer information \u2014 address, payment info, recent orders, etc \u2014 across all tools. That way, you don\u2019t have to ask customers for details they\u2019ve already given you and your agents have all relevant context in one place<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrating your customer support tool with your online store, so agents can make changes (e.g., refund an order) while answering tickets, without having to switch tools<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/resolution-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this guide to resolution time<\/a> for more details on ART and how to improve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-customer-self-service-rate\">3. Customer self-service rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-self-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Customer self-service rate<\/a> is the percentage of tickets that customers resolve without needing help from your agents. Self-service can include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>A detailed <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/faq-example\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>FAQ page<\/strong><\/a> for your most common questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A <a href=\"https:\/\/klutch.app\/blog\/knowledge-base-definition-types-features-examples\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">knowledge base<\/a> or Help Centre<\/strong> with in-depth resources to help with product troubleshooting and other complex questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/order-management\/\">order management<\/a><\/strong>, so customers can request cancellations and refunds without typing out a message<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Self-service <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/ecommerce-order-tracking\/\">order tracking<\/a><\/strong>, so customers don\u2019t have to talk to an agent to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/automate-wismo-requests\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">answer WISMO (\u201cWhere is my order?\u201d)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>A high self-service rate shows that your website and automations make it easy for customers to answer common questions themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The formula for calculating this metric is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Self-Service Rate = Tickets that Customers Resolved Without Live Agent Support \/ Total Number of Tickets for Same Period x 100<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating the resources from the bullets above is the first step toward a better self-service rate. You can optimise the performance of these resources by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Regularly reviewing support tickets, finding common questions, and creating new self-service resources<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Linking them in your site\u2019s header, support and order confirmation emails, and other highly-visible places<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-one-touch-resolution-rate\">4. One-touch resolution rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One-touch resolution rate is the percentage of tickets that were resolved with a single reply from your team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When more tickets get resolved with one interaction, your customers and agents are both happier because they don\u2019t have to go back and forth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the formula for this KPI:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>One-Touch Resolution Rate = Tickets Were Resolved with One Reply \/ Total Number of Tickets for Same Period x 100<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A high one-touch resolution rate is achieved by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Giving agents easy access to the necessary data. <\/strong>Think order history, past conversations, shipping addresses, and payment info. When agents have this information in one place, there\u2019s less risk of missing relevant details when resolving tickets.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Training agents to write clear and detailed answers. <\/strong>A great answer fully resolves the customer\u2019s question <em>and <\/em>anticipates any follow-up concerns. This is the practice of forward resolution, and it\u2019s key to boosting one-touch resolution rate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-customer-service-abandonment-rate\">5. Customer service abandonment rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer service abandonment rate is the percentage of customer interactions that were abandoned before the issue was resolved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Abandonments are generally a sign of customer frustration \u2014 it\u2019s not always the case, but sometimes conversation abandonment means the customer decided to return the product or give up on your brand rather than pursue a resolution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the formula for this KPI:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Customer Service Abandonment Rate = Customer Service Interactions that Were Abandoned \/ Total Number of Interactions for Same Period x 100<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best ways to keep abandonments low are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Speeding up response times. <\/strong>The longer customers have to wait, the higher the chance they\u2019ll abandon the interaction.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Having agents write better answers. <\/strong>Ambiguous answers can make customers feel like your team can\u2019t help them, causing them to stop responding, especially when they\u2019re calling via a <a href=\"https:\/\/frejun.com\/best-small-business-phone-service-call-routing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">business phone service<\/a> and expect clear, immediate guidance.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-customer-satisfaction-csat-surveys\">6. Customer satisfaction (CSAT surveys)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer satisfaction (CSAT) is the base level of satisfaction buyers feel regarding their experience with your brand.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A high CSAT score shows that customers are happy with the quality of service they received. Low scores show frustration and can be a leading indicator of non-repeat customers or, for subscription-based companies, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/ecommerce-churn-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">customer churn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To calculate this KPI, you need to <strong>ask customers <\/strong><strong>\u201cHow would you rate the help [Agent] gave you?\u201d and let them answer with numbers between one and five.<\/strong> Then, take the number of 4 and 5-star responses, divide it by the total number of responses, and multiply by 100 to get your CSAT score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"344\" width=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=1280px\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-7641\" data-responsive-img srcset=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=700px 650w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=860px 768w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=1180px 1080w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=1400px 1280w, https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/78805a221a988e79ef3f42d7c5bfd418-4-700x344.png?w=1600px 1440w\" fetchpriority=\"low\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><em>Source: <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/average-response-time\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Gorgias<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get reliable responses and improve your CSAT scores, make sure to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Send CSAT surveys immediately after customer service interactions<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add visual elements to surveys like buttons, stars, and images.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>While CSAT is a great metric, you can\u2019t guarantee customers will respond to your CSAT surveys. So, consider also instituting an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/metrics-for-customer-satisfaction#:~:text=the%20time%20period-,5)%20Internal%20quality%20score%20(IQS),-IQS%20measures%20the\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">internal quality score<\/a> and regularly reviewing tickets as a team to make sure customer interactions are up to your internal standards.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more proven tactics, check out these <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/improve-csat-score\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">9 ways to improve CSAT score and response rate<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-7-customer-retention-rate\">7. Customer retention rate<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Retention rate is the percentage of customers who remain customers (i.e., don\u2019t churn) over a given period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This KPI is the<strong> <\/strong>business results of quality \u2014 including product, shopping experience, and customer service \u2014 unlike most of the other KPIs we looked at, which are leading indicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For subscription companies, retention rate is the percentage of people who continue to pay for their subscription over a given period.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For non-subscription businesses, retention is the percentage of customers who come back for a second (or third and fourth) purchase over a period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, say you had 350 customers at the start of the year, 300 at the end, and 76 acquired during the year. Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/ecommerce-retention-rate\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ecommerce retention rate<\/a> can be calculated like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>[(300 &#8211; 76) \/ 350] * 100 = 64%<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also worth noting that this KPI can be affected by many factors outside of customer service, like shipping delays, bad packaging, and other <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/customer-fulfillment-experience\/\">fulfilment experience<\/a> issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-to-improve-customer-service-satisfaction\">How to improve customer service satisfaction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you know how to measure customer service levels, let\u2019s look at some top tactics to move up the ladder. We separated the tips into two categories:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Customer service traits to instill in your team through new hire onboarding (and training, especially around new launches, new launches, and when your agents get stuck)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Systems to set up to provide excellent customer service<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-top-customer-service-standards-and-traits-to-instill-in-your-team\">Top customer service standards and traits to instill in your team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First, you need to establish high-level traits (or standards) that your team should aspire to. Your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-service-policy\">customer service policy<\/a> is a good place to write these out, so everyone is familiar with expectations from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-speed\">Speed<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>A slow first response will leave customers with a bad impression, even if you eventually solve their problem. The same goes for slow resolution times, even if your FRT is fast.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Setting clear service-level agreements (SLAs) and regularly measuring your team\u2019s performance against them is the best way to instill the value of speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-friendliness\">Friendliness<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Friendliness is about ensuring your customer service agents are pleasant and welcoming when interacting with customers, but it should also tie into your company\u2019s unique voice and tone.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider creating a list of phrases that your agent should and shouldn\u2019t use to sound friendly, and building a library of helpful templates (also called Macros). If you\u2019re not sure where to start, check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-service-phrases#toc-5-customer-service-phrases-to-avoid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">these 15 customer service phrases<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accuracy-and-attention-to-detail\">Accuracy and attention to detail<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Providing accurate answers is just as important as responding quickly. That\u2019s why you should train agents to do the following for every incoming query:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Read or listen to it carefully and assess the customer\u2019s issue in full<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Check your policies and guidelines, especially if they\u2019re not sure how to respond<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Answer the question, resolve the issue, and provide customers with information about the next steps<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Giving agents access to the necessary context \u2014 like the customer\u2019s purchase history, shipping addresses, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.kidsworldfun.com\/blog\/make-payment-easy-for-your-customers-things-to-consider\/\">payment methods<\/a> \u2014 makes this much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-transparency-and-honesty\">Transparency and honesty<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer service isn\u2019t just answering questions. It\u2019s also about creating a sense of brand credibility and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even one misstep can undermine the trust you\u2019ve built with a customer over years. That\u2019s why your team should be instructed to give honest responses to customer queries, even if your company made a mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s much easier to admit an error and compensate for it than to win back customers who don\u2019t trust you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-proven-ways-to-improve-the-quality-of-your-customer-service-nbsp\">Proven ways to improve the quality of your customer service&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you establish high-level customer service traits in your team, it\u2019s time to implement larger systems to scale up your service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-accessibility-nbsp\">Accessibility&nbsp;<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Accessibility is giving customers different ways to reach you or resolve their inquiries themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is done by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Making self-service resources easy to find on your site<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Implementing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/omnichannel-customer-service\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">omnichannel customer service<\/a>, so customers can contact you via their preferred touchpoint (email, live chat, social media, SMS, etc.)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Giving customers an alternative way to contact you if your team isn\u2019t online right now (e.g., email instead of live chat during off-hours)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-analyze-tickets-and-collect-customer-feedback\">Analyse tickets and collect customer feedback<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/playbook-chomps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ticket analysis<\/a> and regular surveys are essential to improving your customer service quality over time. It can help you get to the root cause of common complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Customer complaints can stem from slow response times or resolution times, confusing answers, or other customer service mistakes. However, many post-purchase issues also result in customer service tickets, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/shipping-delays\/\">Shipping delays<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Products sent to wrong addresses<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Wrong products shipped to customers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These mishaps often point to issues with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/order-management\/\">order fulfilment process<\/a>. If that\u2019s the case for your store, an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/order-management-system\/\">order management system<\/a> can help you reduce human errors and automate manual fulfilment tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-set-the-right-incentives-for-your-customer-service-team\">Set the right incentives for your customer service team<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Incentives are key to creating win-win workplace relationships.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To get incentives right, you first need to identify customer service areas (and KPIs) for improvement, like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Initial response times (FRT)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Problem resolution times (ART)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Satisfaction after customer support interactions (CSAT)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Then, you establish benchmarks and select adequate rewards for reaching them. Companies often use both individual and team rewards, like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Extra days off or gift cards for agents with the highest CSAT scores<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Quarterly bonuses for the entire team if they keep average FRT and resolution times low<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This is a detailed topic, so check out <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-support-incentives\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this article on customer service incentives<\/a> to get a more nuanced understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-consider-outsourcing-customer-service-and-other-time-consuming-activities\">Consider outsourcing customer service and other time-consuming activities<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many ecommerce processes become difficult to maintain when orders and customers start growing. This is often the case for customer service because you have to hire, train, and monitor more agents as you scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why many ecommerce business owners outsource it to third-party service providers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/customer-service-outsourcing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Outsourcing customer service<\/a> can save you tons of time and effort, provided you find a partner with proven expertise in organising customer support teams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, customer service isn\u2019t the only activity you can outsource.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The fulfilment process also gets really complicated at scale. Outsourcing to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/product\/omnichannel-fulfillment\/\">omnichannel fulfilment<\/a> provider is a great way to reduce your workload and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/order-cycle-time\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">optimise order cycle time<\/a>, so you have fewer repetitive tickets and more time to provide stellar customer service.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, a reliable, a third-party fulfilment solution like ShipBob can:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Store and manage your inventory within a network of fulfilment centres<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/warehouse-pick-pack-fulfillment\/\">Pick and pack<\/a> orders soon after customer information has been verified<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Package and ship them to its destination through the most optimised route<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-take-a-strategic-approach-to-customer-service-with-helpdesk-software\">Take a strategic approach to customer service with helpdesk software<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Helpdesk software lets teams collaborate when managing, organising, responding to, and reporting on customer tickets.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These tools range from simple <a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshworks.com\/ticketing-system\/free\/\">free IT ticketing systems<\/a> to all-in-one customer service platforms with features for self-service, automation, revenue generation, and reporting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A modern helpdesk like Gorgias can help you speed up response times, improve customer satisfaction, and drive revenue by:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Using automation to give customers instant answers to common questions <\/strong>(which also frees up agents to focus on high-impact tickets)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prioritizing, tagging, and assigning tickets<\/strong>, instead of tackling them on a first-come, first-served basis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bringing all customer service channels into a single view for your agents, <\/strong>so they don\u2019t have to constantly switch tabs&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keeping all customer data in front of your agents, <\/strong>including data from other ecommerce tools like ShipBob, Klaviyo, and Shopify, so they can<strong> <\/strong>easily find and include customer information when handling inquiries&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Analising tickets and monitoring agents\u2019 performance, <\/strong>so you can continuously find and fix root causes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>To dive deeper into these topics, check out this guide: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gorgias.com\/blog\/what-is-a-help-desk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Is a Helpdesk, Why You Need One, and Features To Look For<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How can partnering with a 3PL increase customer satisfaction?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Believe it or not, your fulfilment can play into your customers&#8217; satisfaction with your business. If you have a long <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/blog\/order-cycle-time\/\">order cycle time<\/a>, if your shipping costs are high, or you can&#8217;t provide updates about where packages are in the fulfilment process, customers will likely be disappointed with their experience with your brand. If any of those challenges are true for your business, it might be time to consider utilising a fulfilment provider. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By partnering with a reliable fulfilment partner like ShipBob, you can leverage our ability to quickly pick, pack, and ship orders so customers aren&#8217;t left waiting longer than necessary for their packages to arrive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-blog is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cSince switching to ShipBob from other 3PLs, our overall customer rating has been climbing steadily to get closer to our previous nearly perfect 5\/5 rating, I believe largely due to improved shipping performance and service levels provided by ShipBob.\u201d<\/p>\n<cite>&#8211; Mithu Kuna, Founder and CEO of Baby Doppler&nbsp;<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>ShipBob has a direct integration with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/partners\/gorgias\/\">Gorgias<\/a> which allows you to seamlessly manage fulfilment, as well as customer experience. With our integration and ShipBob&#8217;s best-in-class analytics and reporting, you can see real-time data about where orders are in the fulfilment process and provide customers with accurate updates when WISMO questions arise. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/quote\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Request a Fulfilment quote<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-customer-service-levels-faqs\">Customer service levels FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are common FAQs related to ecommerce customer service levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">What are the 5 levels of customer service?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>The five levels of customer service are:<\/p>\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>Unacceptable<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Below average<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Average<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Above average<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Stellar<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n<p>The best way to reach good customer service (i.e., average or above average levels) is by giving customers instant responses to common questions, resolving their issues fast, and pointing them to relevant self-service resources.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Reaching the &ldquo;Stellar&rdquo; level requires more personalised tactics, like personalisation, hand-written letters, and rewards for VIP customers.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">How do you determine customer service level?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>You can determine your customer service level with a combination of metrics like first response time, average resolution time, and CSAT scores.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-shipbob-blocks-single-faq single-faq direction-col\" data-controller=\"faq-controller\" data-faq-controller-open-value=\"true\"><div class=\"single-faq-title-contianer\"><h4 class=\"single-faq-title\">What is ecommerce customer service?<\/h4><div class=\"single-faq-expand\" data-faq-controller-target=\"expand\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/wp-content\/themes\/shipbob-2022\/resources\/svg\/plus-solid.svg\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"single-faq-childs\" data-faq-controller-target=\"answer\"><div>\n\n<p>Ecommerce customer service is the combination of customer support agents and self-service resources that help shoppers during their journey on your online store &mdash; from the pre-purchase phase to deliveries, returns, refunds, and exchanges.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>Providing great customer service is a big competitive advantage, as it boosts customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, and repeat purchases.<\/p>\n\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":251,"featured_media":21385,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"content-type":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"blogcategories":[6],"class_list":["post-7646","blog","type-blog","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","blogcategories-ecommerce-tips"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.5 (Yoast SEO v27.5) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"ShipBob Australia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-06T09:42:01+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"21 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/\",\"name\":\"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/33\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-01T06:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-06T09:42:01+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/33\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/33\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp\",\"width\":1400,\"height\":560,\"caption\":\"customer service levels\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Blog\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/\",\"name\":\"ShipBob Australia\",\"description\":\"Just another ShipBob Network site\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-AU\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels","description":"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels","og_description":"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","og_site_name":"ShipBob Australia","article_modified_time":"2026-02-06T09:42:01+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1400,"height":560,"url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"21 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","name":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp","datePublished":"2023-05-01T06:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-06T09:42:01+00:00","description":"Learn about the 5 levels of ecommerce customer service, as well as how to measure and improve your customer service quality.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-AU","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-AU","@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp","width":1400,"height":560,"caption":"customer service levels"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/","name":"ShipBob Australia","description":"Just another ShipBob Network site","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-AU"}]}},"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"WebPage","headline":"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels","url":"http:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/customer-service-level\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp?w=160","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/33\/2023\/05\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp"},"articleSection":"Uncategorized","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Bri Cristiano"}],"creator":["Bri Cristiano"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"ShipBob Australia","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2023-05-01T06:00:00Z","datePublished":"2023-05-01T06:00:00Z","dateModified":"2026-02-06T09:42:01Z"},"rendered":"<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"wp-parsely-metadata\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"headline\":\"A Practical Guide to Customer Service Levels\",\"url\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/blog\\\/customer-service-level\\\/\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/33\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp?w=160\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.shipbob.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/33\\\/2023\\\/05\\\/ad9af8a491d1585de92b356e0bd3aa9d.webp\"},\"articleSection\":\"Uncategorized\",\"author\":[{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"name\":\"Bri Cristiano\"}],\"creator\":[\"Bri Cristiano\"],\"publisher\":{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"name\":\"ShipBob Australia\",\"logo\":\"\"},\"keywords\":[],\"dateCreated\":\"2023-05-01T06:00:00Z\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-05-01T06:00:00Z\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-06T09:42:01Z\"}<\/script>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/shipbob.com\/p.js"},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/blog"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/251"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7646\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26170,"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blog\/7646\/revisions\/26170"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21385"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"blogcategories","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/blogcategories?post=7646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}