What Is After-Sales Service Support?

After-sales support, sometimes called after-sales service, is any service provided after a customer has purchased a product. After-sales support may be provided by a retailer, manufacturer, or a third-party customer service or training provider. Typically, examples of after-sales service include support regarding warranty service, training, or repair and upgrades. After-sales support may also be considered part of a company's overall marketing strategy. Some examples are Best Buy's Geek Squad or Apple's Apple Care.

Understanding After-Sales Service Support

After-sales support helps ensure that a customer gets as much use and value as possible out of their purchase. This may entail training on existing features or education about new uses or capabilities. The business reasoning behind after-sales support is that it can contribute to 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:brand loyalty and repeat sales; happier customers tend to create repeat customers. Good after-sales services can also result in positive 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:word-of-mouth for a company. Poor afte🍰r-sales support can prevent companies from achieving a good customer satisfaction record and, t🐟herefore, growth.

After-Sales Support Examples

Some examples of after-sales services include companies helping with the installation process (such as computer software), maintaining products through free or discounted service (oil changes included with the purchase of a new car or via a paid-for service plan), having a clear exchange and return policy, and providing a 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:customer service number.

Help Desk and Technical Support Services

Such after-sales support may come free with the purchase of an item and may also be sold as part of a more comprehensive service plan, su🥂ch as how Best Buy sells Geek Squad computer-related service plans. Service offered through a help or support desk may incl🌠ude technical assistance for personal computers, mobile phones, software, machinery, and various other products.

Real-Time Online Support 

Real-time online support includes email, chat, forums, and a social media interface (and monitoring) that assists♒ in respondi𒁃ng to public complaints and criticisms. This may include handling returns or repairs.

Automated Customer Service Lines

Automated customer service lines can give advice and solutions to frequent or even more complex issues and questions. Typi💞cally, rather than employing more human customer service representatives, automated responses and bots allow customers to easily access support at any time, either by phone or online.

Automated Support Resources

This may include easily-accessible online solutions that involve forums where customers may interactꦚ with other us𒁃ers or experts, post questions, or search for answers.

After-Sales Support Best Practices

Customers who have a bad experience with a product have more venues than ever to publicly complain. As such, companies should be proa🦩ctive in reaching out to customers after a purchase is made to ensure that their experience is as good as it can be. Reaching customers early can avoid product returns and public complaints, which can lead to negative public perceptions. Such interaction should be ongoing, as well, and give customers the oppoꦏrtunity to revalidate their decision to buy a product. Companies should also make it easy for happy customers to share their experiences with their products, such as providing the opportunity to post reviews, ideas, and stories on social media.

The Bottom Line

After-sales support and service is a way for companies to follow through with their product and service guarantees. Customers are provided with means to address any issues they experience and are given solutions that attempt to create repeat customers and loyalty, which are critical to a business's longevity in today's competitive environment.