The CrossLoop Marketplace - Search Criteria
This page explains how CrossLoop's search algorithm works. Understanding this is key when you are looking to increase your profile views and contact results. Please read on if you are interested in
having more customers find your profile.
There are
many factors that will result in you appearing higher in a Customer's search results or on any search a Customer
may perform with a web search engine directing them to your profile. However, in order to get more Customers you
must not only be found, but you must also appear to the Customer as being able to immediately solve their problem
and be trustworthy. Here are the top 10 ways to receive more leads and improve your "searchability."
Immediate availability to provide customer assistance. By far the most consistent and highest
priority request among all Customers contacting technical support across the industry is the speed in which the
Helpers answer their requests. CrossLoop always ranks people that are online and available to help first.
We also encourage Helpers to respond with an introductory message in no less than 30 seconds. After 30 seconds
many customers will abandon the chat request thinking that the person is unavailable.
Alert: 60 Second Chat timer. In order to improve Customer satisfaction, the new version of Chat
will wait 60 seconds before prompting the Customer that the Helper is busy and presenting options to leave a message
or search again. To read more about the 60 second Chat timer review the Customer Chat Process Flow document.
Note: Helpers appear online and the "Chat With Me" button is enabled when the Helper opens the CrossLoop Application on their desktop and leaves it open or minimized in the tray. It is critical to mark yourself as "busy" or not "available" in the CrossLoop Application anytime you cannot respond immediately to customers. Not responding to a customer because you are busy is very detrimental to customer satisfaction. It is better to show yourself as not busy. The new version of the CrossLoop Application 2.42 or later provides an improved busy indicator.
Conduct paid transactions on CrossLoop's Marketplace. One of the best indicators of a successful Helper is someone that provides services that Customers will pay for. Our Customers notice the difference between someone helping their friends and family for free and a Helper that has the knowledge, technical ability, personal skills, and salesmanship to solve a Customers problem that they are then willing to pay for.
Note: to learn more about payments and transactions view the Transaction Overview document.
Develop a customer focused profile that encourages customers to open your profile and read more about you. Your profile needs to be focused on the type of customer you plan to attract. Many times Helpers write their profile like a resume listing all their skills. It is better to focus in on the types of support you will provide and the things your Customer are looking for. Your profile is indexed and searchable by Google, Yahoo, MSN and all the major search engines. So it is important to have a well crafted profile and update it frequently to continuously market your skills.
Upload a pleasant picture of yourself to your profile. A picture allows the Customer to connect with you and provides them with the confidence that you are a real person willing to help them. Professional looking pictures (maybe infront of the computer) work best. Helpers without pictures receive fewer profile views.
Responding to all Customer requests. Again it is important to remember that the speed of answer is the most important factor for most Customers wanting technical support. CrossLoop uses your response to both "Contact Me" emails and "Chat With Me" message requests as one of the most important factors of your commitment to Customer satisfaction. An unanswered contact or chat discourages Customer's from returning to CrossLoop and your profile for help again.
Consistently resolve Customer problems for the sessions or transactions you provide. This is the best indicator that you can provide solutions for the specialties listed in your profile. If you start a session with a Customer and find you cannot solve their problem, it is always better to find another Helper in CrossLoop that can solve it and pass them on. If you ensure the Customer's problem is resolved, even if you only passed the person on, Customers will appreciate your efforts to solve their problem. The worst case scenario is to let the Customer go with an unresolved problem.
Receive positive feedback on the transactions you have conducted. Customers are asked to provide feedback only when they have paid for your services. This is true whether they pay through a chat-assisted transaction, easy billing, or through your profile. Customer feedback is very important and is one of the most important factors in building your reputation. With a long history of achievement, Customers are much more likely to feel comfortable contacting you. An excellent feedback score and positive Customer comments significantly increase the contact rate for Helpers. It is always a good practice to encourage your Customers to leave descriptive feedback on what you provided beyond "He was good" or "He solved my problem." More detailed Customer comments will instill more confidence and trust in future Customers.
Conduct CrossLoop application screen sharing sessions with other users. Even if you have not been able to find paying customers, conducting sessions with friends and family or providing free help increase your ranking. Conducting sessions also prepares you to work with paying customers and help them connect quickly.
Create a complete technical support profile. In addition to providing a Customer focused profile, it is important that you complete all the sections of your profile and provide descriptive and captivating commentary about yourself for each field. The usability testing CrossLoop has conducted indicated that each section helped to convince customers to contact the Helper.
Promoting your profile with CrossLoop badges and marketing. CrossLoop's Customers post their badges on other sites. Provide their profile link in blogs and forums and create their own marketing campaigns to attract customers to their profile. When you receive profile hits from externally posted links, this indicates to us that you are actively marketing yourself.
Finally, in addition to the above search criteria we cannot fail to mention the importance of building your network of Customers through consistently excellent service. One of the best ways to obtain more Customers is through word of mouth. Make sure you communicate to your satisfied customers your profile, and ask them to tell a friend about you. CrossLoop has made the profiles very easy to remember and share so communication is simplified.
