An e-commerce or online retail business is primarily dependent on the efficacy of its customer service. Recent studies have revealed that E-commerce sales have increased by around 13% in 2012. An effective online customer service center should be able to address the problems and resolve queries within the fastest possible time. The cut-throat competition amongst online retailers has also increased the importance of rendering efficient service to all the E-commerce consumers.The success of an e-commerce website depends primarily on two aspects, nature of response and the response rate. The key requirement of every online customer is that he should be able to access and communicate with the contact center easily and navigation through the site should be comfortable. A business can ensure a repeat customer only if it meets the primary requirements of speed, simplicity, security and perfect order execution.How to ensure customer service for an E-commerce website Imbibe a culture of personalized service Every website offers similar products, but it is the quality of customer service that sets it apart. Consumer service can be perfect only with a combination of updated knowledge about the company, and a driving passion to service personnel of the company. The company executives should be imparted continuous training on the latest trends in providing service to customers, and on the latest knowledge about the company policy and products. Facility of self-service : The E-commerce website should be designed in a manner to allow every customer to navigate easily through the site, and find solutions for his problems easily. A detailed list of FAQs providing solutions to every possible customer problem should be added as a section on the website. The business will not like to incur recurrent manpower and infrastructure costs to reply to simple and regular queries. Hence, these FAQs should be exhaustive and updated based on the customer queries being routed through call centers or emails. A video section on ‘How to use’ or ‘Troubleshooting actions’ can be a valuable addition in the field of customer service. The self-service facility will enable the store to save on costs and also facilitate a quick-fix solution for the customer. Easy availability of contact information There are numerous websites that offer multiple modes of communicating with the company. The contact feature through social media networks is the latest addition in the field of customer service. All contact information should be available in a single page and the navigation should be easily accessible. Every possible contact option, be it mail, phone, click to call, online query posting feature or social media posts, should be operational with minimum waiting time for the customer. Request a feedback Every business entails huge costs on maintenance of the best customer service center and query resolution. However, due to the lack of face to face interaction, an online retail store should include a feature of feedback after every interaction. A feedback survey or feedback options on the website can go a long way in judging the level of customer satisfaction. A feedback link in mail for ‘order acceptances’ or ‘order receipt’ acknowledgement can also make the customer feel pleased and valued by the business. Social networks or review sites can also be a major source of customer feedback in recent times.A business can also take extra steps to judge the fulfillment of its customer service and satisfaction parameters by tuning the software to bring out customer service analysis reports on a routine basis.Continual improvements are a part and parcel of every business venture and an e-commerce retail store should ensure that it meets the highest standards of customer service and satisfaction to be able to thrive in the competitive world.