Companies slow to adapt to reaching customers through on-line store fronts, have found themselves behind the eight ball over the past few months. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a sudden epiphany that conducting on-line business is no longer an option, it is a ‘do or die’ decision. There is no doubt about that.
Data from Statista predicts that by the end of 2020, global ecommerce sales will reach $4.2 trillion and make up 16% of total retail sales. And these numbers are only predicted to go up as we continue into the ‘20s. There is no doubt that this growth is being mirrored in every sector of the economy.
But, just getting a virtual store-front is not enough as competition in cyberspace is raging and there is a lot of digital noise going on. So, what can you do in order to make the best use of the virtual medium and to make your business a stand-out brand online?
Research shows that there are many areas where you can make a difference, but I have selected these five because of their relative ease of implementation coupled with lower budget requirements. Check to see if you can improve in any of these areas:
- Ensure accurate information across all channels – Firstly, there is nothing that frustrates a customer more than inaccurate listings of goods and services or links that do not work, or dated personnel or contact information. Also make sure that the same information is reflected across all your sites.
- Make your website Device Friendly – How does your website display on a mobile or tablet? Most users will be accessing your site from their mobile phones and if your website doesn’t display properly this can negatively impact not only the customer experience, but also conversion into sales.
- Enable Live-Chat Features (preferably 24×7) and improve Interactions – Your customer service and sales team need to be accessible to customers when they need assistance. If you have live assistants at least for certain periods of the day/night (preferable), ensure they are equipped with the necessary information and relationship building skills to make every interaction a deposit into your customer’s emotional bank account.
- Collect Feedback from Customers and Monitor/Respond to On-Line Reviews Your customer feedback is critical to your success. Finding out what’s working and what’s not, will help you adjust the experience for maximum impact. And, when your customer takes the time to make comments, whether good or bad, you must respond in a timely way to retain your credibility and protect your on-line reputation.
- Remember the social aspect – experts say that consumer behaviour is encouraged by social activity, so use this to enhance your customer experience. Ask yourself these questions. How active are you on social media? Do you allow customers to like and share your pages? Do you interact with customers in real time and allow them to get live updates?
Remember folks, just the fact of being online, does not a successful customer experience make. If you need expert advice on how to make your organization more customer centric then book a Discovery Session with us now.