We’ve all seen movies about the Middle Ages such as The Kingdom of Heaven or Excalibur, in which the valiant knight comes forth, sword held high, and attacks the embodiment of evil. The sword has long been a necessity of ancient warfare, and a representation of honor, power, and destruction.
Those knights rely on their skills and abilities to conquer the threat. They also trust their lives with the tools they use.
The quality of the sword depends greatly on the quality of the metal and the workmanship. If the metal is too flexible, it will become unusable. If it is too stiff, it might break. It has to be just right.
Imagine a knight goes into battle and his sword breaks. He’ll lose his life in seconds. Or his armor doesn’t hold and a battleax punches through. That’s why they put great care and resources into making sure they had the best equipment possible.
Customer experience has become the modern double-edged sword in the business world - It has to be just right. Too little and you lose customers. Too far from the perfect target, and you’ll lose them too. Ultimately, you have to decide if what you are doing is hurting or helping your business. It starts by evaluating your experience and making it better.
How Can You Develop an Experience That Connects With Your Customers
Source: HubSpot
The Ironclad Truth
Producing the right customer experience is extremely vital in today’s day and age. In a matter of minutes, a viral tweet can make or break a business or a brand. A bad ad could affect your brand image for generations (think of some of the failures during Super Bowls or big games). Anything that represents your brand will influence how a customer perceives you and if they take action.
The importance of having a positive customer experience is not limited to the online sphere. According to a poll conducted by Accenture Global Consumer Pulse Research, 64% of consumers switched providers due to poor service. More than 80% of consumers that switched would have stayed if there had been a better resolution. Relationships matter. Communication matters. The experience you provide creates positive or negative results for the future of your company.
According to the same study, “the switching economy” is estimated to be worth $6.2 trillion in revenue, globally. Now, imagine if you were on the positive side of the switch. People that have bad experiences look to you as their solution. They trust you and respect the service you provide. You are a signal and light in the industry.
This starts with a good buying experience. Your eCommerce depends on an easy, simplified process to make customers happy and increase your sales. The better you can do this, the more potential you have.
Accelerate your eCommerce conversion rate optimization and you will be in a healthy financial situation and increase your strategic position online.
Going Into Battle
Alright, it’s time to get the best sword and armor and position your company for success. You want to provide a top-notch customer experience, so where do you begin.
It starts with Simplicity. The essayist and philosopher, Henry David Thoreau famously said, “Simplify, simplify, simplify.” The more you can strip away the confusion and distraction, the purer of an experience you can offer; the more customers you will attract and the easier it is to communicate.
Complexity No Longer Sells
Apple realized this back in the 80s when the company launched its clean and minimalistic image that has impacted businesses across many platforms and industries.
Make sure your website is clean and user-friendly, and that information is intuitive and easy to find. For conversion rate optimization, the app or mobile-friendly version of your website must be easily accessible via the appropriate medium. To learn more about how to improve website sales, check out this resource on developing an eCommerce site that improves sales.
For example, Eventige was able to transition Tasty Vapor from a 3D Cart into BigCommerce, which created a simplified shopping experience for the customer - the conversion rate went from 2% to 8-9% on all traffic.
Ask yourself, what barriers for confusion do I see? What prevents a person to buy? What hesitations would they experience? Identifying that and removing them will help simplify your experience. It starts with great design, tools, and optimization.
Utilize Your Platforms
Imagine walking into a store and being greeted by the friendliest team you’ve ever encountered. Your favorite cookies are served, and your favorite music is being played. There is nowhere else you would rather shop.
It’s no different when someone visits your website. What could you do to bring that same experience online?
If you have been neglecting your website, or your social media, or your blog, it is time to reinvent your touchpoints. Otherwise, your potential customers will keep walking past your store, offline and online.
Ask yourself how you can make the experience smoother. Then ask what some of the problems you anticipate are. Solve them. Finally, look for ways that make your experience remarkable and unforgettable. What is something you could offer or include on your website that makes an impression?
Shaping Customer Experience
Source: Yotpo
A customer left your business a bad review, or you received a complaint. Although a customer is 89% more likely to take their business to a competitor if they feel they received bad customer service, all is not lost!
There are plenty of ways to re-shape a bad experience if you are aware of the problem. Reach out to the person and make them feel understood. Offer free products, free services, or some type of compensation to make the customer feel valued and appreciated – which they are!
Ultimately, your company helps shape the perceptions and experiences of your customers. Take some time to evaluate whether the modern double-edged sword is helping, or hurting your business.
If you realize your current customer experience is hurting certain areas of your business, fill out your information at the bottom of this page, and find how we can reposition your conversion rate optimization for better success.
Great experiences start with strong strategies. Together, we can develop one that launches your business for success.
