Positive customer experience is central to the success of a business. Talk of enhancing customer experience (CX) is becoming more and more common. Similarly, in our digitally advanced world, a company’s website is the backbone of their business and acts as a customer’s first impression. It should come as no surprise then that a customer’s experience on your website is one of the most important things to consider in order for your business to thrive. Customer experience starts online.
For those that are unfamiliar with the increasingly popular idea of CX, it can be broadly defined as a culmination of a customers’ response to interactions with an organisation. Whilst this blog focuses on CX in the context of your digital presence, it is important to understand that it encompasses a lot more than this. Inspired by our day at ‘Technology for Marketing 2022’ and a talk on ‘5 Tips to Maximise CX in Your SMB’, we will explore some important digital do’s and don’ts.
Leverage the power of Google
There is no escaping the fact that Google is the most powerful and influential search engine. In fact, a staggering 92% of all searches take place within Google, and Google Maps are used by over one billion people every month. In terms of first impressions, if your website is the façade of a house, Google is the front door. Prospective customers gain information about your business before they have even clicked on the website. Take advantage of Google’s 3-pack ranking system. Not only is it important to look at your website from a customer perspective, it is also important to look at it from Google’s point of view.
Prioritise accessibility
Across industries, accessibility is vital, and the digital realm is no different. Customers usually visit a website with clear goals and intentions. Results show that 86% of people look at a business website to discover more about their products and services. In contrast, 64% of people are seeking business contact information. This information should be easy to find, as customers expect almost instant gratification online. A website needs to have clear and succinct navigation, and a search bar is strongly recommended. This gives the visitor control over what information they acquire from the website and reduces time spent looking for what they need. This ease of navigation is something that is developed in a successful UX design and testing phase of a project. As contact information has shown to be an essential aspect of a website, contact accessibility is important too. An in-site live chat feature is a popular and lucrative way of ensuring this. This enables immediate responses and human to human interaction.
Don’t neglect customer feedback
It may seem obvious, but acknowledging, responding to and acting upon customer feedback is crucial. As a business, customer reviews can be hugely advantageous and should be actively encouraged within your website. Ease of feedback needs to be considered, with the best solution being an in-site feedback option that can be given with just one click. Immediate in-site pop ups are generally discouraged due to being poorly timed and spamming website visitors. Similarly, time consuming surveys are unlikely to be completed and will provide minimal valuable insight. The quantity of feedback alone is not sufficient, it needs to be regular and consistent. It was recently found that more than 70% of consumer reviews are considered accurate and reliable if posted within 3 months. Regular feedback builds business credibility.
Don’t settle for a slow website
In a landscape that is becoming increasingly technologically advanced, your website has unparalleled potential. It can be tempting to try and give your website every possible functionality, with excessive plug-ins and add-ons to boost your digital presence. In reality, a lot of these ‘extras’ are unnecessary and are of little to no benefit to an organisation’s target audience. Yes, a sophisticated website that is technically ‘ahead of the curve’ sounds great, but is a slow and lagging website as appealing? Overworked websites and low-quality web hosts can result in slow page loading times. In terms of loading times, every second counts. A one second delay in loading time can lead to 11% fewer page views, and a 16% decrease in customer satisfaction. Make page loading time a priority and aim for less than 3 seconds.
As a digital agency with over 25 years’ experience developing large corporate websites, we take pride in our adaptability and attention to detail. Our highly skilled, expert team know exactly what considerations need to be made when embarking on a website development project. If you are considering a new project or want to understand more about CX and optimising your digital presence, we encourage you to email our Head of Digital at N.Anderson@Clerkswell.com. We would be happy to arrange a quick call, during which we can discuss next steps.
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