If you want to make sure you are easy to do business with, here are 8 things you can check.
Be honest, are you easy to do business with? The likelihood of customers and clients wanting to work with you or buy from you once and the repeat the process is largely to do with whether you are easy to do business with or not.
Your customers’ experience has a far-reaching effect on whether they return to spend more with you. It will be why they share positive or negative word-of-mouth, or worse forget about you completely. It will certainly impact on their intent to give feedback, referrals and testimonials.
If you’re not if you make life easy for your customers, here are 8 things to check:
#1 Checkpoint
Does your business have a website or directory listings or both?
When looking for products or services in their local area, 97 percent of customers use online media. That includes search engines, internet directories, and vertical sites. An example of a vertical site might be Archipro or No Cowboys as opposed to a horizontal site that markets all kinds of products and services, such as Yellow or Amazon. It’s really hard to start a relationship with a customer if you can’t be found. Get a website if you don’t have one, we can help with that. We can also purchase and care for your domain name and we have a great guide to give you some ideas on what your domain could be. We can also help you with directory list linking strategy.
#2 Checkpoint
If you do have a website, do you have http or https at the front of your URL?
The time has come when Google Chrome will no longer allow access to a http site.
You must have an SSL certificate for your site to have the https prefix. Depending on your host, the costs vary. If you host with Woodswork, we have you covered. Your SSL certificate is free.
We have gone into depth on the difference between HTTP and HTTPS and why it’s important for your website.
#3 Checkpoint
Is your site mobile-friendly?
Most, if not all, smartphone users search specifically for a product or service on their phone, even if it’s just for a quick click to call number.
Woodswork build all of our websites with mobile and device use in the forefront. We make sure every aspect of the mobile experience is perfect. Your own website doesn’t necessarily need to look exactly the same on a phone, but it does need to render quickly. Sometimes that means leaving some elements out. Flash, for instance, might have been ‘snazzy’ way back when, but it’s obsolete today and super slow. Big images may be affecting your site speed if they are not optimised. Have a look at how your site looks like on your phone. If you can make your phone number, address, and other contact information front-and-centre, then you’re making it easier for clients to contact you. We recommend a click-to-call and email bar right at the top of the site.
#4 Checkpoint
Is your information accurate and the same across the web?
If you move locations, change your hours, or get a new phone number, you need to check that your details are consistent across platforms. Attempting to call and getting a wrong number or bounced email is frustrating. It’s great to have directory listings, Yelp reviews, Facebook pages, and everything else as we mentioned above in #1, but just make sure your information is standard across all the available sites, apps, social and platforms you use.
#5 Checkpoint
Are you available when you say you will be?
For a good customer experience, it’s a good idea to make sure that you are available when you say you will be. Unless you want to be available 24/7, are your hours clear for your customers? Are they frequent enough and at times when your clients are likely to need you or have queries? Being available and responsive can make a difference in the ease of working with you and your company. It can go a long way towards customer care.
#6 Checkpoint
Are you flexible and efficient?
Is someone available answer calls, or can you forward calls to your mobile phone? Do you respond to voicemails, emails, or Facebook posts promptly? Are potential clients aware of when they can expect a response to a quote request or a query? If you’re not available, is your team able to help? Being passed from person to person, waiting too long for a response, or having to keep following up or chasing you, can be the difference between new business and none. It’s also the quickest way to lose existing customers.
#7 Checkpoint
Do you make it easy for customers to pay?
Have customers asked to submit payment in a way that your business doesn’t currently support? Consider a platform that can offer several payment options, such as emailed electronic paperless invoices with links and attachments, quote acceptance online. Features such as recurring payments are ideal. Xero is great for this. These options all contribute to making the process seamless and easier for your customers. Credit card payments via Stripe are now supported on Xero too, nice work Xero.
#8 Checkpoint
Can you provide the right advice?
Be a useful resource for your customers. When you see an opportunity to help or pass on knowledge, go ahead and share it. Not only will you be easy to do business with, but you could capture more business from them and from referrals. Become an ‘expert’, invest in up-skilling with certifications and training and through experience. Share what you know and support your customers. Go the extra mile that will have clients coming back to you for more expertise they trust.
Let’s recap
Your level of focus on your customers’ experience is what makes you not just easy but a pleasure to work with. Be geared towards helping your clients, members, and customers the way they hope to be helped and the way you hope to be helped by other businesses. It will impact what they say to others and whether they come back.
1. Does your business have a website or directory listings or both?
2. If you do have a website, do you have http or https at the front of your URL?
3. Is your site mobile-friendly?
4. Is your information accurate and the same across the web?
5. Are you available when you say you will be?
6. Are you flexible and efficient?
7. Do you make it easy for customers to pay?
8. Can you provide the right advice?
By asking yourself these questions and answering them honestly, you’ll go a long way to creating a sustainable and happy relationship for your customers for years.