Make Customer Purchases Smooth as Silk

Is it time that your business software got an upgrade or two?

For business owners, there is nothing more important than making sure your customers stay happy. Remember, having unhappy customers is akin to having business problems, problems that soon can reveal themselves in terms of financial issues.

While there are myriad of ways to make the customer purchasing process as smooth as possible, working with the latest in tech software is certainly an important part of the equation.

With that being the case, are you making customer purchases smooth as silk?

Review the Customer Experience from Start to Finish

In order for your customers to leave each and every experience as happy as they can be, make sure you deploy the following:

1.    Technology – First and foremost, being up to speed on technology in 2016 is crucial. Even though you are likely to come across the occasional business these days where cash only is accepted, they don’t have a website or social media profile, and their cash registers look like something out of the 1970’s, those kinds of businesses are few and far between. From chip technology to texting customers reminders of appointments and other business dealings they have with you, your business needs to be embracing technology, not running away from it. An example of such software would be salon pos, technology that allows you to do a number of critical workplace functions. Whether it is keeping tabs on your inventory, placing requests for new supplies or scanning items when it is time for customers to check out, technology never looked so good.

2.    Service with a smile – You may take it for granted at times, but your customer service approach to business proves to be as crucial if not more than anything else you do. Most customers truly do care about how they are treated whenever they walk into a shop, order something over the phone, or sit down at a computer or turn to their mobile device to make a purchase. If your customer service is smooth and thoughtful, there is a good chance that customer will be coming back for more. On the other hand, give them an experience that is fraught with bad service and a general feeling of they’re just a number to you, don’t expect to see them anytime soon, maybe never again. From running a flower shop to being the local dentist in town, make sure you and your employees (if you have them) always treat customers the way you’d want to be treated.

3.    Contact readiness – Lastly, what avenues are you leaving open in order for customers to contact you? While many business owners are not shy about letting customers (current and potential ones) know how to get in touch with them, others make consumers literally jump through hoops when reaching out for assistance. You should have your “how to contact” information available on several fronts. First, your business cards are all but a no-brainier for leaving pertinent contact information on. Even though space on such cards is limited, it is important to have not only the company’s name and address, but also your phone number, email and website addresses, and a social media contact if possible too. When it comes to your emails you send customers, leave the same information as mentioned a moment earlier in the notes. The big elephant in the room is your website. Consumers can scan the Internet and find countless examples of websites that are well-organized and look as professional as possible. On the other side of the coin, they can surely fine some that could have been put together better by a third-grader. So that your website is in the former, always review it to see that simple and yet pertinent details are in place. If customers have to go on a safari just to try and figure out how to reach you, it can dampen the enthusiasm they may have initially had for you and your brand.

With today’s customers having many different options when it comes to satisfying their shopping habits, it is imperative that your brand gets a passing grade in the purchasing process.