In today’s world customers look for convenience. Technology can make businesses more convenient and easier. When looking at technology keep the customer experience in mind in all that you do. When people are not happy with their experience with a company, they leave and their experience might not have anything to do with your products or services. They may have found it hard to navigate your website or have a question and since it was after hours no one was around to answer it.
Customers expect you to make it easy for them to do business with you and customer-centric companies are 60% more profitable than those that are not.
Technology is the central key to converting visitors into clients and also keeping customers happy and returning to buy again. But where should you focus? Below are some ideas to help you decide what is best for your business.
Smart Chatbot
When people are in a buying phase they often have a question. If you don’t have a quick and easy way for them to get an answer, they may go elsewhere. Website chatbots are really smart these days and if you program them right, they can answer a significant percentage of repeat questions. They are accessible 24/7 on your website and many customers actually like them (about 68% of consumers are happy using helpful chatbots as they like the fact that they get fast answers). This is not always the case when customers send questions via email.
Digital Signatures
Experts predict the use of eSignatures will grow by 69% by 2024. People do not have to print out a form, sign it, then scan it back in. Any of those steps could mean a bump in the road as printers run out of ink and / or users have trouble with a scanner they rarely use. Any problem can mean a customer rethinks or delays signing a document that you need. Using digital signatures streamlines the process as you can handle the transaction online while ensuring you have a legally binding signature.
Cloud Based Forms
Are you still emailing Microsoft Word documents to your customers? Using cloud-based forms makes the experience much better. Your customer doesn’t need to save a form to their computer and remember to email it back. Instead, they can follow a link and fill out the info online from any device. Moving your forms to the cloud makes it easier for you as well. The form data comes in automatically. These systems also collate forms and provide analytics. If you use Microsoft 365, then you already have a cloud form tool or check out our article on MS Forms from last month.
SMS Notifications
SMS notifications are another method that can improve the customers experience. Emails could also be used but many users inboxes are now flooded with junk mail and they can get lost.
Think about implementing SMS notifications for important customer alerts. Make sure you have an opt-in and opt-out method. It’s also a best practice to let the customer choose which alerts they want to receive and how they can receive them (ie SMS, email etc).
Mobile Phone App
Users love apps on their phones and when people are on a mobile device they often prefer an app over a website (studies show that mobile users spend 90% of their time using apps and just 10% using an internet browser). Thus you should seriously think about implementing a mobile app for your business. As well as making it easier for customers to do business with you, it also gives you more marketing and service capabilities (ie push notifications). If you are on a tight budget, you could start with a “wrapper” app – a wrapper takes your existing website and transforms it into an app.
Instore Digital Kiosk
For retail stores, having a digital kiosk can provide an easy way for customers to find information in a quick and easy manner. In na office or service type business, kiosks can assist in inductions and other security entry requirements.
Phone Systems
The experience people get when they call your business is a vital part of how they view you. VoIP phone systems give staff the flexibility to help customers anywhere, even when you are away from your desk or out of the office. Phone systems can also enable things like group ring, auto-attendant and voicemail to email. All these features make for better caller interaction with your business.
Get Help Planning Your Technology Roadmap
Confused about which technology items will benefit your bottom line? We can help assist you in making these decisions and also help integrate the new systems into your existing network? Contact us today to arrange a free no obligation chat.
