Empowering Your Customers and Creating Savvy Loyal Users
Some people claim that the younger generations just want everything handed to them. They say these individuals do not want to put in any work themselves. While certain individuals are never going to give up on these claims, a careful look at the facts will reveal a different truth. Actually, 39 percent of millennials check a company’s FAQ first when they have a question, showing a clear preference for finding answers on their own. When you give customer the freedom to have responsibility, you are empowering them and increasing their self-awareness and confidence, which can, in turn, lead to better business for you.
Construct an Accurate FAQ Page
Since people are clearly seeking out your frequently asked questions section, make sure that it is accurate. For example, if you have ever conducted customer surveys, give them some thought. Think about the questions that your customers had for you. Then, you can compile the answers to them on the site. You may also want to take a look at social media sites affiliated with your business to see what people are saying. Of course, you should add in your own insights as well as answers to questions that you think customers will have in the future.
Offer Online Scheduling
If you own a business that needs to make service calls to people’s homes on a regular basis, then consider setting up an online appointment system. Many companies still want to use traditional telephone calls to schedule appointments, but that is not always necessary, and it can prove a waste of time. If people can just hop onto your website and schedule an appointment, you have freed up the phone lines for other calls. In the event that you have a question about something the customer inputted into the appointment box, you can always call him or her. At least give this system a chance before deciding that it isn’t worth it.
Provide Live Chat Sessions
Another way to help free up those phone lines and pay more attention to more serious issues is to offer live chat sessions. When customers come to your website, they will likely be pleased to see that you offer a live chat option. Instead of waiting on hold for a person to answer their call, they can just connect with someone right away. Also, many people are more articulate at expressing their concerns in writing, so these transactions are likely to run more smoothly too.
One-click Buying Services
Businesses that operate solely or heavily online definitely need to look into options that allow customers to buy with one click of a button. Amazon is a leader at implementing this. Customers can create accounts so that they can access their information for later transactions. When people constantly have to input their information into the same system time and time again, they become frustrated. Since sites do exist that offer one-click experiences, you really need to consider that in order to keep up.
Customer-focused Events
You can also empower your customers by creating events that are geared toward them. You may include some sort of social component, or you may host a sale event that offers discounts on items between certain times on a specific day. When you are the owner of an online company or a business that has clients in many states, you may wonder how that is possible. Fortunately, with the technology of the internet, hosting an online event is more than possible.
Rewards Programs
Whether you ask people to bring a rewards card with them to the store or track their spending through an online system, people love when they are able to rack up points to use later on. You could offer a store credit card that allows them to accumulate points or provide them with a free item once they have spent a certain amount of money for the year. Look into free shipping at a certain spending point too so that you can encourage customers to purchase more of their products from your business.
Consumers do not like to feel as though they are entirely controlled by businesses, especially in a world where the internet offers the average person so much power; therefore, make sure you cater to these modern needs.
