Posts Tagged ‘customer satisfaction’
Study Shows: Merchandise, Not Price, The Key to Customer Satisfaction
Friday, January 2nd, 2009
A note to all business owners: now is not the time to neglect your online retail store front.
In the latest study by ForeSee Results, an online customer satisfaction research company, price became an increasingly important factor among the top 40 online retailers. Though overall satisfaction remained steady, it also dropped among more than a third of the retailers studied - "a shift that most can hardly afford in this economic climate," the study noted.
In comparison, one-fourth of retailers raised their scores, with Amazon.com being the only of the top five to do so. Amazon.com also tied with Netflix as the top ranking retailers, while HP, Wal-Mart and Staples saw the greatest increases in customer satisfaction. HSN and Gap were the biggest losers.
“This is a much more price-sensitive shopper than we have seen before,” said Larry Freed, president and CEO – though price did not have the greatest impact on online retailers, according to the study. Amazon.com ranked highly also because of their marketing strategy and improved site navigation, Freed said.
Customers were most satisfied with the merchandise offered, showing that it has “the greatest potential to influence satisfaction,” according to the study.
Smaller retailers should keep in mind that, along with advertising and marketing, the best way to boost the appeal of merchandise is to update customers and the Web site regarding inventory as often as necessary.
“Don’t build an expectation that is not gonna be able to be built,” Freed said – ergo, do not keep a product featured on the home page, just so the customer can find it is out of stock.
Bottom line: “You’re going to have to think of every transaction and every deal as building into that long-term loyalty with you,” he said.
For more information on the study, visit www.foreseeresults.com.
Tags: christina lee, customer satisfaction, ForeSee Results, Larry Freed, online retailers
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Simple Ways to get Repeat Business From Your Existing Customers
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
As most companies are focused gaining new customers, they tend to neglect the customers they already have. Did you know that it costs between 5 to 8 times as much to bring in a new customer then it does to keep a current one? Another shocking statistic is that 68 percent of customers will stop frequenting a business if they aren’t appreciated. Given that, it shouldn’t surprise you that that’s also the number one reason businesses lose their customers.
The good news is that retaining customers doesn’t take much time or cost a lot of money. It’s the simple things you do to show your customers that you appreciate their business - that’s what will do the most in getting customers to come back to your store.
Be friendly - Yes, it sounds like common sense but you’d be surprised at how many customers complain of a store’s employees being rude in person, on the phone or in an email. No matter how the customer is behaving, it’s important to remain polite and respectful. Beyond that, be friendly and offer your customers compliments and the chance to chitchat. Let them know that you appreciate their business and are thankful that they are your customers.
Be helpful and informative - If a customer looks torn between two products, go ahead and offer some insider’s advice. Everyone working in the store should be overly familiar with the products so that they can be of real assistance to customers. Being able to give customers factual information to help in their decision-making process can go along way. It won’t be long before they consider you and your employees experts in your field.
Be honest - Put your store’s return policies in plain view and be upfront about anything the customer may want to know regarding the purchase. You may lose a customer for good if they go to return an item only to find out that your policy is “return for credit only”. If you’re uncomfortable about a policy, then change it rather than hide it.
Stay in touch - One of the best ways to stay in the forefront of your customers’ minds is by staying in touch with mailings, email marketing and flyers. Let your customers know about upcoming specials, give them discount coupons, etc. You want your store to be the first place they think of when they’re ready to purchase the products you carry.
Respond quickly - One of the quickest ways to upset a customer is by not returning their phone call or email quick enough. Americans can’t help but have short attention spans, so the quicker you can return their messages the better. Strive for returning phone calls within two hours and emails within four hours -customers will appreciate the fast response.
Go above and beyond - Anytime you have the opportunity to do a little something extra for your customers - do it. If you notice a customer buying from your store often, throw in an extra product for them to try, for free. Or if a customer asks about a new product that you don’t have, find it for them and give them the information. Showing that you are interested in helping them out, even if it doesn’t result in a sale goes a long way in your customers’ minds.
So, as you can see, none of the above ideas are difficult, they’re just overlooked. Once you start to incorporate the ideas into your business on a daily basis, you’ll be surprised at the outcome!
Tags: Carrie Hinkel, customer satisfaction, Generating More Sales, loyal customers, repeat customers, Sales
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Small Business Resource Review: Zen Cart
Friday, February 22nd, 2008
This user-friendly shopping cart features multiple customer, sales, and discount modes, and unlimited category depth. Zen Cart also comes with a fully integrated phpBB forum that can be configured or left out, depending on the needs of the user. Other features include a template system, multiple shipping and payment options, a means of creating coupon codes, and a newsletter manager.
Zen Cart not only offers a very impressive list of features, but the system is designed specifically for the needs of both store owners and web developers. You are given everything you need to create a professional, user-friendly online shopping cart. Even users with only the most basic computer skills can install and manage their Zen Cart shopping cart. This solution comes ready to go, and installation is fully automated. The easy installation process even alerts you if something is not configured properly, saving you time on troubleshooting later.
Zen Cart is managed using a browser-based admin "dashboard" panel that provides users with an overview of the website’s core statistics, including number of customers, hits, orders, and products. The panel also provides access to all the other management tools, and makes it easy to add new products to the store.
Zen Cart Advantages
Tons of features. This must be the biggest advantage of Zen Cart. It has more features than any other similar product reviewed.
Very easy installation. Zen Cart should market this feature more than they currently do. Anyone can properly install Zen Cart, as the process runs automatically and alerts you to any potential issues you may encounter in the future.
Customer Support. The Zen Cart website provides users with comprehensive information on the product and its features. There is also a forum available to assist users who are experiencing problems, or who may simply be looking for advice or techniques to increase sales.
Zen Cart Disadvantages
Boring design. If you want a unique store, you will need to invest in a professional web design service or spend time trying out various templates.
Tricky administrator manual. The documentation for Zen Cart is difficult to follow and understand, and is not updated as new versions of Zen Cart are released.
Optimized for US users. While not a problem for many users, UK-based stores will be required to do a lot of customization in order to use the UK address formats and currency.
Some difficult navigation. Many administration options are hidden inside lengthy pull down menus, which is frustrating and time consuming for new users.
Overall, Zen Cart is worth the money and the little bit of time it takes to get it up and running. The long list of features is far superior to other shopping carts, and the ease-of-use and installation makes this the perfect choice for those new to web and store design.
Tags: customer satisfaction, E-Commerce and E-Business, shopping cart software, Web Design, zen chart
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Website Design Mistakes That Could Cost You Customers
Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
In today’s world of technology and instant gratification, there is no excuse for any business to be without a website. Even if the sale will be completed at a physical location, many people look up the business they are going to work with on the Internet first. That means if you don’t have a website, they will likely find someone else in your area to give their money to.
Just having a website is not enough. It’s important to make sure you have a website that is attractive to customers, helps them find the information they want and need, and is user-friendly.
Many people who delve into a website for the first time are drawn to all the “extras”. With that said, how do you know if you’ve gone too far? Let’s take a look at some common website design mistakes - and how to avoid them.
Enough is Enough
When picking the background and template for your website design, don’t overdo it. The days of website “wallpaper” (those tacky patterned backgrounds you saw on websites in days of yore) are over, as are blinking text and unnecessary animated images. Some background colors and designs may make it harder for customers to see the words on your page. The more difficult it is to make sense of a website (or the more frightening it looks), the less likely a consumer is to stick around. A simple or plain background is best, accented with pictures and images in appropriate places.
Make sure the color of the background and the color of your text are enough of a contrast that the text is easy to read.
Music May Be Too Much
If you run a business that relates to music, it might be alright to have music start playing when your website is loaded. Otherwise, skip the temptation to attach an auto-playing musical piece.
Many people listen to music on their computer, and your website’s music is going to clash with their music. This is especially true if you don’t give potential customers a way to turn your music off - they may well leave the site to stop it.
Forget Fancy Fonts
While they may be beautiful to look at printed on a piece of parchment paper, those fancy scrolling fonts have no place in your website design. They are not easy to read and may annoy customers who come to your site.
Instead, look for a font that is both attractive and easy to read, so you can educate potential customers instead of sending them screaming for the hills.
Lose the Long Prose
Unless you are an author, people are not coming to your website to read a book. Give them what they want - the information they came in search of. First and foremost, make sure your contact information is easy to find. There is no quicker way to send people looking elsewhere than to make it hard for them to figure out how to get a hold of you. While it’s ok to put some information about your company and service on the site, make it short, sweet and to the point.
A website is a virtual storefront. Make it an attractive one that offers your customers what they need and want, without making the mistakes that could send them away.
Tags: business mistakes, creating a website, customer satisfaction, E-Commerce and E-Business, Leeia Ladipoh, Web Design
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