Visit the Global Text ProjectKnowing what your customer wants to see on your website is only half the challenge. In today’s quick to find, instant gratification environment, your customers not only want to find information on your services and product quickly, the want to share it and have a positive customer experience when the do. A positive experience is one that not only gives your customer their needed information but one, when your customer do contact you via a web chat or internet phone, they have something positive to say afterwards. This gives customers a incredible ability to quickly and easily influence others as well as providing instant feedback into your customers buying patterns and feelings about your site and company.
If you can better understand your customer, their needs and objectives you will better understand how to measure and track the “voice of the customer”. Why? This will foster a better customer relationship and will provide you with two outcomes: (1) having your customer extend your marketing without additional cost and (2) having customer based testimonies on their experiences that will increase your companies’ reputation of the products or services you offer.
Know the basics
Whether you already have a site that’s an offshoot of a current business you’ve done work with, or its a stand-alone site (brochureware)—or whether you’re considering creating a Web site, the information you provide is key. Looking at some of the best known websites, several sites stand out for their information, creativity, usefulness and easy of use. One such site, video how-to site http://www.howcast.com/, is a gem. At one time or another we have all tried to do things without reading the instructions. Howcast.com not only addresses this, but provides video as well.
The key elements of any site are a user-friendly, clean appearance and consistently improving content. As you determine your needs for a web site, one of the important goals should be to allow your customers to access your site and avoid the time-consuming process of surfing the Web for similar products or services. They can visit your site and be taken to useful, informative sites.”
The have-to’s of an effective site:
- An introduction of your products or services: what is it, who uses it and why to buy it
- Basic information up front: contact information, product or services information, etc.
- Listing of products or services, grouped together by topic.
- News. Post the latest information about how your organization is changing, how your product or services is being accepted or who is buying them. Consider an e-newsletter in PDF form with tips readers can hold onto.
- Articles. Post in PDF form an article by your marketing or product development team on what’s new or what’s coming
- A contact mechanism—a way for customers to ask a question, request information, register for warranty of your product or services, gets your newsletter or get a referral.
The next layer of your site:
- Where and how to send a customer information they’re seeking.
- Printable/downloadable forms for transmitting.
- Product / Services tips and tools.
- Product updates.
- Upcoming events, such as industry or company seminars, with an agenda and how to register or request information.
- Community outreach information that shows how your organization is helping members of the community.
- Periodic satisfaction surveys that poll customers
The enhanced, “special customer” layer to your site:
- Password-protected forms
- Password-protected customer sensitive data
- Credit Card Encryption
- Personal Data (i.e., date of birth, social security number, contact info, etc.)
- Enhanced articles and updates
- Special programs and communications
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