Delivery Delights – 5 Ways to Exceed Customer Expectations as an Online Seller
Delivery Delights – 5 Ways to Exceed Customer Expectations as an Online Seller
With people moving more and more towards shopping online, it’s important to provide a good experience and support customers in achieving the best outcome. Exceeding expectations is the best way to do this. So, we’ve put together a list of strategies to help you achieve this. Delivery Delights – 5 Ways to Exceed Customer Expectations as an Online Seller
1. Handle Freight Swiftly
Online shopping greatly enhances the convenience of the process for your customers, but the area that lets it down is shipping. Nobody likes having to wait for their order to arrive, so it’s worth looking into ways to speed up the process. You could consider making use of 3PL logistics in Melbourne and other capital cities to achieve this. A good logistics company will assist in shortening lead times and include special extras like click and collect for local customers to make their lives easier.
2. Throw In A Freebie
Everybody loves receiving free items with their order, making this an easy way to make your customers feel valued and exceed their expectations. The free item you throw in doesn’t even have to be particularly high value. It’s more the fact that you’ve cared enough to give them something for nothing that will make your customers feel good.
For example, a beauty brand could throw in a free lip balm or product sample, while a manufacturer who makes parts for grape harvesters and other farm machinery could add in a little keychain. You could also consider including useful promotional products. That way, every time the customer uses the item you’ve gifted them, they’re gifting you with free advertising.
3. Tailor The Experience
While this one won’t be possible for brand-new customers, personalising the customer experience on your website can make them feel like your business truly cares. Something as simple as having a pop-up greet them when they sign in to their account that directs them to a page where they can easily re-purchase their favourites can make a big difference.
Emails or text messages that alert them when their favourites go on sale are also a great way to personalise things (as opposed to simply sending a generic “we have a sale on” message). Customers tend to appreciate communications like these that feel relevant to their needs.
4. Have Multiple Communication Channels
Speaking of communication, making it as easy as possible for customers to reach out will both improve their experience and enhance their trust in your brand. A business that is easily contactable for enquiries is more likely to close sales as customers can get their questions answered in a timely manner, which also speeds up the buying process for them.
Contact forms are great for this, but you’ll also want to ensure that you have at least one social media platform, and preferably a number that customers can either call or text if they want a quicker connection.
5. Be Informative
Finally, although this one may seem obvious, many online brands miss the mark. By including all the information a customer could possibly need about a product on the listing page (or at least somewhere on your website), you’ll ensure that they’re able to make their purchase with confidence. You’ll also prevent them from visiting other sites to find the information they need.
No matter how high quality your products are, if the experience is better elsewhere, there’s a solid chance you’re going to lose the sale. That’s why it’s so important that every interaction makes a positive impact. Exceeding customer expectations sets you apart from other brands and helps to ensure repeat business. Crucially, it also helps you continually acquire new customers, securing your profitability for years to come.
With so much to gain, which of these strategies will you implement first?