Customer Engaged Commerce

Building Trust and forming Relationships with Positive Engagement

In just a couple decades the internet has changed our lives. At the start, it was enough to simply have and own a web page that served only business interests with lengthy dull information that no one had any interest in reading or visiting. This was enough since most businesses were brick and mortar anyway. The customer experience was mostly in person. Customer engagement online didn’t seem necessary.

The Post Digital Era

Fast forward to today and we find ourselves needing the web for all of life's necessities. Everyone seems as if they are in cyberspace with a sign vying for customer attention.

No matter where you live, you can find an internet connection, public Wi-Fi access is growing. This means that people want to be online and businesses recognize this. Almost any business can now be found online. And how your customers view you online impacts whether or not a customer will consider you initially or return for repeat business and refer others. It also impacts the feedback that they leave on social media about their experience with you.

As the world moves increasingly toward being a post digital place, it's important for businesses to be able to establish a strong online presence. The internet has become a major source of information and entertainment, and it's also become a way to connect with other people, shop, attend work or school and just display your talents. An increasing internet presence increases competition everyday.

Your Content Must Competetitive

Today, web pages must provide the best content to compete. Your customers rely on engaging and up to date information with interactive feedback. They expect frequently posted accurate entertaining web content no matter the platform. Your interactions with them online are expected to be genuine. It shows that you care in real time and that you care. This isn't just something that happens after they've already made a purchase. It needs to happen throughout the entire process of interacting with them online.

Establish trust

Customers need a reason to buy from you and a reason to return. Its your job to establish that trust. Go the extra mile to establish a positive and fulfilling experience.

To stand out from the competition and establish yourself as a trusted brand, you need to provide your customers with engaging, up-to-date content that they can interact with. Your web page social media platforms, and blogs need to be constantly updated with accurate, concise and entertaining information—and that's not even including how much time you spend interacting with customers online.

Your interactions with them are expected to be genuine. Customers want to know that you care about them on an individual level, not just because you're trying to make a sale. You need a reason for them to choose your company over your competitors. Be sure that your website conveys this message from the moment they visit until their next encounter with you.

Customers expect frequent updates about their favorite products or services, they want access to accurate information on demand. They also want interactive feedback—the the ability to ask questions and get answers quickly, which helps build trust between the customer and your business.

The path to a better customer experience

Go the extra mile to ensure that each customer has a great experience—from initial awareness through post-purchase follow-ups and thank you emails. The better your reputation is perceived by others, the more likely they are going to recommend your company to friends and family members who may need similar services/products someday down the road!

Most people research online and check for feedback left by previous consumers. Online reviews are a powerful way for customers to share their experiences with your business. Your online reputation could adversely affect your ability to funnel a customer. Negative feedback could cause them to go elsewhere or become hesitant before they fully get to know your brand. Go above and beyond to leave every customer with the best experience possible.

Resolve any complaints, send follow-up emails, and make a lasting impact, be memorable. Offer incentives to returning customers or other loyalty programs. Be open to feedback and be flexible to follow-up to reach a common ground to solve a complex customer experience. Careful wit and consideration can lead to a solution for even the most difficult to satisfy customers. You may not realize it, but your online interactions with customers could potentially impact your business.

If someone has a complaint or concern about something related to their purchasing experience with your business, don't ignore them. Address the issue directly and honestly, so that you can find common ground on how best to resolve it together. By doing this, not only will you ensure that your customer feels like they were heard and valued but you'll also build trust.

Be Mobile Friendly

Since mobile is now the fastest growing way customers encounter you, make sure your sites are mobile friendly so they can load rapidly even on the go and use every platform you are on to convey and interact with customers all the way down the funnel.

Remember to inspire them, inform them, entertain them and pull their heartstrings with emotional ways to relate to their experience. Be memorable. Make your business stand out from the rest. Its not only about high conversion rates but about the entire customer experience. Your reputation online matters. Always strive to offer the best services to your clients. They deserve it.

Aliyah Levi