In a previous article, we talked about how bad or poor customer experiences can directly affect your eCommerce. But it’s important to talk about the other side, too – a solid approach to CX (aka Customer Experience) can also consolidate brand reputation. So what exactly are the benefits of good customer experiences and how can you improve your strategy?

What are the Benefits of Good Customer Experiences for Your eCommerce Brand?

Bad customer experiences can negatively impact your business. It can decrease your reputation, hurt your sales and bottom line, and even drag down your employee retention strategy. 

Good customer experiences do the exact opposite. They will increase your sales, result in better word of mouth, improve your reputation, and help you attract and retain the best employees in your industry. It can also help you to:

• Reduce marketing costs
• Become a thought leader in your industry
• Increase customer loyalty (they’ll be more likely to buy other products from you)
• Lower customer retention costs
• Reduce complaints (which frees up your employees to handle other tasks within your business)
• Improve company culture

Some important customer experience stats to keep in mind:

• Companies that focus more on customer experience management actually increased customers’ initiative to buy more by 14%. 
• 72% of shoppers will share their positive experiences with six or more other people.
• 55% of clients are more willing to invest in a business if they know they will have a good customer experience.

 

How Can You Improve Your Customer Experiences?

There are plenty of ways you can focus more on your customer experiences and reaping the benefits, starting today. These steps will help you get on the path to improving your customers’ journey.

Start with the Employee Experience

To improve the CX, you first need to start with the employee experience. If your team members are frustrated, don’t have the resources needed, or don’t understand your product, you can’t possibly expect them to be able to help your customers. 

Engagement is key. Standout customer service relies on it and companies that have a top approach to CX have employees that are 60% more engaged.

Therefore, you should be focusing on a few things, such as:

• Checking in with your employees
• Developing an employee engagement strategy
• Offering training
• Providing the resources they need to help customers and perform their duties
• Creating a great company culture

Review Your Current Strategies

When was the last time you sat down and reviewed all your eCommerce company’s strategies? And we really do mean everything. Even if you think the customer doesn’t interact with the strategy, like the employee engagement strategy, they do indirectly. 

Here is a checklist to work from that can make it easy to go over some of your current strategies.

• Your overall website design
  • • Is it user-friendly and easy to navigate?
    • Does it fit with your brand?
    • Is it nice to look at?
• Your checkout process
  • • Is it easy to use?
    • Can you quickly add or delete things?
    • Do you have easy-to-fill-out forms?
    • Are there enough payment options available?
    • Do you have a strategy for cart abandonment?
• Your marketing strategy
  • • Does your marketing strategy fill the needs, questions, and concerns your customers may have?
    • Are you educating your customers, current and potential?
    • Is your marketing team communicating with your sales team?
    • Is personalization a big part of your strategy?
    • Are you making the most of the data?
• Your customer service strategy
  • • Are your employees educated on your products and company?
    • Is it easy to reach your team if your customers have a question, concern, or need?
    • Do you have a return policy?
    • Do you have a strategy in place for negative experiences or bad reviews?

It may seem like a lot, but it’s a great diving-off point and you’ll probably find some other places in your strategies that can positively contribute to good customer experiences.

Improve Product Pages

As part of your website review, you’ll also want to carefully go over your product pages. They need to be compelling and offer value propositions from the get-go. This means being transparent about the product and pricing, but also showcasing your products well in photos, videos, and other mediums. A well-written description should also cover all the bases and information your customers need to make an informed purchase.

One great way to improve your product pages is to begin offering AR or 3D solutions for your image content. They help your customers see your items from all directions and even allow them to “try on” the product. 

For example, if you’re selling a couch, AR can help your clients visualize it in their own home to make sure it fits into the space or the already existing decor, all before they make the purchase. Not only can this lead to an increase in sales, but it can also lead to a decrease in returns. 

As of 2020, only 1% of retailers used AR to enhance shopping, so the potential to stand out while providing a good customer experience is immense. 

Check-In With Your Customers

Even if you’re currently offering amazing customer experiences, don’t skip this step. Checking in with your customers and getting up-to-date feedback is essential to continued success. Reviews are a great place to start, but surveys and having your team contact previous buyers can help ensure you have an accurate view of how they view your brand.

Don’t underestimate the benefits of good customer experiences. They can elevate your company to newfound heights and help you become a leader within the industry. And don’t let your strategy fall by the wayside, either. By keeping the CX in your sights, you can continue to lower costs and improve profits.

Did you find “How Do Good Customer Experiences Affect My eCommerce” helpful? Then check out our article on how bad CX can impact your business.