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5 Ways Small Businesses Can Keep Busy Customers Happy

Contributed by Marissa Perez 

In a fast-paced world, small businesses around the world are having to evolve and constantly make adjustments in order to stay relevant and thriving. Technology provides customers with more options than ever before, and they expect their experience with a company to be fast, convenient, and satisfying. Otherwise, they will simply move on to the next company. If you’re a small business owner looking to build and maintain your customer base, consider these tips for leaving busy customers happy and satisfied.

Create/Update Your Website

It’s hard to overstate the importance of having a good website for your business. It’s estimated that online shopping will be the most frequently used form of shopping worldwide in just three years; therefore, if you sell products, offering those products on your website should be a top priority for your company. Even if you specialize in services, your website should clearly lay out what your customers can expect if they choose your company. Your website should be clean, attractive, and easy to navigate for busy customers.

Go with a Hosting Plan

When creating or updating your website, one of the best things to do is sign up with a reliable hosting company. Companies like InMotion, for example, can greatly benefit your business because they’re a well-established web host known for providing speed and versatile hosting plans. For instance, InMotion’s “Max Speed Zone” can help websites run effectively for businesses that experience a lot of traffic and e-commerce transactions. InMotion also has two data centers on both the east and west coasts; this means that, wherever you are, they can offer your business a server location that works great for your customers and website. Whichever hosting service you choose, make sure your host and its features match up closely with your business needs.

Present Your Products/Services Accurately

Most of the time, when a customer is unsatisfied with a company, it’s because their expectations have not been met. It’s essential to portray your products and services accurately. That is, don’t put product photos on your website and deliver something that looks or works differently than the photo suggests. The same goes for services; clearly communicate what your customer can expect if they use your business, and provide that service to the best of your ability.

Make Checking Out Quick and Easy

If you run an ecommerce store, checkout is critical. Your checkout process should be simple, fast and seamless. For instance, give your customers the option of signing in, but don’t require it. If customers have to request a password retrieval, it adds another thing for them to do, and most of them will move on to a different company that offers a faster checkout.

Respond Quickly

Finally, you need to have a customer support system in place where you can quickly respond to your customer’s needs. Busy customers expect a response time that accommodates their schedule — immediate. Try to respond to emails and phone calls within the hour; if you have chatbots, answer your customer’s questions or provide them with information in minutes. Depending on how many employees you have, this may not be feasible, in which case you need to clearly communicate to your customers when they can expect to hear back from you.

Running a small business has never been easy, but it comes with new challenges today. In order to please your busy customers, you must have a great website with a solid hosting service. You must also present your products and services accurately, provide a seamless checkout process, and respond quickly to customers’ needs. If you adopt these five tips for your business, you’ll put yourself in the best position to succeed.