Customers want products to be convenient. Not only does it make their lives easier, but thanks to smartphones and one-touch shopping, they’re used to it.
Companies, though, can sometimes struggle to keep up. Product conveniences are great, but actually implementing them requires a lot of work.
In this post, we take a look at some conveniences that you might want to include. You probably won’t be able to incorporate all of them in your business model, but aiming for fifty percent is a good start.
Make Shipping Free
No matter what you sell, offering free shipping is always a good policy. Customers want it because they hate the idea of finding a great price for a product, only to discover that they have to spend more when they checkout. It’s super annoying.
Instead, mention that you do free shipping from the outset, including in your search engine ads. Always point out that you offer the best overall price because you include shipping in the purchase price. You can also offer customers incentives, such as free shipping if they spend more than a certain amount.
Get Your Employees Thinking About Convenience
Employees like to reduce themselves to cogs in the system. But as a business leader, it’s your job to disavow them of that notion. They should be active participants in everything that your brand does.
If you can, invest more in training and education. Get employees to really think about how they can personally improve your overall product offering. Try to avoid situations where workers just come into work and go through the routine. Engage their creative side.
Make Products Easy to Control
Today’s products are difficult to control. That’s because they are totally self-contained and not modular. It’s hard for customers to make additions or customize them.
However, it doesn’t actually have to be that way. Including a tactile switch on a printed circuit board, for instance, lets customers perform hard resets – great for electronics products.
You can also make your products compatible with aftermarket products, ensuring that it fits into the overall ecosystem. The more customizable a product, the more likely people are to use it.
Communicate via More Than One Source
Customers love great products, but they enjoy high-quality customer service even more. Telephone is a great start, but you also want reps to be able to respond via website chat, email and social media as well.
Allow in-Store Pickups
Many customers want to collect valuable equipment from the actual warehouse storing it, but most companies don’t allow that. Instead, they insist on shipping.
However, some brands open their front desks and enable customers to collect their shopping directly. These brands tend to do well among customers who want to save on shipping costs or are worried about valuable items going through the post.
Setting up a system like this is incredibly cheap. Just create a kiosk, provide some customer parking outside your facility, and that’s it. Making products more convenient puts you at a competitive advantage and helps you beat your rivals.
