Are You Losing Customers At The Final Hurdle?
Winning over customers is a multi-step process. First, you need to make them aware of your company. Then you need to win over their trust. Once you’ve overcome these two challenges, most customers are pretty much ready to hand over their money. However, there are still a few last minute obstacles that can cause you to lose these eager customers. Below are just a few common ways in which businesses lose customers at the final hurdle, and what you can do to remove this hurdle.
Limited payment options
Ever gone to make a purchase with your card only to find that the vendor doesn’t accept card payments? Such limited payment options can often put off customers – particularly if there is nowhere to get out cash nearby.
Most people nowadays use card over cash, so it’s important for every business to have a card reader. The development of mobile card readers has meant that such payments can now be carried out from any location. This should ideally be a payment terminal that accepts debit card and credit card.
Some companies only accept debit cards and not credit cards because of the added fees of accepting credit card. However, if customers typically make large purchases, you should consider the fact that accepting credit card could make these purchases more affordable by allowing customers to pay for purchases in instalments. Payment plans and finance schemes can similarly help make large purchases more affordable and may be worth providing if you sell big ticket items.
Many customers will have a tight budget. Surprising customers with additional fees just before they check out could not only push them over budget, but also lose their trust by making them feel deceived. In fact, it’s one of the most common causes of abandoned online shopping carts.
Make sure that all fees are clearly stated from the beginning. For example, when it comes to product listings on a website, provide a breakdown of shipping/delivery fees alongside each product. – don’t wait until they check out to add these fees.
Long waiting times
If a product takes too long to be shipped or there is too long a wait in a restaurant kitchen, you will find that you will lose many customers who are either impatient or on a tight schedule. Finding ways to speed up service/delivery can ultimately help you to convert more customers.
Many online stores are now starting to embrace options like drop-shipping, which can speed up delivery of products overseas by storing a few products in local warehouses. Restaurants can meanwhile speed up service by employing enough kitchen staff and adequately prepping in advance. A streamlined menu can also speed up service by reducing the amount of different food preparation tasks necessary and by reducing the need for as much customer training.
Lack of availability
Lack of availability can also force you to turn away customers who may otherwise be eager to use your product or service. This includes letting popular products run out of stock in a store or not offering enough appointment slots at your dental office through lack of staffing.
If you’re busy and making enough income, turning away customers may not always be an issue. However, if you could do with that extra revenue, it could be worth finding ways to boost availability of your products/services.
