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As customers turn to digital solutions for everything from shopping to restaurants, many business owners are considering moving their operations online. The process looks different for every industry. While some companies are completely changing their business model, others are simply using digital tools.
For example:
- Brick and mortar stores create e-commerce platforms to sell their products.
- Restaurant owners are introducing online ordering and delivery systems.
- Service companies use online platforms to schedule appointments and consultations with clients.
- Professional services firms are moving many of their services online.
Regardless of the situation your business is in, a better online presence can help you stay relevant and profitable amid the ongoing business restrictions (COVID-19). And having the right tools can make all the difference.
Whether you’re getting ready to move your business online or just want to upgrade your online features, here are five useful tools to consider.
Mobile website
The best marketing foundation for any business is an attractive, easy-to-navigate website. However, as people spend more time shopping and researching on their phones, it’s more important than ever to have a website that’s well-optimized for mobile devices.
The number one tactic for improving the performance and ranking of your website is to optimize it for mobile devices. To do this, it’s helpful to look at the look and feel of your business’s mobile devices from a customer’s perspective.
Start by evaluating the overall look of the website. Is the layout converted to mobile format? How attractive is the landing page and is it easy to read? Otherwise, you may need to update the graphics, change the text and font, or adjust the code.
Then explore how you can navigate your site on a smaller screen. Can you easily find the information you need or find products and blog posts? Can you quickly switch between pages, fill out forms, and add items to your shopping cart seamlessly?
If your website experience on mobile devices isn’t fast, convenient, or fun, you might want to consider site builders with built-in codes and templates for mobile devices.
Chatbots
Adding a chatbot feature to your company website can take customer service and sales to the next level. AI-powered chatbots, available 24/7, are chat pop-ups on your website where customers can ask basic questions like “Why isn’t my product working?” or “How can I find more information?”.
Chatbots are a great way to improve customer service while reducing the burden on your service reps. Chatbots were on average three times faster in responding to support requests and increased customer satisfaction scores by 24%.
Not only can you program your chatbot to share resources, answer questions, recommend products and services, and resolve complaints, you can also use it to collect customer information, generate leads, and increase sales.
Whether you want to reduce the number of support phone calls you receive, increase sales, or free up your team to focus on other tasks, consider chatbot software. Many chatbot builders offer additional features such as integrations and analytics.
Online Booking Software
Online booking software is a useful solution for any business that requires clients to book an appointment. It can be:
- Clinics.
- Beauty Salons.
- Field service technicians.
- Professional consultants.
- Automechanika.
- Restaurants.
- Hotels and travel companies.
Online booking software gives customers the ability to schedule, change, and cancel appointments through an app or online portal like your website. Instead of calling your company during business hours, your customers can make an appointment or book a table at their convenience.
In addition, using an online scheduling platform can also make internal work easier. Booking software can help prevent double and overbooking, as well as save your team time and your team from having to manually manage the calendar.
If you want to give your customers more scheduling options and reduce the burden on the administrator, consider booking software with added benefits. Many booking platforms sync with calendars, process customer payments, and send automated appointment reminders to customers.
Automated email distributions
Every company needs a fast and versatile way to stay in touch with current and potential customers, and email remains one of the best choices.
You can use email marketing to inform subscribers about news and announcements, share information about sales or discounts, thank customers, and generate leads. Email marketing is not only convenient but also effective.
Building a successful email campaign takes strategy and experimentation, but a good email marketing platform will help you stay consistent. Some platforms help you design, schedule, and automate your email campaigns, but others also offer analytics about email open, email link clicks, so you can figure out how to improve your messaging.
Secure online payments
If you accept customer payments through your website, having a secure and convenient payment system is critical – not only for your reputation, but also for your income.
If you don’t have a secure online payment system, your customers may be less inclined to make purchases through your website. On the other hand, making the payment process easier for customers can lead to higher conversion rates and repeat sales.
To ensure a seamless and fast online payment experience, work on expanding your payment options and minimizing the number of steps customers have to take to click the Buy button. Your customers should be able to easily enter their financial information, choose from a variety of payment options, and be confident that their personal information is safe. Even simple tweaks like autofilling customer billing addresses or offering digital wallets like Apple Pay can help.
There are countless payment gateways to choose from, but the best option for your business is a secure and versatile one like Fondy.
Moving your business online is not just a smart decision, it’s also an investment in the long-term growth of your business. With the right digital tools, you can stay ahead of the competition and better serve your customers.
Expert in legal marketing. Head of marketing agency MAVR.
Business degree “Master of Business Administration” (MBA).