There has been enough evidence within Startup Bahrain’s previous issues on the one-too-many Instagram businesses, the incessant copycat businesses, and the unprofessional ‘whatsapp me dear’ way of dealing with customers. True, these methods are the easiest to carry out and surely, the fastest to implement, but how can a business take it to the next level to really improve the customer’s experience? After all, as a customer, I have every right to select who I want to give my hard-earned money to. But lately, some small businesses have taken a lazy downturn and I have yet to find that ‘spark’ to ignite my spending.
So how can a business take their presence up a notch? Excite customers enough to convert that “Like” into a purchase or that “double-tap” into a visit?
“But lately, some small businesses have taken a lazy downturn and I have yet to find that ‘spark’ to ignite my spending.”
Be accessible – Gone are the days where you’d be in hiding and only revealing your ‘pen name’ to your contacts. There is no shame in owning a business to be accessible. Whatsapp has got to be the most annoying way to get in touch with businesses (especially if your ‘last seen’ was more than a week ago). Don’t restrict the methods with which your customers can communicate with you to one – it’s borderline obnoxious. Instead, be accessible by as many means as possible. Websites are now easy and affordable to have; set one up and allow customers to contact you through email, a phone call, and any other convenient and professional ways of getting in touch.
Be attentive – to customers, merchandise, consistency, and to details. Paying attention to these things in a consistent and professional manner is a sure way of getting people to talk about you. Some say cash is king, I say consistency is king. When customers know they can expect the same fervor and dedication from you, they actually look forward to dealing with you because believe it or not, that is a rarity. Ensure your merchandise is unique and of good quality. Pay attention to that as your business grows and transforms into a physical store – guess who will grow with you? These customers who have become passionate followers.
Don’t be a rip-off – It’s no rocket science, we all understand that in order to be successful you need to make a profit. However, when pricing your merchandise, don’t convert that $ sign into a dinar. Margins like that only exist in your greedy imagination. And customers feel cheated and taken advantage of. Yes, some fools will pay 50 dinars for a makeup palette that costs $50, but they are not the majority and eventually, you will not be able to sustain your skewed conversion rate. Instead, think of the rest of us – those who can do a quick online search and find out the real price of the merchandise; those of us who shop online regularly and have no problem ordering online, shipping international, and waiting – just to avoid purchasing from you.
So here you go, 3 easy wins. Cost? Negligible. Potential benefits to be reaped? Infinite.
