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Meeting Customer Expectations After the Click

While browsing the newspaper last weekend, I saw an ad for an acrylic cover for my new ipod. Purchasing an ipod cover had been on my to do list for a few weeks so I was thrilled to see it on sale and in a color I wanted. With the ad in hand, I drove to the store. After locating the ipod cover display, I noticed there was no tag indicating a sale price. And, there were only hot pink covers on the rack. Ick.

I inquired about the price and color with a store associate - who insisted the covers were not on sale until I showed him the ad. Then, I waited five or ten minutes for the store associate to talk to a manager, look the item up, and help another customer. At the end of this ordeal, I was informed that the cover was on sale, but the store only had hot pink in stock. I left the store frustrated and disappointed.

Ads establish customer expectations. Customers expect to easily find the product and offer promoted when responding to an ad. It is that simple. Unfortunately, my brick and motor experience is also common in the online world.

For example, you plan to purchase a new digital camera. You click on a banner ad that advertises 20% off digital cameras – including Canon cameras, the brand you’ve researched and decided to purchase. You are excited about the purchase and the sale. You click the ad.

You are delivered to a home page which looks nothing like the ad. You question whether you arrived to the correct site but continue on. You search for a few minutes to locate the Canon camera in the ad. That camera is out of stock. You consider purchasing a similar camera but then discover the sale does not apply to that model. You are frustrated and disappointed so you leave the site.

There were many missed opportunities in this example to meet the customer’s expectations. Here are a few tips to create a positive customer experience after the ad click.

1. Create a consistent experience from the ad to the landing page by using creative that has similar design elements.

2. Make sure the customer is delivered to a custom landing page or a specific product page. Sending customers to a generic home page requires the customer to work. Customers will not work to buy your product -- they will simply leave.

3. Customers expect the purchase process to be intuitive and efficient. The most successful online retailers minimize the number of clicks between the ad and the purchase confirmation.

4. Make it easy to help customers with their purchase. Some sites use instant chat, while others will post a toll-free number or email address. Frustrated and disappointed customers can often be converted to happy customers with a little personal attention.

5. Finally, make sure you have plenty of all items you advertise available and in stock. This probably seems like a no-brainer, but it occurs frequently both in online and brick and mortar stores.

By the way, I found an ipod cover online at a site that exceeded my expectations -- and I got a great color at a lower price. I will go back to that site for a consistent experience without frustration, disappointment, and hot pink ipod covers.



This news arrived on: 07/15/2008

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