Do you know why your customers are choosing your competition over you? With today’s financial uncertainty, it’s important that you fight hard for the business of every single customer. To get a better understanding of why your sales might be low, you need to understand what your competitors are doing right.  

1. Their website loads quickly and is easy to use 
2. The user journey of their site makes sense 
3. Poor customer service on your part  
4. They’re leading the way  
5. They’re accessible in a way that you aren’t  

1. Their website loads quickly and is easy to use 

One of the most obvious reasons that your customers might choose other businesses over yours is how easy to navigate their website is. Today’s consumers are impatient and know that if they can’t shop easily with you, then there are countless other places they can take their hard-earned money.  

The entire ecommerce experience needs to be a smooth one. Consider that a whopping 40% of users will simply leave your website if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Carry out an audit of your website and the checkout process. Are there unnecessary steps that could be streamlined? Are there large images that cause the page to load too slowly?  

Take steps to simplify and speed up your website and you’ll find customers are more likely to stick around.   

2. The user journey of their site makes sense

Your website is your business’ digital storefront. In a physical bricks and mortar store you wouldn’t make the storefront too confusing, and you certainly wouldn’t hide your best merchandise in the back. The principle is the same for your website.  

Users may enter your site through your homepage, blog or a product page. But however they arrive, there should always be a logical next step for them to take. Someone at the beginning of the buyer’s journey may not necessarily want to go to the same place as a user who is ready to buy.  

With clear call to actions, you can ensure that all users find the information they need quickly. Happy customers are far less likely to want to take their business elsewhere. 

3. Poor customer service on your part

When we refer to ‘poor’ customer service here we aren’t talking about traditionally bad service that would harm a business’ reputation. In today’s marketplace, poor customer service can be something as simple as being left on hold for too long or an automated email sent to the wrong person.  

Social media and review sites have given every customer a platform to publicly rate their experience with you. Even the slightest issue, when posted on social media for others to see, can cause customers to shop with your biggest competition.  

Outstanding customer service is an absolute must. No matter how someone is interacting with your business – a phone call, via social media or in person – they must receive the best possible service.  

4. They're leading the way 

It’s useful to keep an eye on what your rivals are doing. Their social media behaviour, the prices they set, the content they produce – you should be aware of every decision they make. If customers are making the choice to move from you to them, then they must be doing something right.  

• Is it that their website is easy to use?  
• Is their marketing material personalised in a way to make each customer feel valued? 
• Are special offers posted on social media to increase engagement and traffic?  

We aren’t suggesting that you outright copy strategies from your rivals, but if the rest of the industry is moving in a new direction, then you can’t afford to be left behind.  

5. They're accessible in a way that you aren't

The concept of opening hours is an outdated one. Even if you’re happily asleep in the middle of the night, there could be someone who wants to send an initial enquiry. Today’s customers expect to be able to interact with your business on their terms, even if they can’t speak directly to you at that moment.  

It might be the middle of the night, but some customers will have questions that they want the answers to before they’re comfortable spending with you. Live chat functions or online guides are good options to have for readily accessible information. Even with those options, some customers might try to speak to someone. What happens when someone tries to call you at that time?  

Second, customers also assume they can interact with your business however they might like. By this I mean, via whatever device or platform they may happen to be using. Does your website run as effectively on mobile as it does on desktop? Have you considered how product images scale on different Google or Android devices? 

These are all simple considerations you should make that could have a big difference. It’s not that you’re necessarily doing anything wrong – it's more about crossing the t’s and dotting the I's to ensure that all customers are getting the best possible experience with you. That way, they’ll shop with you rather than your competition. And fingers crossed, they’ll encourage their friends and followers to do the same.  

If you’re interested in learning more about the importance of having the right phone system, then consider a free trial of CircleLoop. It’s fast, easy to use and gives your team the foundation it needs to offer outstanding customer service, no matter the time of day. Click here to get started in just a few minutes. with your free trial.