When we think of demanding customers who want everything right now, it’s easy to be reminded of Veruca Salt, who is depicted as an overindulged character who wants — and often gets — everything she sees. Everybody remembers Veruca throwing tantrums, both in the book and in the movies, when she fails to obtain what she desires.

Customers show better behavior than Veruca Salt. However, like her, they are prone to be impatient once they have set their minds on something. Impatience can severely affect your business growth potential. Indeed, customers do not like to wait. The longer customers have to wait at any stage of their interactions with the business, the less likely they are to come back.

What can businesses do to reduce delays for customers and ensure they can build a positive relationship with their audience?

Same day delivery

Places such as eCommerce giant Amazon have trained customers to expect rapid shipping and delivery. The same-day delivery service creates a surge in demand for effective delivery options. Customers are prone to switch businesses and providers if a company fails to provide fast delivery services. Indeed, meeting customers’ expectations is crucial for brands that try to build customer loyalty. Satisfied customers are more likely to come back and buy again. More importantly, customers have already made it clear they are willing to pay more for faster shipping, which eliminates the cost worries from the delivery challenges. While it is fair to say that the added cost should remain acceptable, most customers understand that small companies can’t match Amazon Prime delivery fees.

Customers are also more likely to commit to a purchase if the business can guarantee same-day or next-day delivery. Indeed, last-minute purchases, such as a birthday present or replacement for a broken item, must be handled rapidly. Companies that save shipping time gain more customers.

Answer a question

Not every Google search will attract new customers. Searches can have different intents, such as looking for information. Typically, these searches will use specific search phrases, such as a long-tail keyword — often a question. What is the best Enterprise SEO strategy to address users’ needs while driving business growth? The answer is to reach out to an expert SEO for enterprise businesses that can help identify search intents and develop a strategy that can support lead generation and information at the same time.

Some generic queries can be answered directly in the SERPs through optimized content placement. The website may not attract organic traffic for informational intents. However, the brand can gain visibility in the search results, which can drive branded search terms in the future.

Other types of queries require an in-depth answer. For instance, chat services can help address visitors’ queries. Artificial intelligence can be a major part of directing web users, answering questions, and handling more serious customer cases. While it is fair to say that chatbots do not replace customer service, they can help with a variety of queries:

  • Tutorials and guides for technical services and software tools
  • Handling unique customer requests or activities once they log into their account
  • Completing transactions or orders on their behalf
  • Helping find items or answers on the site

Let users use the website

User experience, or UX for short, is not a novel concept. Web designers and marketing managers have been exploring the possibilities of UX for several years. Yet, too many websites continue to misuse UX, wasting their customers’ time and affecting the overall business growth. UX is designed to make the user experience more intuitive and effective. In other words, if the web design and architecture cause delays in the digital experience, you are likely to lose customers in the process.

Security and validation systems, such as CAPTCHA, are problematic because they can be tricky to decipher and waste a lot of time. Similarly, sophisticated password requirements are necessary, but asking for a lengthy mix of symbols and a specific number of characters can prevent users from creating an account. Moreover, a focused approach to good UI and UX design can mean integrative tools you wish to use for your own purposes, such as learning how to implement web scraping in R, will not interfere with the overall experience of all users.

Let them order easily on the screen they choose to use

When customers are ready to commit to purchasing, they often face a series of challenges that can change their minds.
The first time-costly challenge is the requirement to create an account to be able to buy. More and more websites are using a guest purchase service, enabling customers to purchase and enter the relevant data without creating an account.

Another common issue with websites is pop-up notifications. Pop-ups are used for a variety of purposes, from encouraging visitors to sign to the newsletter to offering a discount code. Unfortunately, pop-ups can be invasive and disrupt the experience. Additionally, they can cover the entire screen on mobile devices, making it impossible to complete the transaction.

Provide support in real-time

As mentioned above, chat solutions can tackle customer services. However, chatbots are not always able to provide a dedicated and personalized solution for some customers. Unique queries and problems may require the help of a professional customer service agent. Unfortunately, many customers are familiar with customer call centers that can put them in the waiting queue for a long time. Being in the queue for too long will lead to frustration. Some customers give up and are likely to leave negative reviews.
What can be done to reduce delays for issues that can’t be resolved by a chatbot? Essentially, improving customer call centers is a priority for these customers. It is worth mentioning that businesses can also implement digital services enabling customers to report problems or troubleshoot common issues rapidly without needing to talk to an agent.

Make your website easy to navigate

Your website must deliver a clear experience that can direct visitors where they need to be. Chatbots and SERPs snippets can also address queries. But the website navigation is another essential time factor. There is nothing to gain in adding creative or hidden navigation bars. You are only going to succeed in frustrating visitors and causing unnecessary delays.
Additionally, clearly labeled navigation menus must be simple. Nobody wants to choose between dozens of options to figure out where to go next.

In conclusion, businesses must do everything in their power to value and preserve their customers’ time. The longer a customer has to wait to find an answer, an item, or a solution, the less likely they are to pick your brand. Save time to make money; it’s the main business lesson to remember!