The essence of successful capitalism is and always has been personal choice. There is a reason thinkers such as Adam Smith and Alexander Hamilton linked capital and democracy in their Enlightenment-era treatises on both topics. Free markets depend on consumers being free to “vote with their dollars.”
Today, for all capitalism’s many questions, consumers have more potential choices than ever. That means that even the slightest turnoff can send would-be customers hunting for another choice instead. There are literally hundreds or even thousands of other companies out there likely to do what you do and offer what you offer. Alienating customers with any of the below is a sure way to lose business.
Stale Home Page
In today’s online-driven business world, stale home pages are an instant turnoff. Think of “turnoffs” in a romantic sense for a moment. If you’re on a first date and your first impression of your date is that they’re bland as bread, are you really going to be inclined to spend a second date with them? You might not wish to spend two more seconds with them.
No home page in 2019 should look like it was made with Windows 98. Make sure your home page is crisp, eye-catching, has all the pertinent information clearly visible – and if you can’t accomplish that on your own, hire a professional web designer to do it for you.
Buggy Home Page
The only thing worse than a stale home page is a buggy one. With so many potential choices a click away, what are the chances that customers will be patient with your site if it begins to bug out on them?
Make sure your page is regularly updated, maintained, and bug-free. Even the best sites will experience issues from time to time, so have someone on hand who can sort out those web page issues ASAP.
Poor Reviews (and Poorer Responses)
The second worst thing customers can see in the reviews section is bad reviews for your services or products. The worst thing they can see is you and your staff berating and harassing reviewers who dared to leave a bad review. Quality products and quality customer service are extremely important. Don’t display bad reviews, but don’t take to Amazon or Goodreads other online venues to harass negative reviewers, either.
Keeping these tips in mind can help keep you from turning off customers with avoidable mistakes.