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Here’s four things brands can do, if they’re not already, to up their online game. Some may seem obvious but as I always say obvious is often overlooked.
1. Incorporate additional services
Consumers are always looking for the biggest bang for their buck so provide extra services that make you stand out from the crowd.
For example, if you are a restaurant, add an online delivery option. Research from GrubHub discovered that small restaurants average 50% increases in revenue and 20% in takeout order volume after adding an online tool like GrubHub. Your restaurant will add more value for existing customers and be able to attract new customers with the additional service. There are numerous delivery tools that can now be added to your website, including UberEATS, Postmates, ChowNow and more.
This also helps you with the back end of your restaurant so you can handle prep, supplies, inventory, and more, which all go toward helping you create a stellar online reputation.
2. Leverage available technology to improve the customer experience
With technology taking over every aspect of life, your customers will expect you to incorporate technology into your business. This includes pharmacies where people often dread going because they know they will have to wait for a long time. However, with available pharmacy management software such as Liberty Software, you can add a multitude of efficiencies to the entire operational chain to speed how quickly orders are filled so pharmacists can spend more time with customers, answering concerns and questions as well as providing expert advice. This also enables pharmacies to build closer relationships with customers that also improves the overall customer experience. Additionally, the pharmacy management software can add an online component where customers can choose to fill and refill prescriptions through their preferred channel.
The same can be done in other industries like convenience stores and gas stations where various management software like CStorePrep can provide a way to take care of all backend operations for better tracking of all sales while improving the refund and purchase experiences for customers that also don’t necessarily view your business as a place where they’d usually be likely to have a great customer experience. Instead, with the ability to better track inventory, you’ll have your shelves continually stocked so customers can have greater value and convenience that they will be delighted to receive.
3. Optimize your online presence
Consumers use online resources to look up locations, directions, hours of operation, and additional information. In order to improve your online presence and make a connection with those conducting these searches, you must make sure your audience and existing customers can actually find you online.
This means regularly assessing your SEO process and adding content that includes keywords that help consumers find you related to that information they seek.
4. Engage with your audience on the social level with useful content and discussions
Your social profiles are more than places to just collect likes; you can use these pages to add seasonal content, promotions, videos that relate to what you offer customers, photos of new products on your Instagram page, and more. You can also add surveys to learn more about what your customers are interested in seeing. Use tools like Hootsuite to schedule posts and regular content updates as well as be informed on the latest comments and discussion on your social profiles so you can respond as quickly as possible. There is also numerous other social media management software options that can change how you interact with your customer base and prospects to engage on a deeper level without taking up all your resources to do so.
This article originally appeared on Forbes.
