Last spring break, I went to Florida with a few friends to go jet-skiing. We walked 30 minutes to the jet-ski place, only to find out that the address listed on the website was outdated -- they had moved but forgot to update it on the website. We trekked another 30 minutes to the new address of the jet ski place, where we were told that we needed to get a Florida boat license before we could go jet-skiing. To obtain this license, we had to go to the local library, which was an hour away, and take a four-hour online course. None of this information was listed on their website, which, I later found out through the manager, was 2 years outdated. Though the manager gave me and my friends a very sincere apology, we decided to leave and spend our $300 jet-ski budget on another activity instead.
My experience is an example of what can happen when a website is outdated. It is upsetting to both the customer, who will most likely never return, and the company, who loses valuable business.
Here are a few easy ways your business can avoid driving your customers away:
1. Have a website.
If you want customers, have a website. Nowadays, the main way customers hear about you is through a Google search. Your competitors have websites -- don’t let them steal your customers simply because they don’t know you exist.
2. Make sure everything is up-to-date and accurate.
The one thing worse than not having a website is having a false website. What you advertise on your website is an unspoken promise to your customers that you will honor everything you say online (i.e. pricing, deals, etc.).
3. Provide all relevant information on your website.
At the bare minimum, this includes hours, address, pricing, and contact information. Don’t just answer questions -- try to prevent them in the first place. Do not leave something important out or else customers will have to call you. Making a phone call takes time and money, so they are likely already in a negative state of mind when ringing you up.
An outdated website is easy to overlook, but it is incredibly important, as it is essentially your virtual storefront to customers. Be sure to consistently update your website with relevant information to maximize your chances of not only attracting customers, but also keeping them.
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