Why Your Customers Have Lost Trust ☹
Customers have lost trust more often than ever before. Think about your approach to other businesses. If you couldn't trust them, for whatever reason, would you risk handing over your cash to them? We are assuming the answer is probably no.
Because let's face it, if the business in question had a bad reputation, or if you had a gut feeling that something wasn't right with them, you wouldn't want to run the risk of losing your money. Especially to a company that didn't deliver a good service or product to you.
And so it is with your business. If you stand any hope of surviving in today's competitive marketplace, you need to do all you can to earn your customer's trust. You see, if you don't, then there is no mystery as to why your customers are disappearing . They are leaving you because they don't trust doing business with you.
So, with the above in mind, let's look at some of the areas where trust can be weakened. Chances are, you will recognize some of these yourself, as they might be the reasons why you don't do business with particular companies. And they might also signify why your customers may have lost trust in you.
#1: Your Website Leaves a Poor First Impression
Your website is the face of your business, but there are some pressing reasons as to why it might fail to earn your customer's trust.
For starters, let's consider the thorny issue of cybersecurity. If your website doesn't have an SSL certificate, and if it hasn't been verified safe, then your customers might not want to risk paying money through your online service.
You can overcome this issue by working with companies such as Alpine Security to make sure your website is safe from hacking attacks. Then, you might include their credentials on your website. You can then order an SSL certificate online, and submit your site to Norton or similar to verify that your website is safe. Again, you can then promote this on your site, and give your customer's renewed confidence.
The other issue around your website is neglect. If it looks rough around the edges, hasn't been updated in months, and has broken links on each page, then your customer might associate your website with the rest of your business.
After all, if you can't make an effort with your website, they might assume your product or service is equally as shoddy. Therefore, work harder on improving your website's aesthetics and functionality. You could hire a web designer to put something together for you.
Lastly, be sure to not have many ads or pop-ups all over your website. This is another reason people will leave your website quickly!
#2: Your Customer Service is Poor
Let's face it; would you use a business with poor customer service? We are guessing not, so consider the way you operate within your business.
If your customers leave you a message, how quick are you to get back to them? Whether it's by phone, email, or on live chat, don't leave them hanging. The longer you withhold communication, the less trust your customers will have in you. This is one of the top reasons customers have lost trust in a business today! It's my number one pep peeve when I need something from a business. I want answers sooner than later!
You should make an effort to communicate quickly with your customers, though if time is an issue for you, you should consider hiring people onto your team to improve communication time, or outsource to a call centre who will take on some of the responsibility for you.
Another issue around customer service is your attitude. Your customers need to feel cared for. But if you have spoken to them abruptly, and/or brushed them off with a glib response when they have asked you a question, then you are aren't going to win over their trust.
No matter how much of a pain your customers are to you, it is important to remember that without them, you will have no business. They will quickly leave your business and possibly pass negative word about you on social media and business review sites.
Your reputation will quickly do down the pan. Therefore, be respectful in all of your communications within them, even when they are making a complaint or dithering over a purchase, and focus on these customer service skills to gain your customer's confidence.
#3: You Have Broken Promises to Your Customer
When you make and break a promise, you damage your reputation. Your customer might not trust you again, and they will prove this by leaving you in the dust; using your nearest competitor the next time they want a similar product or service to what you are offering.
So, don't write misleading product descriptions. Don't promise next day delivery if you know you can't always fulfill this. Don't offer to price match your competitors if your finances can't bear the brunt of this. You need to be honest on both your website and on the marketing materials you produce.
Of course, we all make mistakes. You might make a promise with the best of intentions, and nine times out of ten, you might keep to those promises. So, on those rare occasions that you do make a mistake, apologize to the customer, and put things right with a decent returns policy , and perhaps the offer of a discount on their next purchase.
Final Word on Customers Have Lost Trust in Your business
In business, trust is everything. To ensure success for your business then, take note of what we have said in this article. Therefore, do everything in your power to earn your customer's confidence.
Your business will prosper if you do, but potentially fail if you don't.
Have you lost trust in a business? Have you done anything that has lost the trust of your customers? I'd love to know about your stories in the comments below!