In the relentless rush of racing towards the ‘next big thing’, it’s easy for business owners to get caught up in the allure of the newest technologies in their quest to outshine the competition. The pressure to innovate can drive them to overlook the fundamentals.

And while innovation has its place, doubling down on core touchpoints remains critical. By refining the essential aspects of the customer journey, small businesses can deliver a functional and impactful customer experience.

Here are four fundamental areas where you can focus your efforts to elevate your customer experience:

1. Ensure your customer accounts are fully functional

Customer accounts are often overlooked, but they form the backbone of the shopping journey, from online to in-store. According to Shopify’s 2024 Australian Retail Report, about a third (32 per cent) of consumers say a seamless user experience would make them more loyal. Investing in stronger customer experiences and intuitive account navigation, therefore, is a critical step toward building loyalty and fueling growth.

A user-friendly account interface can boost customer satisfaction and retention. It should enable customers to effortlessly manage orders, process refunds, view purchase histories, and check store balances. Customer accounts must also be optimised for mobile.

For B2B retailers, customer accounts should address the unique needs of corporate clients. Features like multi-user access, purchase approval workflows, and tailored pricing ensure that accounts are functional and aligned with professional expectations. To enhance this process further, there should be a tailored experience for wholesale customers, including self-serve functionality for quotes, invoicing, bulk ordering, and more.

By streamlining account functionalities and catering to the diverse needs of customers, you can reduce friction in the customer journey, encourage loyalty, and repeat business.

2. Enhance the checkout process for a smoother path to purchase

A flawed checkout process can quickly undermine success, driving your customers away and limiting repeat sales, even for a standout product.

Retailers looking to deliver an elevated in-store checkout experience must offer customers a variety of payment options and minimise any friction in the purchase process. This goes without saying for returns as well, as Shopify found 36 per cent of Australian consumers also expect instant refunds when they return an item in store.

Much like in-person transactions, customers also expect an efficient experience online, including a fast checkout (30 per cent) and an estimated delivery date (39 per cent). A fast, secure checkout process reduces cart abandonment and creates a positive customer experience that encourages return visits.

You can improve the online checkout experience with commerce software that offers draft orders and chatbots for last minute questions. Flexible payment options like buy-now-pay-later plans are also important, with 18 per cent of shoppers seeing this as a must-have.

Enabling a guest checkout option can also ensure that customers looking a quick and hassle-free process don’t abandon their cart. Customising the checkout experience to match customer preferences transforms this critical step into a competitive advantage, boosting satisfaction and loyalty.

3. Use data-led insights and leverage automation for more efficient, effective marketing

First-party data is key to customer engagement and will allow your businesses to quickly address issues and adapt to trends. It’s also the secret sauce that helps brands get the full picture of their customers across all sales and marketing channels, and adapt messages based on their preferences and behaviour. According to Shopify’s 2024 Australian Retail Report, 26 per cent of businesses are prioritising more targeted customer marketing to address this shifting consumer behaviour.

For example, a customer who often buys seasonal items can receive timely reminders or exclusive offers, which will increase the likelihood of repeat business.

Managing customer communications effectively at scale means having the tools in place to trigger automations that deliver the right communications to the right customer, at the right moment.

These communications based on specific actions, such as abandoned cart reminders, order confirmations, or post-purchase feedback requests, ensure interactions can occur right when the brand is top-of-mind for your customer. Personalised marketing emails tailored to individual customer profiles can also improve open and conversion rates. By automating these processes, your business can redirect its attention to more complex customer needs while building stronger relationships and overall customer satisfaction.

4. Offer bundles and subscriptions for added convenience and ongoing revenue

Offering your customers flexible buying options such as bundling and subscriptions can unlock new revenue streams. For instance, bundling complementary products at a discounted rate encourages larger purchases, while subscriptions provide convenience. By giving customers multiple ways to engage with your products or services, you can strengthen loyalty, increase satisfaction, and drive sustainable growth.

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