Technology offers an array of unending solutions, convenience and innovations that will thrill just about anyone. This progress has resulted in consumers who seek flawless, appealing, and easy user journeys, regardless of the business exchange they are engaging with. Consequentially, the user experience is becoming a critical decision-making factor for businesses. Those that don’t take this seriously are going to get left behind.
In the past, devices were used in such a way that consumers had to carry out a number of different steps to reach their desired end result. We thought nothing of it at the time; it’s just how things were done. In fact, the mindset for many was, “This is the system and this is how it works.”
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No one ever questioned why something took four steps instead of three.
As technology matured a few key things happened. For starters, companies like Apple cleared the slate of what devices should actually do for their customers. They started looking, not at the technology itself and what consumers would do with it, but rather, at how consumers used their devises, what steps they carried out, and how they could simplify these steps to give the best possible experience.
The focus shifted to the consumer experience, following the journey they took, and not just the end result. Businesses should no longer view technology in the same way when it comes to any digital space their customers play in. From booking car rentals and plane tickets to ordering new license discs online, the opportunities to improve experiences are all around us.
The simple fact is that successful digital experiences should not be limited to big brands, like Apple and Samsung. Every single business in South Africa should focus on their customer’s user journey, and part of improving this is by evaluating their customer experience.
There are 4 key factors on which you can evaluate your business’s customer experience.
The invisible user experience
An invisible user experience should, ideally, be able to answer questions before I need to ask. When present, this factor acts as an invisible hand, intuitively guiding me through your system, anticipating how the steps in my journey, and not letting me worry about the ‘where to next’.
It’s important to bear in mind that everyone performs tasks differently, which means that you will need to understand basic mental ‘road signs’ that everyone can identify, like colour, shape, and design, and occasionally break usability rules to makes sense for your audience.
Automation
Automation is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s now the difference between consumers using your business and finding one that is more convenient.
Using automotive functionality greatly improves your consumers’ user experience. For instance, ride-booking services (like Uber) and fast food delivery apps have implemented the auto-finding functionality on Google Maps. If I can use a simple app to see what I’ve ordered in the past, check out any recommendations based on previous orders, and make a fresh order and have my pizza delivered, at the lowest possible cost and hassle, then that is the establishment I will use.
Automated notifications have become the norm to improve the user experience, such as a pizza takeaway’s app which uses automated notifications to update me on delivery times, or Google Maps letting me know when to leave or if I’m going to be late.
Design
Design plays a major role in connecting customers to your brand. From a technical point of view the design must be clear and displayed in a way that highlights what is most important, while allowing users to spot something specific, such as ‘buy,’ or ‘quote’.
It must look beautiful, with strong visual elements, and include a strong brand presence. As simple as it sounds, a cool design makes me feel cool when I use it, which in turn, encourages me to go further in my journey with your brand.
Instant gratification
It’s no secret. Consumers are after immediacy in their interaction with your business. Look at Amazon’s ‘1- Click’ system, which lets me choose to ‘Buy now with 1-Click’ thereby allowing my order to be automatically charged to the payment method and shipped to my 1-Click address.
All we want is for things work and our business transactions to be uncomplicated. That’s why it’s so important that you honestly evaluate the user experience from your customers’ point of view. Experiment with the journey you expect them to take to see what delights you, what frustrates you, how much involvement and tactile feedback your business engaged in, and how persuasively and intuitively you are led to your business’s desired actions.
It’s about them, at the end of the day.
Feature image: Henri Bergius via Flickr
