Online shops are the way of the future, but as people get used to them, there are still some uphill battles to fight. Earning customer trust and providing them with the best experience possible will always be the main factors of turning visitors into buyers.
But how can small businesses do that? And how can they do that using an online shop? Your individual business is unique, as are your challenges, and while I can’t answer those questions definitively, I can offer a simple and affordable tool to help make your business run smoother: MightyCall’s virtual phone system.
I bet many of you aren’t quite sure what a virtual phone system is, so click here for a basic rundown of what the technology is and how to use it.
In essence, virtual phone systems use cloud technology to provide you with a phone number that isn’t attached to a physical device; this lets you go wherever and still make and receive calls on any device of your choosing.
Virtual numbers act as a separate business number as well, so you don’t have to carry 2 phones around or sell your soul to one of the major phone carriers like Verizon or Sprint. The best part is there’s absolutely no hardware or setup required—you simply install the app on whatever devices you want to use and get started.
Earning Trust
Sadly, both the American and the global economy are continuously tilting toward the monolithic, with 56% of people shopping primarily on Amazon.com, and 59% noting they would only shop at companies they trusted. That means that small businesses need to work twice as hard to even get a customer on their website, and from there you need to do twice the work to convince people to buy your products.
The first part of figuring that equation out is looking the part. You need to ooze professionalism or people will hesitate to click that buy button. MightyCall can help you up your image in a few ways.
A business email and phone number, whether local, toll-free, or even vanity, will immediately improve your store’s image. You don’t need to balance business and personal phone calls, either having to answer everyone with a forced cheeriness or risk sounding unprofessional to potential customers. You don’t need to feel self-conscious about putting your own number up, or linking a Gmail account on your website either.
Providing a Great and Easy Experience
The American consumer is in a strange middle ground right now: 51% of Americans say they prefer shopping online (with Millennials reporting even higher numbers), but 78% of respondents also said that having ‘Sales associates with a deep knowledge of the product range’ was important in the purchasing experience. That means you need to engage your customers to get on the phone and stay on the phone.
You might believe that Americans are shopping online more to avoid talking to salespeople, but there’s a reason physical stores are still around. One of the major advantages of going to a store is the physical interaction you get with a product, and since e-commerce can’t offer that, you need something to replace it so customers feel invested in their purchases—you need them to be at ease with buying your product and not second guessing it while it’s being shipped; this is where getting them on the phone works wonders: you can give a more detailed pitch and they can have their questions answered.
If your shop is selling something more discernible or specific than a purely convenience-focused service like grocery delivery (or something of the like), chances are funneling people not just to see your website, but to call you, is a good way to increase your sales.
In that regard, MightyCall can help you guarantee customers get the best experience possible. Our products’ features all play specific roles in helping you craft a finely-tuned system that’s convenient for you and your customers.
To name just a few:
- Customizable call flows let you choose how and who answers calls (with unlimited user extensions every employee can have one),
- Call queues keep callers around if you’re busy,
- Call recording is great for record keeping and training staff,
- Custom greetings show off your company’s personality and professionalism,
- Your auto attendant processes calls and relays necessary information to callers,
- After-hours call routing means no call is ever lost.
Mobile version
If you have an online shop because you’re constantly moving around for work, our mobile version has all the perks of the system in an on-the-go packaging. You won’t have to worry about anything, because you’ll always be connected.
Oftentimes, even if you’re working from home or a café, checking something on your phone is just more convenient; we know how important that ability is, so we are constantly updating and improving our mobile app to keep it on the cutting edge of the industry.
Organization on the cheap
If you’re a soloentrepreneur running an online shop, the vast majority of CRMs are probably out of your (reasonable) price range. You still need—and deserve!—the kinds of tools CRMs provide that make life easier for businesses.
Keeping track of all of your past and present customers and the special needs of each order can be exhausting; you either need to make handwritten notes or keep an excel or similar file on your computer. No longer! With MightyCall’s new Contact Book feature, all of that tracking has been simplified and centralized in a single location.
Our Contact Book lets you organize a better list of all your business contacts and make notes for each as you see fit. By putting everything—communication tools, contact info, a notes/reminder tab—all in one place, you will save time managing your online shop and stay on top of orders better than ever before.
Knowing More = Doing More
Data and analytics continue to gain relevance in the modern marketplace, both real and online, so you also have full access to your phone system’s analytics. Everything you could ask for is included to give you a full picture of how well your business is performing. All of this data can show you who your effective employees are, what time and day your business gets the most action, and other tidbits to help you target or prepare better in the future.
See the Difference for Yourself
Usually when people shop online, they remember the products they buy and where they bought it from, but they won’t remember the experience—clicking through websites isn’t exactly memorable. If you provide them with great service that has a personal touch, they are much more likely to remember it and tell their family and friends.
With a virtual phone system you’re stacking the deck in your favor so when people do call your business, a well-organized structure is in place to give them an easy and pleasant experience. You’re taking anonymity and variables you can’t control out of the online shopping experience while preserving the convenience—a good recipe for success nowadays.
When you combine everything MightyCall can offer online shop owners, your smartphone will transform into a cost-effective and time-saving communication center. You can take a more active role in your sales than just hoping your website converts visitors to buyers, and that’s exactly the type of thoughtful, hands-on management that distinguishes good businesses from their competitors.
