4 Ways to Make Checkout Easier for Your Customers
The customer experience is what fuels business, and checkout is a make or break factor. It’s likely the last thing customers will experience before leaving your store, or the main interaction a customer has with your business online. It has the ability to make customers appreciate what a breeze the process was, or fill them with frustration and drive them to abandon the transaction. The process of checking out is so vital that you want to make sure it’s as efficient as possible in order to keep your customers satisfied. Here are a few tips to making this process easier for your customers.
1. Accept All Payments
Paying comes much easier when any and all preferred methods are accepted by your terminal. Each customer has a different preference for which payment is easiest for them. If you do not accept their preferred payment, this can lead to difficulty on the customer’s end. For instance, some prefer a mobile wallet payment like Android Pay or Apple Pay to a card, which many terminals still do not accept. If this customer doesn’t carry a card because they are expecting to use Apple Pay, this could prevent them from completing their transaction. Methods of payment are changing and becoming more diverse among buyers. Make sure your terminal is equipped to accept all types of payments for ultimate ease and convenience for your customers, not just cash and card.
2. Have a Seamless Online Checkout
If you have both a brick and mortar location and an online store, ensure there is no disconnect between the two. Customers oftentimes see something in-store and purchase online, or see something online and come in to purchase it. Make sure your website is easy to navigate, and products are easy to locate and check out with. If your business is strictly e-commerce, this will be even more vital to ensuring your customers have a good experience with your business, since so much of it relies so heavily on the checkout process. All aspects of your website will play into this, from the design and appearance of your website, to your search features, to the methods of payment you have available. It should be smooth and effortless to complete a transaction, and feel as though it is an extension of the in-store experience.
3. Ensure Your Terminal is Up to Date
Having an updated terminal helps in more ways than one. Not only will it be able to accept all forms of payment, but a more modern design tends to make things run smoother. Outdated technology is clunky and slows down lines, while modern technology is optimized for speed. More modern terminals also give the option for a more customized experience through the use of apps and other features that you can adjust to your liking. Meaning, you can customize your device to your customers’ needs, which in turn makes it a smoother checkout for everyone.
4. Ensure Safety Precautions
Make sure your payment processing systems and terminals are equipped with the best security software and technology. Many newer terminals come equipped and are becoming increasingly more secure. People sometimes worry about using different devices or paying with newer technology like a mobile wallet because they are worried about safety or a possible security breach. Assure your customers that these methods are far more safe by using up to date security methods.
