Tips for Creatively Managing Customer Expectations

Living up to the constantly evolving expectations of customers is one of the biggest challenges retailers are continuously faced with. Although successfully managing the expectations of customers can be tough, doing so can mean great things for brands and retailers. Having an idea of what customers expect from a shopping experience can help brands and retailers exceed those expectations. Going above and beyond to create a shopping experience that beats a customer’s expectations also serves as a solid strategy for creating customers that come back.

A few tips for managing customer expectations include:

Making a First Impression That Instills Trust

The impact of making a great first impression on shoppers can’t be overestimated. Although they may not be aware of it, brands and retailers are constantly under the scrutiny of potential shoppers. For instance, have you ever come across a new online retailer but chosen to buy elsewhere because you felt skeptical about buying from them? By going above and beyond to create a first impression that instills trust in new shoppers, online retailers have a higher likelihood of avoiding abandoned shopping carts. An example of how retailers can build trust early in a relationship with a new customer is with trust badges. By prominently displaying them throughout a website, a retailer can reinforce the fact idea that customers can feel safe and secure when they provide retailers with sensitive personal data like an address or credit card info. Research shows, 61% of shoppers chose not to buy from retailers because they were missing trust logos.  

Along with trust badges, another way for retailers to quickly build trust with new shoppers online is through content from past customers – and lots of it. When brands and retailers use a combination of customer content and trust badges, customers gain both a sense of security and an idea of what to expect from their shopping experience. Retailers should also remember customers are wary of advertising and marketing messaging coming directly from the brand itself in comparison to user generated content. Studies show 92% of consumers trust organic UGC more than traditional advertising. Given the importance customers place on the feedback of other shoppers, retailers who provide them with influential social proof early in their shopping experience are well-positioned to meet or exceed their expectations.

Offering Different Types of Social Proof

One of the best ways for retailers to successfully manage the expectations of their customers is to provide them with the content they’re looking for, when they need to see it. Whether it’s a certificate boasting an industry milestone or a collection of vibrant photo reviews, collecting multiple forms of social proof can serve as an ideal resource for providing customers with appropriate expectations. Brands and retailers using social proof effectively opens the door for them to capitalize on the wide range of emotions that come into play during the shopping experience. Let’s say for example an online boutique decides to display social proof in the form of a counter that actively shows how many shoppers are looking at a product page, along with some photo reviews. There’s a sweatshirt you’ve been considering buying from their website that’s the last one in your size and you’re on the fence about moving forward with it.

As you notice the number of shoppers viewing it increase, the urge to make the purchase grows. After seeing the photo reviews of past shoppers, fear of missing out starts to set in which leads you to going ahead with the purchase. Without the retailer emphasizing social proof, it’s almost guaranteed you wouldn’t have made the purchase. Social proof is a necessity for retailers hoping to properly manage the expectations of their customers because of the unique role it plays in customer decision making. Take the photo reviews for example. Not only did they help instill a sense of FOMO, they also provide a sense of what to expect from the retailer upon receiving the order. One of the biggest keys for managing customer expectations is providing transparency throughout their experience.

Providing Transparency Using an Omnichannel Approach

The buying journey can take shoppers on a winding road that includes stops at every corner of the web. Maintaining transparency throughout that journey is a pivotal factor in properly managing the expectations of customers. By taking an omnichannel approach when it comes to customer communications, retailers can win trust by displaying transparency from the start of the shopping experience to the end. Additionally, retailers that employ an omnichannel strategy are capable of providing shoppers with highly personalized experiences catered towards their shopping behaviors along with a consistent message during the duration of their journey. Research shows customer satisfaction rates are 23x higher for retailers that employ an omnichannel strategy than those choosing not to. For retailers interested in providing shoppers with an experience that lives up to or exceeds their expectations, an omnichannel strategy is a must-have.  

One of the most crucial components of an effective omnichannel strategy is feedback from customers that brands and retailers can properly leverage. Providing prospective customers with content from past shoppers not only helps provide them with appropriate expectations, but also increases the likelihood of getting them to convert. Studies show 97% of customers who interact with ratings and reviews eventually become buyers. To learn more about the resources available to brands and retailers that help manage shopper expectations, schedule a demo with one of our experts today.

‍