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10 Ways to Reduce Shopping Cart Abandonment

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 03:00 PM PDT

It's frustrating to think that customers get to the shopping cart, but then something happens and you lose out on that sale. The great news is, there are many proven ways to lower these rates without having to redo your e-commerce store. Take a look at these 10 proven tips to reduce cart abandonment.

Offer free shipping

While it's typically only a savings of a few dollars, comping the cost of shipping is typically enough to win the sale. A study by Forrester shows that 44% of shoppers abandon their carts because of the shipping costs.

The best solution to prevent shopping cart abandonment is simply to offer free shipping. It's an incentive for consumers to shop with you instead of your competitors and a major selling point, so take advantage of it.

Eliminate surprises

If you don't want to offer free shipping, that's okay. However, you can still cut back on the number of people who abandon their shopping cart due to charges and shipping charges. The most common, and easily correctable, reasons that customers don't complete the checkout process is because of the unexpected extra costs, like taxes, fees and shipping.

 Shoppers don't like surprises. To eliminate the surprise costs, make sure any additional costs are clear before they add the items to their cart. This can be tough because shipping costs are variable, but this is where a shipping calculator comes into play. You can add a button to your product pages to calculate the estimated cost for your customer before they add the item to the cart.

If you have additional fees (handling fees, product customization charges, sales tax), you want to ensure they are clearly listed on the product pages, so they don't surprise the customer when they go to the cart. 

Enable guest checkout

Think twice before you ask your customers to create an account before they checkout. This slows down the process and often causes customers to bounce.Filling out information, confirming an email address and more is asking too much of a customer who probably has various other online options to select from.

Instead, opt to enable a guest checkout option. You can always ask customers to create an account after they've made their purchase. 

Ensure checkout is fast

Every business wants to know how to sell more online. If you want people to make a purchase, not only do you need to accept more returns, you also need to make sure the process to checkout is fast.

You can reduce shopping cart abandonment if you cut out extra steps and streamline the checkout process.

Is it really necessary to make your customers click through four different pages before they can complete a purchase? The more ways you simplify the checkout process and the fewer hoops a customer has to jump through, the more likely they'll complete the process. 

Make getting in contact easy

It's inevitable – shoppers will have questions while they're checking out. This is why you must make sure the information they need is readily available on your FAQ page. It's important to speak your customers' language – make sure to use the right words and don't fill your site with industry buzzwords.

You can also give customers the option to contact you directly.

A chat feature is a smart option if you have the people to support it. Whatever you do, make sure shoppers know how to easily get in contact with you if they need to.

Save the cart

Research found that 84% of online shoppers compare prices before making a decision. This is one perk of the internet – shoppers can open several windows, locate products, compare the prices and then make their decision. All of this searching often leads to closing out windows, logging back on and checking sites again. Some shoppers may do this numerous times for weeks before making a decision.

That is why it's vital that shopping carts are saved; it allows you to retarget your shoppers who have added something to their cart but didn't check out.

Keep the cart visible

Many customers choose to add items to their cart to save for future consideration. If you want them to come back later, make sure to keep the cart in clear view. If it's out of sight, then it's out of mind. Think along the lines of something as simple as adding a cart icon in the top corner of their screen.

Display security badges

Customers are savvy and know that criminals are now online too. When a customer makes a purchase from an e-Commerce store, especially one they've never purchased from before, they want to know that they are safe to hand over their credit card information.

Go ahead and include security badges right on your site to help instill confidence in your buyers.

Accept a variety of payment options

The payment method your customers prefer vary, so it's best to offer numerous payment options. Accept the basic cards, such as MasterCard, Visa and American Express. PayPal is also a smart choice.

Create urgency

There are times a shopper needs some extra motivation to go ahead and complete their purchase. This is where you can use scarcity to create the urgency to buy now.

A tried and true strategy is to share the number of remaining available products. When you tell your customer that there are only two remaining shirts in the style and size they need, it can drive them to go ahead and make the purchase based on the fear of the product selling out.

Another way to hone in on the scarcity tactic is by adding a clock that counts down. This method is successful when you're running special deals and flash sales. When customers realize they only have a couple hours to save money and get the deal, they're more likely to make a purchase and not spend time shopping around for other deals. 

There are numerous ways you can reduce shopping cart abandonment and encourage customers to go ahead and order products from your website. Take these tips to heart; make it easy for customers to contact you, prove your site is secure, accept numerous payment options, create a sense of urgency and consider free shipping. Once you implement some changes, you will slash cart abandonment rates and boost your bottom line.

Slow Retail Websites Lose Customers

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 12:12 PM PDT

  • 90% of shoppers polled said they left an e-commerce site that failed to load fast enough.
  • 57% of respondents said that, after leaving a slow site, they purchased products from a similar retailer, while 40% said they went to Amazon instead.
  • Almost one-fourth of online shoppers said they never returned to slow e-commerce sites.

When it comes to doing anything on the internet, speed and immediacy are king. While there is research that debunks the idea that the internet has shortened our attention spans, it remains imperative that online businesses have speedy websites. According to research released earlier this month, the shopper's experience with your website is so important that it can be the difference between closing a sale and helping your competition.

For the third consecutive year, Retail Systems Research has released its Retailer Website Performance Evaluation. Sponsored by Yottaa, the report examined 80 retail sites, including Bed Bath & Beyond, Dick's Sporting Goods and Ulta Beauty, to measure site speed and the overall shopper experience. Retailer websites were tested on desktop and mobile performance.

While previous years saw the report focusing solely on website performance, researchers said they recognized how difficult it was to compete online with the likes of Amazon and had no interest in "flogging retailers for their attempt to 'run like hell' in order to catch up." As a result, this year's report is the first time that it included a survey of more than 1,000 U.S. shoppers to find out how important website performance was to them.

Editor's note: Looking for information on e-commerce website design for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

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Poor website performance losing customers for online businesses

Today's consumers are a savvy bunch. They're aware of what they want and in tune with what is and isn't a waste of their time. As such, researchers say an online business's website should respect its customers' patience.

Researchers said they determined a site's overall functionality not only by how it ran on a computer or mobile device, but also by how shoppers felt when navigating it. They asked questions about whether a site's performance hindered navigation and if there was any pop-up interference.

Regardless of how an online retailer's website functions, if it doesn't load quickly, that can spell doom for its bottom line. According to the report, among the 1,300 shoppers polled, 90% said they left an e-commerce site if it failed to load in the amount of time they expected. While that figure is eye-opening, what's worse is that when they left, 57% went on to purchase something from a similar site, and 40% said they went on to buy from Amazon.

Even more troubling is that just 12% said they would complain to the retailer about their experience. That means that if your website is performing poorly, you're far less likely to hear about it from your customers than you are to lose business.

This year, the overall pool of retailers scored poorly. The highest-scoring retailer was Backcountry.com with a 68% score. Researchers said their consumer data suggested that shoppers "are not willing to grade on a curve – they want to act now, and they are more than willing to leave for someone who can provide that."

Additionally, 52% of respondents said they had left a site and bought elsewhere up to twice in the last six months, while 35% said it happened to them 3-5 times. The remaining 12% were split evenly between 5-10 times and "more times than I can count."

That frequency in slow retail experiences ends up being the most troubling to consumers. According to the data, 53% said their biggest issue with slow retail sites was that they were "wasting their personal time."

What companies are doing wrong with their websites

Now that we know how consumers feel about slow retail websites, what could be causing the problem? Researchers found that part of the problem is slow third-party requests and a lack of consistency between the desktop and mobile experience.

While consumers generally see third-party functionality like product ratings and product comparison tools as a good thing, researchers found that retail websites are often too bogged down by these tools for them to do any good. In fact, they found that some pages were slowed down largely because they needed to load too much information if the retailer went overboard with third-party options. This situation was consistent between retailers' homepages and product detail pages, whether they were being accessed on a desktop computer or mobile device.

Researchers also found instances where retailers lacked consistency between their mobile and desktop websites. In some cases, the look and feel were vastly different. In others, mobile users weren't getting the same deals as desktop users and vice versa. The latter issue was seen across multiple retailers, including IKEA, Patagonia, T.J. Maxx, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, and Karmaloop. Researchers said Men's Wearhouse was particularly bad about this, with several coupons and codes available on the mobile site that were never mentioned on the desktop site.

Tips to improve e-commerce websites

Slow website loading times may not seem important to worry about when you're facing so many other challenges as a business owner, but this data from Retail Systems Research and Yottaa should help change that perception. While the report warns retailers against slow shopping experiences for the third year in a row, researchers pointed out a couple things that can fix the problem.

To start, retailers shouldn't move to abandon third-party technologies. Researchers said most of the top-performing sites used a large number of those add-ons. The key is to "balance performance optimization efforts with the need to engage shoppers." That includes making sure your offers are consistent between the two website versions.

You should also follow these tips:

  • Take your website's performance seriously.
  • Focus on your mobile experience first.
  • Make promotions consistent.
  • Optimize your third-party tech.
  • Shop your own site the way your consumer does.
  • Don't sacrifice the shopping experience to make the site run faster.
  • Don't prioritize desktop over mobile.
  • Don't remove third-party features.
  • Don't clutter your site with pop-ups.
  • Don't ignore how shoppers feel about poor website performance.

How to Support an Employee Coming Out at Work

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 08:03 AM PDT

  • Nearly half of LGBTQ workers in the U.S. have not revealed their sexual orientation or gender identity at work, largely due to the fear of social exclusion.
  • The majority of U.S. states lack comprehensive legal protections from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, so it is important to create internal comprehensive protection policies to hire and retain top talent, regardless of sexual and gender identity.
  • Avoid using non-inclusive language and surprised or shocked reactions when an employee comes out as LGBTQ.
  • Create an inclusive environment by publicizing your LGBTQ policies, hosting anti-discrimination workshops, celebrating events such as LGBT Pride Month, and creating a workplace LGBTQ network or support group.

While the workplace climate is now more accepting of LGBTQ employees than in years prior, there is still progress to be made. It is your responsibility as an employer to create an inclusive and diverse workplace that openly supports each of your employees. An important step in this process is learning how to properly support employees when they come out as LGBTQ.

A recent HRC Foundation study revealed that 46% of LGBTQ workers in the U.S. have not come out at work, largely due to the fear of social exclusion. Of those who are not open about their sexual orientation or gender identity in the workplace, 38% said it was because they feared being stereotyped, and 36% worried it would make co-workers uncomfortable.

Some people believe that coming out is irrelevant in the workplace, but creating an inclusive environment that enables employees to be open about who they are can increase employee satisfaction, as well as help to retain top talent. The HRC Foundation study revealed that 1 in 4 LGBTQ workers have stayed in a job primarily because the environment was very accepting of LGBTQ people. Conversely, 1 in 10 have left a job because the environment was not very accepting.

According to Alasdair James Scott, a senior consultant at worldwide diversity and inclusion training consultancy PDT Global, coming out is a constant cost-benefit analysis for LGBTQ employees that requires weighing various risks.

"Many LGBTQ people think a lack of support from colleagues and supervisors, and past experience of discrimination, are often preventing them revealing their authentic selves and identity at work," Scott told Business News Daily. "The importance of a supportive social environment plays a huge role in a person's coming-out decisions in an organization."

Protocols and policies to protect LGBTQ employees

The legal protections for transgender, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming employees are very limited at federal and state levels, with LGB protections not far ahead. The limited protections remain problematic for many Americans, as 28 states don't have explicit statewide laws to protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

"This means, in a majority of U.S. states, LGBTQ individuals can still be fired for their sexual orientation," said Samuel Johns, HR specialist and hiring manager at Resume Genius. "So, unless their workplace has a comprehensive LGBTQ policy in place, these individuals may live in fear of being outed and fired."

Johns said that creating a comprehensive LGBTQ policy can enable your organization to hire the most capable employees, regardless of sexual and gender identity. When you're creating a nondiscrimination policy, he recommends including sexual orientation and gender identity as protected statuses.

Mandy Price, co-founder and CEO of Kanarys Inc., a platform that helps organizations build more inclusive work cultures, said that employers should have formal LGBTQ awareness training in place as well as inclusive management training. This will help ensure that every employee understands that workplace harassment based on a colleague's LGBTQ identity (or perceived identity) is unacceptable.

"We also recommend employers expand the definition of paid family leave to include the LGBTQ community, tax equalization, and offer same-sex benefits," said Price. "Employers should also make LGBTQ inclusion visible across the organization."

Scott said employers should review workplace forms and ensure they are inclusive by creating other self-identifying gender options for people who do not identify in binary terms. They can also have gender-neutral bathrooms and dress codes to allow employees to represent themselves in a way that comes naturally to them.

How to support employees who come out as LGBTQ

Johns said that employers and HR managers must tread a fine line when they suspect an employee is LGBTQ. Although it would be unprofessional, and potentially illegal, to outright ask about someone's sexuality or gender identity at work, you can support them by focusing on creating an LGBTQ-friendly work environment. You can foster an inclusive work environment through more than just protection policies.  

"[Creating an inclusive environment] would include publicizing your LGBTQ policies, hosting anti-discrimination workshops and celebrating events such as LGBT Pride Month," said Johns. "Larger companies could consider creating a workplace LGBTQ network or support group and appointing a diversity officer."

It is important for leaders to avoid non-inclusive and presumptuous language, like "That's so gay!" Scott said leaders also need to check their own assumptions to see if they hinder the LGBTQ community. These include the assumption that everyone is straight, that everyone prefers binary pronouns, that coming out is a purely personal issue and not a workplace issue, and that a person must be LGBTQ because of how they look, sound, dress or behave. 

"Leaders should develop a working partnership with different sexual orientations and people with different gender identities from their own to help them understand what it means to be in that identity," said Scott. "Making those one-to-one connections is really important to challenge their own assumptions."

If an employee comes out to you as LGBTQ, they are trusting you not to judge or mistreat them. They are counting on you to respond with dignity and respect. Avoid surprised or shocked reactions, and refrain from saying things like "Wow, I never would have known!" or "No way! Are you kidding?" The best way to respond is by simply listening, remaining present and validating them. Remember the courage it might have taken that employee to speak their truth.

"It is not OK to out a colleague [or employee] in the workplace without their permission," said Price. "If a colleague confides in you about their sexuality and gender identity, feel free to ask them how you can support them, whether it is in private or in public."

Keep in mind that coming out is a process, and it is the individual's decision whom they want to inform. Everyone deserves to have their privacy respected. Johns said it's always worth remembering that no two employees are the same.

"One person may be very confident about their sexual or gender identity after coming out, whereas another may be less confident due to their prior experience and might benefit from support the company can provide, such as counseling or time off for them to adjust to life after coming out," said Johns.

In the end, Price said, employers and colleagues should continue to work toward being inclusive of anyone coming out in the workplace.

"The decision to come out is oftentimes a complex one, and in order for workplaces to be safe, diverse and equitable, we must foster an environment of acceptance and understanding," Price said.

Choosing a Business Phone System: A Buyer's Guide

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 06:21 AM PDT

If this is a task your small business plans on tackling in 2019, there are a few questions you need to answer first to get yourself on the right track.

  1. Do you need a full phone system that includes physical desk telephones, or could your business get by with a virtual phone service that relies on mobile devices?
  2. If you do need desk telephones, what kind of service do you want? You need to choose between a traditional landline telephone service, which is provided by a local or regional phone company, and a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) system, which runs over the internet and is available from a multitude of providers.  
  3. If you choose VoIP, do you want to house the system at your business (on-premises) or have your service provider host it (cloud-based)?

We will help you answer those questions, but if you already know what you need and just want to see our recommendations for the best business phone systems, visit our best picks page.

Editor's note: Looking for information on business phone systems? Use the questionnaire below and our vendor partners will contact you to provide you with the information you need.

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If you're not sure yet, read on. We'll fill you in on the pros and cons of these types of phone systems:

  • Virtual phone systems
  • Landlines
  • VoIP
  • Cloud and on-premises systems

Virtual Phone Systems

  • Virtual phone systems connect those who call a main business phone number to remote workers on their mobile or home phones.
  • These types of systems work as an extensive call-forwarding solution wherein incoming calls are transferred to each employee's cell or home phone, instead of a desk phone, when a customer or client calls the main phone number.
  • These systems include a variety of features, such as automated receptionists, voicemail, call forwarding, call screening, toll-free number and online faxing.

Pros: This type of service allows businesses with offsite employees to present a professional image at all times. It also gives remote workers access to a variety of phone system features that mobile and home phones don't offer. 

Cons: Virtual systems aren't full-fledged phone systems. Your calls are often still processed on your mobile or home phone network. This means you are charged for the call on the virtual system and use up your mobile or home phone minutes. Some virtual services allow you to make calls via internet connection when using the provider's mobile app.

Best for: Small businesses with remote workers or sole proprietorships.

Traditional Landline Systems

  • Landlines in this instance are traditional phone systems, typically supported by a local or regional phone company.
  • Landlines, also known as public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), are analog systems that run via the telephone company's traditional copper wiring.
  • To run a landline service, you need on-premises PBX (private branch exchange) hardware. This is the hardware that's used to create multiple extensions and provide phone system features, such as call transferring and call directories.
  • Some landline systems today are considered hybrids with VoIP systems. There is a traditional phone line that connects to a business's data network. The data network within the business is then used to connect each individual phone.
  • Many landline systems are being phased out by phone system providers.

Pros: Landline systems are a reliable, time-tested solution that many companies are comfortable using.

Cons: Most phone system providers are moving away from landlines, making them more difficult not only to purchase but to repair should something break. It is only a matter of time before these systems become obsolete.

Best for: Large corporations that have the budget to pay for them and an in-house IT staff to manage and maintain them. Necessary for businesses without high-speed internet access.

VoIP Phone Systems

  • Instead of the copper wires that landlines run on, VoIP phone systems use the same internet connection that a company already uses.
  • VoIP systems provide a feature set that previously only large corporations using expensive PBX hardware had access to, such as automated attendants, call queues, and computer integration, which allows voicemails to be sent to email inboxes and computers to be turned into softphones.
  • VoIP systems give remote workers access to a business's phone system from their mobile devices.

Pros: VoIP systems provide a sophisticated phone system complete with all the bells and whistles. These systems are easy to set up and configure, plus they are significantly cheaper than landline systems.

Cons: These systems rely on your internet connection. If you're in a community with spotty internet service, this type of phone system won't work for you.

Best for: Small businesses wanting the functionality of a sophisticated phone system at a reasonable price and businesses that want their remote employees to have access to the phone system.

If you decide that a VoIP system is best, your next decision is how you want it hosted. While landline systems require you to house the necessary equipment inside your business, VoIP systems give you the option to buy your equipment outright and self-host or to rent the equipment from your service provider and have the provider host it in the cloud. [See related story: VoIP for Business: Why It Makes Sense]

On-Premises VoIP Systems

  • With on-premises systems, all the equipment, which includes the PBX hardware to keep the phone system running, is housed within your business.
  • On-premises systems require a large capital expenditure, as you are purchasing the equipment upfront.
  • While you pay one-time fees for all the hardware with a self-hosted system, you pay monthly fees for your SIP trunking, or PRI circuit, which is what allows you to make and receive calls.
  • Your IT staff is responsible for maintenance, repairs and upgrades of the system.

Pros: You are always in control of your service. You are relying on yourself to ensure it is up and running and configured how you like.

Cons: There is a significant upfront cost, since you have to buy all the equipment. Additionally, you need someone on staff who can service and maintain the system.

Best for: Businesses that don't feel comfortable using the cloud and want total control over their system and access to equipment at all times. Also good for businesses with an in-house IT team that can set up and maintain a VoIP system. Additionally, on-premises systems are better suited for businesses with regulatory or compliance requirements that may be difficult to meet in the cloud.

Cloud-Based VoIP Systems

  • With cloud-hosted systems, there is no maintenance or hardware other than phones to worry about. The service provider houses, maintains and upgrades all of the PBX technology for you.
  • The cloud allows growing businesses to easily add new lines and provides quick access to new features.
  • Businesses typically pay a monthly fee on a per-user basis.

Pros: There is no PBX hardware or dial-tone service to purchase and maintain. Your provider takes care of that for you. You can set up and configure the system for your business, all from your computer. 

Cons: You aren't in control of the hardware. If the system goes down, you have to rely on your provider to fix it as quickly as possible.

Best for: Growing businesses on a fixed budget that don't have an IT staff to operate and maintain PBX hardware. Also good for businesses that want quick access to new phone system features or have multiple locations and want their system all on one platform.

Now that you know the basics, you might be ready to make some decisions. If so, check out our best picks for business phone systems.

Business Phone System FAQs

Still not sure if you even need a business phone system, or if VoIP is a fit for you? No problem. Here are some questions and answers that may help you come to a decision. 

Q: Do I need a phone system?

A: The simple answer is yes. Because so much of a business's success depends on how it presents itself, all businesses benefit from some sort of business phone system.

It is critical for businesses to always present themselves in a professional manner. Having customers and clients reach you on a business line that is often answered by an automated attendant is an excellent way to achieve that.

Even businesses that don't want to spend money on a full-fledged phone system can still present the image they are looking for by using a virtual system.

Q: Can't my employees and I just use our mobile phones for business purposes?

A: It is definitely possible if you want to invest in a virtual phone system. Using a virtual phone system allows you to use your mobile device while still presenting a professional image.

Just using your mobile line, without a virtual system, presents a few issues. First, it doesn't allow your small business to convey a professional image to your customers. Second, mobile lines don't provide the features and tools that you and your employees will find most valuable. This includes voicemail to email, call forwarding, call screening, music on hold and online faxing.

Q: I've always had a traditional landline system. Will I be at a disadvantage if I continue using this type of system in the future?

A: The problem with landline systems isn't their functionality. They still operate at a high level. The biggest issue you will run into with traditional landline phone systems is that new options are no longer being built. This means no new technology is being developed for landline systems.

No new software upgrades are available for landlines either. This means you won't have access to many new features and capabilities.

Finally, finding experts to provide customer service and support for these types of systems, and the parts to keep landline systems up and running, are increasingly difficult to find.

Q: How do I know which phone system and provider are right for my business?

A: The decision really comes down to available resources. Small business owners need to consider their budget, whether they have a growing business, whether they have an IT staff capable of running and maintaining an in-house phone system, and whether they have access to a high-speed internet connection.

When choosing a phone provider for your small business, it is important to find a service that not only has the features and tools you want in a phone system but also offers the level of customer support you expect from a vendor partner.

If you are considering a cloud-hosted system, one factor you want to give serious thought to is uptime. Uptime refers to how often the system is operational. When the system is down, you won't have access to your telephone services. The best providers have numerous data centers around the world to minimize downtime with the service. When speaking with different providers, ask about their uptime stats and whether they have any guarantees that will provide you with money back should the service be down for longer than the guaranteed amount each month. 

Q: With cloud systems, is there only a monthly fee, or are there other costs I should be aware of?

A: There are some upfront costs with cloud-hosted phone systems. You most likely will pay for IP phones, which range from $50 to $600 each. In addition, some providers charge setup and training fees.

Q: With a cloud-hosted system, am I sharing a server with other businesses, or is there a server just for my business?

A: Many cloud phone system providers offer businesses the option of using a shared server or paying extra for a dedicated server. This decision depends on if you want the system solely devoted to you, or if you want to buy it as a service on the same platform the provider offers to everyone else.

Smaller businesses without a lot of special requirements and customizations are typically comfortable using a shared service, while large organizations with complex needs likely prefer a dedicated server that provides the quality of service and privacy they are looking for.  

Q: Is the connection on a VoIP system as good as on a landline?

A: While some users might be concerned about the quality of a VoIP system and how it sounds, the technology has come so far that it's virtually impossible to tell the difference between landline and internet-based calls.

To ensure call quality is clear and strong, your business has to be conscientious about how you set up your data network. You have to ensure you have enough bandwidth to handle your call volume and that your network is set up to prioritize voice calls over other types of internet traffic.

Q: What types of features are available in a VoIP phone system?

A: While feature-rich phone systems were previously used only by large corporations, today's VoIP options give small businesses the same benefits. Here are some of the calling and collaboration features you may find most beneficial:

  • Voicemail
  • Voicemail to email
  • Voicemail to text
  • Voicemail transcription
  • Call forwarding
  • Call recording
  • Call queues
  • The option of both local and toll-free numbers
  • Interactive voice response
  • Interoffice instant messaging
  • Conference calling
  • Automated attendants
  • Extension dialing
  • Ring groups
  • Directory assistance
  • Call transferring
  • Internet faxing
  • Call reports
  • Call monitoring
  • Missed call notifications
  • Video conferencing
  • Online meetings
  • Instant messaging
  • Text messaging
  • Integrations with popular programs, such as Microsoft Outlook, Salesforce and Google's services
  • International calls

Q: Can remote employees access a business phone system?

A: VoIP technology gives employees the freedom to take and make business calls from anywhere, without the need for a business-dedicated cell phone. Business VoIP systems offer smartphone applications and mobility features that give employees the full functionality of their desk phones anytime, anywhere.

Q: Why should I care if my employees can access the phone system when they're out of the office?

A: In today's age of remote workers and flexible work arrangements, ensuring employees can be reached at all times, regardless of where they are, is critical. Business owners don't want their customers and clients to have to hunt down their employees when they need them or, worse, not be able to reach them at all.

Mobility ensures that your employees are always reachable. It also gives them the freedom of always being connected without sharing their personal phone numbers.

Q: I keep seeing references to unified communications systems. How are those different from a phone system?

A: Many of today's phone systems are unified communications systems. These systems combine voice calling, messaging, and video or online meetings into one service. They also offer audio conferencing and online faxing. Many of today's phone system providers offer these services in their platforms.

Solutions that aren't unified communications systems are those that only offer voice calling and related features.

Q: If my business has multiple locations, does it matter if I have an on-premises or a cloud-based system?

A: While both on-premises and hosted systems can support organizations with multiple locations, a cloud-hosted solution can simplify things.

Cloud-hosted systems don't require you to install complex PBX equipment inside each location. This not only allows for easier setup but can also save you money. These cloud-hosted systems can be managed from one online platform, which also makes using them an easy task.

Ready to choose a business phone system? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:

Editor's note: Looking for information on business phone systems? Use the questionnaire below and our vendor partners will contact you to provide you with the information you need.

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Why Your Online Business Should Invest in Offline Marketing

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

The importance of offline marketing

Offline marketing ideas help e-commerce businesses cater to a wider audience base. A majority of offline strategies focus on supplying traditional forms of marketing, which can eventually help the company build extensive levels of customer trust. Put simply, any company that has the offline landscape covered inspires loyalty in a far better way, as compared to the firms which only focus on the digitized form of marketing.

Based on independent surveys, almost 40 percent of the offline purchases are initiated by offline advertisement. In addition, almost 60 percent of customers prefer purchasing items online, only after considering a word-of-mouth recommendation.

This research reveals the true potential of an online-to-offline strategy that e-commerce businesses can take advantage of. marketing in the first place. In the subsequent sections, we shall throw some light on the best possible offline marketing approaches that actually work and are capable of generating leads for the concerned online stores.

Editor's note: Looking for the right direct mail service for your business? Fill out the below questionnaire to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

 
 

Types of offline marketing strategies

Here are some of the best possible offline marketing approaches that actually work and are capable of generating leads for online stores.

Catalogs and direct mail

Similar to online newsletters, which offer insights regarding products and services, e-commerce businesses can readily publicize their brands by publishing catalogs and sending direct promotional mail. Catalogs that are mailed directly to consumers are capable of achieving response rates of around 4.4 percent, compared to 0.12 percent associated with online newsletters and other emails. Printed catalogs are tried and tested marketing strategies that can eventually help customers spend their money on e-commerce brands.

A survey conducted by Info Trends revealed that after receiving a physical catalog, almost 56 percent of customers either visit the company's website or brick and mortar store.

Quick Response Codes

There are times when having QR codes at select places helps the business cling on to the potential customers. Often times, the best marketing tactics are carved out of a productive union of offline and online strategies. This is where quick response codes come into play.  They can be meticulously paired with physical flyers, business cards, and direct mail, among others. This is why companies must take advantage of QR codes in order to popularize their brand, even across offline channels. This strategy eventually makes way for immersive experiences.

Aligning marketing metrics

The most important consideration while pairing offline marketing strategies with online endeavors is to align the aspects for a more holistic experience. First, one must look to create customized landing pages which can close the deal for a user who has come across the website after looking at an offline ad or quick response code.

Online businesses should also make use of shortened URLs. There are times when an individual looking at an offline marketing entity will immediately want to visit the brand's website, and a handy and shortened link can make a lot of difference.

Finally, having printed discount codes on flyers and other ads can help e-commerce businesses by redirecting a lot of their offline crowd to their online store. This tactic also allows them to keep a track of the codes used and deals closed.

For an e-commerce business to survive it is necessary to strike the perfect balance between online intuition and offline moves. What needs to be understood is that individuals still prefer and value personalized experiences, regardless of the medium and having a credible offline targeting strategy can certainly help them instill faith in a specific organization. In the end, it is a multi-faceted marketing plan that works, regardless of the product one is selling.
 

Why Marketers Should be Tapping into Big Data

Posted: 21 Jun 2019 06:00 AM PDT

It is extremely important for marketing specialists to make very powerful and highly efficient marketing plans. And, in order to make the best and most efficient marketing plans, marketing teams have to have a lot of understanding of the market, customers, competitors, etc. This is exactly why they need to be focusing on big data. Big data is a huge collection of information, which is gathered from a wide range of different sources. The information can be related to the market, the customers, the target audience, competitors or even about the business's old plans and their returns.

Big data's role in sales and marketing

Big data has become tremendously important for every company, be it a big sized multinational corporation or a small start-up. For most firms, big data has become a lot more than just a buzzword. It is one of the most important technologies that can help businesses gain an extra advantage over their competitors.

The role of big data for marketing teams is huge. When developing a campaign, it is critical that every marketing specialist first understands a number of variables, like the target audience, your opponents' strategies, etc. And, this is exactly what big data helps them do.

The benefits of using big data

Better understanding your target audience

Understanding your target audience and customers are critical for every marketing expert. At the end of the day, the main goal of marketing experts is to catch the attention and onboard more and more customers. Therefore, all of your strategies have to be developed specifically with their target audience in mind. The intention should be to turn every lead into a valuable customer for the company.

Competition is really fierce today. Every company has to put extra effort into attracting its target audience through its marketing initiatives By analyzing big data, marketing experts can get a treasure trove of useful insights related to their target audience. These insights help marketers to curate more powerful campaigns for their target audience.

Better understanding the competition

In order to become successful, companies have to gain an extra edge over their opponents. This is exactly where the role of big data analytics services and solutions comes into play. Data related to the competition can be collected and analyzed in a way that helps marketers gain valuable insights about their opponents.

These insights can be related to a new product or service launch from competitors. These insights can even be related to the marketing campaigns of the opponents. Marketers can find out what the competition is doing to attract their audience, and whether their strategies are working. Marketers can get a lot of new ideas about marketing strategies with the help of big data analytics.

Better understanding of industry conditions and the company's past

Through big data analysis, marketing experts can understand the market or industry conditions. They can gain more knowledge about industry trends and future prospects. This information can turn out to be quite useful while devising new marketing strategies. At the same time, they can use big data to learn about their company's past as well.

Big data analysis helps marketing experts in many ways. The first step is for marketers to define what they want to get from their big data analysis. Then, they can churn out valuable insights based on their needs and requirements. An intelligent big data strategy will definitely help marketing experts make more effective plans.
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