Does Your Customer Trust You? Here’s what’s important to them

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Most businesses would answer that question, “Yes, of course – they are my customer.” However, a recent survey reveals that the customer trusts the businesses employees more than the leadership, ownership or C-Level executives. In fact, just 37% of general population respondents around the world find company leadership to be credible, an all-time low.

“With the fall of trust, the majority of respondents now lack full belief that the overall system is working for them. To rebuild trust and restore faith in the system, institutions must step outside of their traditional roles and work toward a new, more integrated operating model that puts people — and the addressing of their fears — at the center of everything they do.” ~ Edelman Trust Barometer Global Results

How can businesses build trust? Has the shift to e-commerce platforms changed the way the consumer views the company they do business with? If the consumer does not trust the business leadership, who do they trust?

Does Your Customer Trust You

The massive shift over the past decade, that being consumers shopping online versus in a brick-and-mortar store as been nothing short of astounding. This shift has caused the consumer in their mass to regain authority over the established business, the established business now scrambles based upon data that confirms the decisions the consumer makes. The consumer now has influence and authority.

In a recent survey, consumers were asked to identify which attributes (pick three of thirty-one) is most important to building trust in the company they choose to do business with. Here are some of the results.

 

Your customer values integrity, engagement and ethical business practices. Quality and reliable products have always been at the cornerstone of trust for the consumer.  However, transparency is also globally recognized as a core value that brands should bring forth. Honesty and transparency was given as a response, more than two-to-one over generosity, simplicity, social activity, passion and warmth.

Who does your customer trust?

Trust is about a person. Trust is the firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something. Social media has become the local gossip and chat resource for today's consumer. Since the consumer does not trust the company's leadership to convey an honest assessment of the products and services offered, over 60% of consumers turn to other fellow consumers to form their opinion of brands. The person they feel is credible is the person they know, someone like themselves. This is why the customer turns to the employee, as a more trusted spokesperson when communicating and answering queries.

The consumer now has influence and authority.

Does Your Customer Trust You

How to build trust in ecommerce.

Most marketing tactics focus on the quick grab and the one-time close. Not enough attention goes to building long lasting trust. The evidence above supports the need to reverse this mindset. Companies with ecommerce websites, where the customer is often deprived from the face-to-face contact, can reap rewards by building trust online. This is proven by numerous survey, where customers have repeatedly stated the same answers above apply to online versus -brick-and-mortar, with the exception being shipping charges and price sensitivity ranking higher for the online shopper, but still not out ranking integrity points.

 

Trust can be broken faster than it can be built. This is true in our face-to-face personal relationships and this is true with our ecommerce websites. In closing consider a few interesting facts from the study referenced above as the basis of this article. 62% of general population respondents would be more likely to believe a company’s social media posts than its advertising (38%). 54% deem blunt and outspoken styles more believable than diplomatic and polite ones (46%). Finally, the consumer wants you to give them product suggestions that are relevant to their interests, but most consumers don’t want their data used.

At Viral Solutions, we teach our clients to systematize the ecommerce transaction, front and back, so that the business growth is sustainable. At the same time we teach our clients to never forget their is a real person buying your goods and processing transactions. If you trust your employees, train and empower them to remember every order is for a real person, then support that flow of information with secure and stable processes – you'll have an excellent foundation to build upon.

Copyright Viral solutions 2017

Marisa Fritzemeier

marisa-fritzmeier

 

 

 

Angel of Innovative Artistry and Design for Viral Solutions LLC

 


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Filed Under: Business Tips

About Lindsey Perron

As Thomas’ daughter, Lindsey was introduced to the world of sales and marketing at an early age. Curious about what her dad did, Lindsey would jump at every opportunity to help and ride along on sales calls. Always quick to take charge and lead the group—a trait that has only grown with time—Lindsey was frequently told by her parents that she was destined to be a manager or CEO of some sort. While working toward earning her bachelor’s degree in human services from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Lindsey interned with the UW Office of Equality and Affirmative Action and served on several councils, which gave her the opportunity to develop her persuasive writing skills, researching skills, problem-solving skills, project management skills, and more. After working as the lead teacher of the 4-year-old room at the local daycare center, Lindsey decided to switch gears and join the Viral Solutions team. In her position, Lindsey is able to help clients think through an end goal and reverse engineer it into the steps needed to achieve it.

When she’s not working, Lindsey loves spending time with family, be it traveling somewhere together or just hanging out at home.