You wanna buy a stapler. On one site you can’t figure out whether they actually sell staplers. On another site you find the stapler pretty easily but they want your billing info before they tell you how much it is. On a third site, you find 49 staplers and no indication of what makes them different from one another; they’ve each got what seem to be identical pictures but the prices vary widely. And on a 4th site you find the staplers, succinct write ups of their specifications, and their prices. Who do you buy the stapler from?
You’re being heavily pursued for a Very Important Position by a company, so you start your research by going to their site to look around. Every click is a surprise and at the end of your exploring, you still aren’t 100% sure what business these people think they’re in. Do you continue talking to them?
Would you hire a salesman who went around with a perpetual scowl on his face, refused to tell prospects what he was selling, didn’t tell people what made your widgets different from and better than all other widgets, or wouldn’t discuss pricing with them? Would you expect such a salesman to perform well?
Bad User Experience drives people away, thinking poorly of you. Good User Experience holds onto them and leads them to think well of you and your company.
Your site is the only face your company has online. Make sure it’s welcoming.
ktalbers
