Move your business online?Consider using these 5 digital tools

As customers seek digital solutions for everything from shopping to dining, many business owners are considering moving their business online. The process of each industry looks different.Although some companies are changing their entire business models, others are simply embracing Digital tools. For example:

• The physical store is under construction E-commerce platform Sell ​​their merchandise.
• The restaurant owner is implementing an online ordering and delivery system.
• Service enterprise The online platform is being used to arrange customer appointments and consultations.
• Professional service companies are moving many services online.

Regardless of your business situation, having a better online image can help you stay relevant and profitable in your ongoing business Business restrictions. Having the right tools can make all the difference.

Whether you are preparing to transfer your business online or just want to upgrade the online features of your business, here are five useful tool consider.

1. Mobile-friendly website

the best Marketing The foundation of any business is an attractive, easy-to-browse website.However, as People spend more time on their phones Shopping and research, and having a website that converts well to mobile devices is more important than ever.

according to HubSpot’s 2020 State of Marketing Report, The primary strategy for improving website performance and ranking is to optimize for mobile devices. To do this, it is helpful to look at the mobile aesthetics and functionality of your business from the perspective of the customer or client.

First evaluate the overall appearance of the website. Is the layout converted to mobile format? Is the landing page eye-catching and easy to read? If not, you may need to update graphics, change text and fonts, or adjust some codes.

Next, explore the navigation features of your website on a smaller screen. Can you easily find the information you are looking for or search for products and blog posts? Can you quickly click between pages, fill in forms, and add items to the shopping cart without any trouble?

if your The mobile experience of the site Not fast, convenient or attractive, you may want to consider a website hosting platform with built-in mobile-ready code and templates.

Tools to consider:

• Square space Provide e-commerce functions, custom coding and templates suitable for mobile devices.
• Vickers Has a wide range of mobile-ready and fully customizable themes.
• Shopify It is a great choice for creating an online store for mobile devices.

2. Chatbot

Adding chatbots to your corporate website can take your customer service and sales to a new level. The chatbot is powered by AI and is available 24/7. It is a pop-up chat box on your website where customers can ask basic questions, such as “Why is my product not working?” or “How can I find out more? information?”

Chatbots are a great way Improve customer service, While reducing some of the pressure on your service representatives.according to Intercom’s 2019 chatbot trend report, Chat bots have tripled the customer service response speed of ordinary enterprises and increased the customer support satisfaction score by 24%.

Not only can you program a chatbot to share resources, answer questions, recommend products and services, and resolve complaints, you can also use it to collect customer information, identify potential customers, and drive sales. Intercom report Chatbots have increased personal business sales by an average of 67% over the previous year.

If you want to reduce the number of customer service calls you receive, promote sales, or free your team to focus on other tasks, consider using chatbot software. Many chatbot platforms provide additional features such as integration and analysis.

Tools to consider:

• Tidio It is an all-in-one customer chat software with real-time chat function and chat bots.
• Smart loop Provide chatbot software designed to help increase sales.
• Botsify Help you build a chatbot for your website, Facebook page or messenger application.

3. Online booking software

Online booking The software is a useful solution for any business that requires customer appointments. This can include:

• Health clinic
• Beauty salon
• Field Service Technician
• Professional advisers
• Auto mechanic
• Dinning room
• Hotel and travel company

Online booking software enables customers and customers to schedule, modify, and cancel appointments through apps or online portals (such as your website). Your customers do not need to call your company during working hours, but can make appointments at their convenience.

In addition, using an online scheduling platform can also simplify back-end work. Booking software can help prevent double bookings and overbookings, and save your team the time and hassle of manually managing the calendar.

If you want to provide your customers with more scheduling options and Reduce your management burden, Consider a reservation software with additional benefits. Many booking platforms synchronize with calendars, process customer payments, and send automatic appointment reminders to customers.

Tools to consider:

• Acuity scheduling With customizable options, it is suitable for iOS, Android and Web.
• Magnum Comes with project management tools for iOS, Android and Web.
• Set more Provide integration with other commercial software and work on a few platforms.

4. Automate email campaigns

Every business needs a fast and versatile way to keep in touch with current and potential customers, and email is still one of the best options.In fact, 64% of customers prefer to communicate with the company via email, according to Salesforce’s 2019 State of Connected Customers Report.

You can use email to update subscribers with news and announcements, share sales or discounts, thank customers for their business, and generate potential customers. Email marketing is not only convenient, but also effective. HubSpot reports 78% of marketers see an increase in email engagement In 2019.In addition, the return on investment is impressive, and companies that use email to make money They spend an average of $42 on their email campaigns for every $1 spent.

Building a successful email campaign requires strategy and experimentation, but a good email hosting platform can help you stay consistent.Certain platforms can help you design, arrange and Automated email, But others also provide insights about your customers’ open rates and click-through rates, so you can figure out how to improve your messaging.

Tools to consider:

• Benchmark There are free HTML email templates that you can download.
• Mail chimpanzee There are free email marketing services, but plans starting at $10 per month are also available.
• Zoho activities There are free and paid email marketing plans, you can choose to optimize your mobile communications.

5. Secure online payment

If you accept customer payments through your website, you have a safe and convenient payment system It’s crucial-not only for your reputation, but also for your income.

If you do not have a secure online payment system, your customers may be reluctant to make purchases through your website.On the other hand, providing customers with a convenient payment process may lead to Higher conversion rate and repeat sales.

To ensure a smooth and fast online checkout, please work hard to expand your payment method At the same time, it minimizes the number of steps required for customers to click “buy”. Your customers should be able to easily enter their financial information, choose from a variety of payment methods, and trust that their personal information is safe. Even simple adjustments, such as automatically filling in customer billing addresses or providing digital wallets such as Apple Pay, can help.

There are countless Payment gateway There are options, but the best option for your business will be safe and versatile.

Tools to consider:

• Authorized Network It is one of the most popular payment gateways for e-commerce websites.
• stripe It is a payment platform for retailers, subscription companies, markets and software developers.
• Braintree Integration with PayPal, Venmo, digital wallets, and credit and debit cards.

Now moving your business online is not only a wise solution, but also an investment in your business Long-term growth. By adopting the right digital tools, you can stay ahead of the competition and better support your customers and customers.

Disclaimer: Fundbox and its affiliates do not provide financial, legal or accounting advice. This content is for reference only and is not intended to provide and should not be used as a basis for financial, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your financial, legal or accounting advisers before making any transactions.