Boost E-Commerce Sales: Answer These Five Questions Online to Increase Conversions
Homeowners have several critical questions in mind when searching for home services providers. Data from industry research shows that five key questions typically need to be answered before they’ll move forward. If your company can address these five questions transparently, turning prospects into loyal customers becomes much easier.
Spoiler Alert: It’s all about building trust. When you answer these questions freely and openly, it underscores that you understand customer needs, care about their time, and want to facilitate an informed decision-making process.
These five questions are…
Can you help solve my problem?
Homeowners don’t just want someone to show up; they want to know that your company has provided your service(s) for other homes and that work has resulted in a successful, positive outcome. There are many ways to start the trust-building process.
Ways to answer this question:
- Clearly articulate the types of services that you offer – Simply put, ensure each of your services has unique content on your website. For example, if someone has a spider problem, they may not know you provide that service as part of “General Pest Control.” Instead, take the time to create unique content on your site for each unique service to remove doubt & underscore expertise.
- Show frequently asked questions – If you know the service-specific questions that might be going through a prospective customer’s mind, explicitly list them and provide clear answers. Being upfront about these shows that you have been asked these questions repeatedly and are willing to share the answers to save your client (and your staff) time.
- Provide tools for self-diagnose & self-select service: In addition to articulating services clearly on the website, consider having a simple questionnaire or interactive tool that helps homeowners self-diagnose their issue and determine which of your services would be the best fit.
70% of consumers say a company’s understanding of their personal needs influences their loyalty. [1]
Can I trust you?
Upfront information and a strong reputation build trust, and homeowners want to see evidence of your expertise and feel confident in your ability to handle their needs.
Ways to answer this question:
- Invest in a quality website – It doesn’t matter how great your service is, if your website leaves a terrible impression, is out of date, doesn’t work well on mobile phones, etc you are going to lose trust.
- Let others do the talking – Gather & present positive reviews & testimonials on our site.
- Show expertise – Highlight your staff’s training, certifications, and experience. Homeowners want to know they’re dealing with true professionals.
- Reduce fear – Where applicable, showcase industry awards & affiliations and mention any security measures taken, such as background checks for technicians entering homes.
- Lastly, no stock photography! – Invest in professional photography and videos that show pictures of real technicians with your logo & branding completing similar services for real people.
84% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation. [2]
How much does the service cost?
Price is a major concern for most purchasing decisions. Unfortunately, most home service companies fear showing their prices publicly and rely on the traditional (and antiquated) “request a quote” form. Read this article to understand why you should start showing your prices today if you’re not already. Don’t leave homeowners guessing with vague quotes/estimates or waiting and wondering if you’ll get back to them promptly.
Ways to answer this question:
- When you know the price, show the price – Be honest and transparent, and let the homeowner determine if the price is a good fit for their household.
- When you don’t know the price, provide guidance – A simple “Starting @ $X” is a great way to provide guidance and underscore that you’re still trying to help even if some unknowns or nuances associated with the service exist.
- Provide some context around pricing – Unpack any factors that can influence the cost of a service, especially when your services might be more expensive than other local providers. This transparency can greatly help differentiate you from your competition and then allow homeowners to make a qualified decision.
- Where possible provide options – one size does not fit all and providing options, whether they be service options or service bundles, give customers the power of choice which keeps them from looking at other competitors.
- Deploy Click to Buy (#humblebrag) – The Click to Buy experience is a win/win. It empowers you to ask the right questions upfront and qualify customers before showing prices. This is a true win/win, ensuring your service options (1 or many) are accurately priced, letting homeowners quickly make a qualified decision to proceed and “click to buy” anytime, anywhere – 24/7/365.
72% of homeowners consider upfront pricing to be a very important factor when choosing a home service company. [3]
When can you provide the service?
No one likes to wait and wonder when they can get help—especially when it’s an emergency. Homeowners facing a plumbing leak or electrical issue often require prompt attention to minimize damage and disruption. Fast and efficient service is key. When a service can’t be delivered quickly or isn’t an emergency, clearly articulating how long the wait for service might be is also helpful.
Ways to answer this question:
- Clearly show your hours of operation – If someone plans to call before or after normal business hours, it’s best to be clear about what those are online to save them some time and frustration of trying to reach someone when your doors are closed.
- Highlight any emergency or off-hour service options – This allows homeowners to choose a pro to address their needs quickly and effectively. Explicity call out “For Emergency Service, do this…” In addition to emergency services, highlight any schedule flexibility you offer, such as evening or weekend appointments for those who work during regular business hours.
- Deploy Click to Buy – With Click to Buy’s advanced scheduling buffer technology, customers always know what day a service visit is available – whether it’s same-day service or five days out. In addition, customers can easily understand emergency contact info and service-specific scheduling details. Best of all, Click to Buy allows homeowners to purchase the service on the spot, pay more to skip the line, or automate processes after receiving an estimate or purchase to streamline initial customer communication.
60% of American consumers, prefer online scheduling to book their appointments. [4]
What happens next?
A clear roadmap reduces stress for homeowners and positions you as a reliable professional. Knowing what to expect after a homeowner contacts you eases anxiety and builds trust.
Ways to answer this question:
- Develop a standardized process for new inquiries and service calls – Step one is obviously having a process and being very clear on what happens when a lead (paid or not) comes in the door. Identify internally if the sales/lead acquisition process is the same for all services or varies across your services/service lines.
- Communicate the right steps at the right time – When communicating your process on your website, keep it high level at first so prospects get a general sense of what the process is – this begins the process of building trust. If the process varies on a service-by-service basis, call that out on individual service pages or each purchase page (if using Click to Buy).
- Help reduce risk/fear along the way – Where appropriate, include information about any warranties, guarantees, or savings you offer if they proceed. This transparency allows homeowners to feel confident throughout the entire service experience.
- Most importantly, do what you say! – Nothing can blow a great customer experience faster than not following what you’ve said you’re going to do as the next steps. If you say you’ll call back within 24 hours, do it. If you say a representative will email/text you to confirm their appointment, do it! If you get paid upfront for the service (with Click to Buy), ensure there are no regrets from the user for paying first. The baton is passed to your team to execute everything you’ve communicated online, so do what you say and continue to reinforce the trust every step of the way. This will lead to more opportunities, more referrals, and more positive reviews — all of which help customers trying to answer the “Can I trust you?” question.
60% of customers say a lack of transparency about the service process hurts their trust in a business. [5]
In Conclusion
By proactively addressing the five key questions that homeowners seek answers to – can you solve my problem, can I trust you, how much will it cost, when can you provide the service, and what happens next – your company demonstrates a customer-centric approach that instills confidence and builds trust.
Ultimately, trust is what separates exceptional home service providers from the rest. When homeowners feel assured that you have their best interests in mind, the path to loyal, long-term customers is paved. Don’t let questions go unanswered – leverage the strategies outlined to build meaningful connections from the very first interaction.
If you’re interested in learning more about how Click to Buy can help streamline these answers, reach out.
We’re happy to help and would love to show you a demo to see if it’s right for your business.
Sources:
[1] https://pro.homeadvisor.com/how-it-works/
[2] https://www.brightlocal.com/research/local-consumer-review-survey/
[3] https://fitsmallbusiness.com/what-is-angis-list
[4] https://financesonline.com/appointment-scheduling-software-statistics/
[5] https://www.pwc.com/us/en/services/consulting/library/consumer-intelligence-series/future-of-customer-experience.html
