Providing your services online
You can provide a wide range of services online. Offering
your services online provides opportunities for you to reach more customers,
which can help you to grow your business and succeed in a competitive
marketplace.
Providing services online is an effective way to further
engage with your customers. For example, if you operate a restaurant you can
put your menu on your website. At the very least, your website should list your
contact details, usually both an email address and phone number.
Think about your services and how you interact with your
customers to work out what elements of your business could be offered as an
online service.
Examples of online services
Bookings systems
Bookings for restaurants or reservations for a hotel can be
managed online. Beauticians, hairdressers and other service providers may allow
their customers to make appointments online. These systems can work with an
online database and diary and reduce scheduling issues. It can also help you
keep your customers' details up to date.
Training courses
Courses for training companies can be offered online. This
can allow you to sell your products to anyone in the world and they can take
your courses at a time convenient to them.
Order tracking
Courier companies can allow customers to track their orders
online. This gives customers an idea of how long they need to wait for a
delivery, so they can make sure they're home when a delivery is due.
Feedback forms
You can offer online feedback forms for your customers. This
can help you recognise problems and improve customer service without losing
customers.
Membership management
Businesses such as clubs and gyms can offer customers the
option of managing their membership online. Customers may want to make changes
to their membership package, check schedules, change their details or check a
record of their bookings online.
Online shopping
You may be able to sell your products online. This can help
you sell to anyone in the world at any time of the day, increasing your
customer base.
Customer relationship management
You can use customer relationship management (CRM) software
to manage and improve the relationship you have with your customers.
Including CRM software in your online business can help you:
get feedback from your customers on your business
find out about your customers purchasing habits and
preferences
target your marketing more effectively and personalise
material
improve your customer service and customer satisfaction
increase your sales
identify what your customers want and need
promote additional products to customers based on their
preferences.
Also consider...
Learn about broadband and your business.
View one of our free business webinars.
Find out how to create a digital strategy for your business.
