Meeting User Expectations
What’s the quickest way to lose a visitor to your site? Not meet their expectations. A person goes to a Web site, clicks through a search engine listing, clicks an ad, etc. because they are expecting to do something when they get to the site. If they can’t find the information they want, or fulfill the task they had in mind, they go elsewhere.
At the moment, I’m in the middle of this frustrating struggle. I’m trying to buy a car. I don’t really know what I want yet, so I’ve been busy scouring the net for as much info as I can find. Some car company’s sites are easy to find information on, and even go beyond my expectations, however some don’t come close.
First, the good - www.fordvehicles.com This site has met my expectations. There is thorough information on the various Ford models, and it lets me search dealer inventory of new Fords. This is exactly what I want to do. I want to find the car I’m looking for before I go to the dealership. The dealer listings show me the window sticker and offer an easy way to contact the dealer. In fact, I just found the exact vehicle I’m interested in at a dealership that they tell me is 6.4 miles away.
Second, is a site that’s disappointing for me. I love Mini Coopers! So went to the Web site of the only Mini dealership in town - www.dreyerreinboldmini.com. I wanted to find out what kind of inventory they have. It turns out they have their inventory listed, but with no specific details, such as options that are installed, for the individual Minis. There is a disclaimer at the bottom of each description that reads, “The features and options listed are for the 2008 MINI Cooper 2dr Coupe and may not apply to this specific vehicle.” I know they want me to come into their dealership to talk to a sales person, but I’d be more interested in going in to talk to someone if I already knew they had the exact Mini I want on their lot.
Finally, a mix of both bad and good - www.pontiac.com This site allows you to easily search dealer inventory as well. You can see the window sticker and the dealer’s contact info is readily available. The downside is the “Build Your Pontiac” section. It is all crammed into the bottom of the browser window and hard to follow. Some of the important options, like adding on an automatic transmission, are tucked away and harder to find. It also automatically plays music. It’s okay to provide music on a site, but let me turn it on if I want to listen to it.
Always put yourself in the shoes of your site’s visitors. What do they want to do on your site? Meet their expectations by helping them do that as easily as possible, and they’ll be more likely to stick around longer and convert.
