Where’s the helpline number?

How many times have you felt like banging your head when you could not find helpline numbers immediately on a company’s website? My washing machine maker’s support number was available on the second click after a bit of hovering, while I had to click some three or four times for my credit card company’s and an airline’s. What prevents these companies from having their helpline number right up there on the website for everyone to see easily, at first glance? Do these companies not want to deal with complaints, you wonder, and you are right.

“Companies are more focused on acquiring new customers,” says K Shankar, COO and President of the Chennai-based Sybrant Technologies, a firm that specialises in user experience design for web sites and mobile platforms. There are three reasons why a customer reaches out to a company — to gather information, transact business and register a grievance. The last accounts for almost 96 per cent of why customers speak to a company, but it would rather spend money on discounts and offers that can bring in new customers, explains Shankar, who adds that user experience on a website reflects how companies view their customers. So if you’re calling to whine about how your washing machine is not working, be prepared to wait a while. They are away chasing a prospective buyer — you’re already in the bag!

Admittedly, it’s a tough job for a company to prioritise what it wants to say on its web or mobile platforms. It has to strike a balance between saying too much — resulting in a crowded website that can be visually disturbing — and saying too little — which will have the user clicking over and over, causing anger and irritation. “If there are too many clicks, the website’s performance can go down. A website is designed for a certain amount of activity, it can crash beyond that,” says Shankar.

Many potential users on the mobile would rather access websites of interest through the mobile Web than through an app, says Harishankar, Director – User Experience. Many feel it’s simpler to access a Web site through a browser than an app unless they are regular customers. Downloading an app takes time and patience, and it occupies space on the phone. There’s also the question of whether you want to be controlled by an app, with its constant alerts.

“All you get is 5-10 seconds to convince your customer to stay on your site,” says Shankar. This is why it’s important to give customers of a category what they want directly. If you are the average customer, you would want helpline or customer service numbers boldly and beautifully displayed. On schools’ websites, 75 per cent of the visitors want to know when application forms are being given. Running a tab with the date on the first page would help, rather than putting it on the fourth or the fifth page. On banks’ Web sites, navigating between various needs, such as paying various kinds of bills should be swift. On shopping websites, when it comes to children, make sure multiple segments by age and height are included. Harishankar says that as most people are right-handed, calls to action are usually placed on the right side of the screen.

Vitamin C is a weekly dose of consumer empowerment.

COMMENT NOW