As a business owner, gaining your customers’ trust is critical because it means an ongoing relationship with them. As you know, it takes time to win a client’s trust. However, what may take even longer is to build their confidence in paying you online.
Whether your client has just started working with you or they have always purchased from a physical brick-and-mortar location in the past, there is apprehension about using online payment systems due to the numerous media reports of data breaches, hacking, identity theft and unverified purchases using other people’s credit card information.
Despite the challenges with online payment processing perceptions, there are tactics you can employ to win their trust to pay you online. Here’s how:
Oh, and make it mobile-friendly in case they go to your website from their mobile device. Forrester Research reported that 50% of sales are lost because visitors can’t find what they are looking for — and that includes where they need to make their online payment. If the client is finding your site complicated, they may conclude you are unprofessional and will lack confidence in completing their online payment.
Consider using a heat map tool that can provide insights into how to improve the navigation and overall design of your website, or hire a UX expert to consult.
If you have customers who are using your online payment process and the overall experience they have had purchasing from you is great, have them write a review.
Provide an incentive for customers to post on various review websites and apps as well as encourage them to share their experience on their own social media pages. The vote of confidence from a peer is often the most convincing way to build trust in a brand. Plus, it puts the power of others to work for you.
Every business needs to have a time when customers can call and speak to a real human being, or a place where they can obtain an answer should they have any questions. E-consultancy found that 83% of online shoppers need assistance to complete their purchase, so it helps to provide them with a way to do so, such as a real-time chat tool so they can feel confident someone is handling their online payment.
Be sure to also make the contact information as clear and easy to find as possible.
Any website dealing with regulations related to online payment systems can be certified, showing that you have jumped through some extra hoops to keep your customers’ information safe.
You an get an SSL security certificate as well as post other types of certifications that provide credibility for using your online payment processes. Customers like to see that padlock symbol next to your URL and know that the “https” shows that there is additional security on your website.
It may also help to get a seal from the Better Business Bureau to further enhance confidence levels.
Having a visible and clearly stated secure checkout processing system and listing the various types of security technology you have added to your online payment system will give both you and your customers greater confidence in your system.
The more layers of security you can show that you use and have implemented, such as tokenization and two-step verification, the more confident clients will feel in providing their private information to an online payment system.
If you choose not to, show your clients that you are using a large, certified, and highly reputable brand that is bolstering the security and technology behind your online payment process.
Sometimes, name-dropping the brand you are using does make a difference in customers’ minds because they see you are working with someone that they already trust.
Let your customer know that there are real people out there who are in contact with every online payment. Provide ways for clients to reach out to you directly and include pictures and video of the real team on your website so they can put a face to those working behind the scenes in the virtual store or business you have established.
Let your privacy policy shine with clarity and ease of reading where it explains how you keep customers’ private data secure when they do business with you.
A good place to put this information is on the About Us page, Contact page, or Payments page. It doesn’t hurt to list your policy in all places to make sure that your customers see and understand this brief statement about the emphasis you place on protecting all customer data, including their personal and payment information.
Continue to focus on ways to strengthen the bonds of trust with your clients so they pay on time, return for repeat purchases, and share their good experiences with their peers.
This is an area that requires constant vigilance, but security will always pay you back in huge returns.