June 20, 2008
Hmmmph…They Weren’t Serious about Buying Anyway!
In an online world where just about everything can be tested and tracked, I think it’s easy to forget that there are still human beings creating the data for all those wonderful calculations that allow us to increase our conversion rates and ROIs. Of course, I talked about this just a little while back in a post entitled Myth: It Comes Down to Conversions.
But I saw a comment on a forum today that made me want to revisit the subject.
The subject of Virtual Agents (you know those annoying pop-up scripts that pretend to a be real human giving you a last ditch offer before you leave a website?) reared its head again. The person who created the thread was complaining about how annoying they were and how he felt they were a bit dishonest. Others chimed in with similar opinions.
Others stated that it didn’t matter what we thought, but that if the Virtual Agents increased conversions, then they were worth looking at. I can accept that. Personally, it’s not always about the bottom line for me, but I can accept that my opinion shouldn’t guide what someone else should do with their business.
But the most curious comment came up. Here’s what one forum member said:
“Well I look at it like this…
If you’re annoyed by the Virtual Assistant then you were NOT going to buy anyway, right..? So for the times it does save a sale it’s completely worth it…
If a non-buyer gets upset then so-be-it… they won;t be back anyway, right?”
Honestly, it felt like a bit of regurgitation of advice I’d seen before where the context made more sense. But what the heck? If a potential customer is put off or offended by something in your sales process, they’re not serious?
Does that mean we have carte blanche to do what we want, insult our customers and they’ll still buy if they are serious about our product?
Of course not, but it seems to me that’s what this forum member was saying. There are so many reasons we lose sales and realistically, we have little to no control over most of them. But I think it’s a mistake to attempt put yourself in a safe place and justify the loss of every customer is based on the fact that they’re not serious.
Have you ever walked into a store, ready to buy something and left because a sales clerk was unhelpful or rude?
Or worse, have you ever convinced yourself that your own prospect wasn’t serious because they didn’t like something about your own order process?
Free Marketing Course
If I’m leaving a website, it doesn’t mean I’m a “non-buyer”. Maybe I am comparison shopping, maybe I need more information and will have to come back later or I want to think about it.
Assuming that someone visiting your website and then leaves is not a future buyer is a pretty negative attitude.
BUT, referring specifically to the virtual agent, they are annoying. I admit I do avoid sites that I know have one of those.
I am very annoyed by those virtual agent pop-ups so I would never have one on my site - I don’t care what the figures for conversion are- if I do not like them then there is no way I would inflict them on others.For me that is a question of ethics. There is the same argument for audio that starts up automatically, another thing I hate. I treat my website visitors the way I myself wish to be treated whatever the conversion evidence is.
Virtual Agents, in my opinion, are very annoying
and I avoid them like a plague. For me, they are more distracting than almost any other form of advertising and I would never impose them on anyone else.
This of course,is just my own opinion.
I appreciate the comments on the Virtual Agents and like I said, what we think shouldn’t guide a website owner into making sound marketing decisions.
I just think it’s very short-sighted for people to base all their decisions on conversion rates (and those that do it are probably laughing their heads off at that statement because they just don’t get it…and that’s okay)and decide that if someone doesn’t like what they offer and how they offer, they aren’t serious prospects anyway.
My business is here for the long-term. Yes, I use direct response methods to try to increase my chances of the immediate sale. But at the same time, I also look beyond that first virtual cash register CA-CHING!
There are some that just don’t wish to learn, don’t want to be taught…sounds like said poster is a prime example.
I’d bet he/she has said something similar before and been corrcted on it.
“If a non-buyer gets upset then so-be-it… they won;t be back anyway, right?”
This statement couldn’t be any further from the truth. They won’t be back anyway?
What if they had to leave the page to check their Paypal account or checking account?
What if they wanted to discuss the purchase with a spouse before they bought?
What if they had to wait until “pay day”?
What if they simply wanted to think a bit longer?
This list could go on and on …
And I’m sorry but it shows complete ignorance to even make a statement like this.
I will say he’s right about one thing …
You tick off the potential buyer, he’s right, they won’t be back. I know I wouldn’t be.
Someone with thoughts like this more than obviously doesn’t care about his customers at all. It really is all about the sale.
Don’t get me wrong, I want to make just as many sales as the next guy but, I care about my customers first.
And as far as the Virtual Agents go, my own personal opinion is that I don’t like them either. (But that’s just my own thoughts.)