Have you ever found yourself entering your cell phone and address onto a new site and wondering what they’ll do with it or why they need it? What happens to all your information that’s stored out there? Is it safe on all these different sites? Could it ever be accessed and used without permission?
What if a good friend was sitting next to you and they said, “You know, you don’t have to put your phone number in if you don’t want to. Either way, they’re only going to use it to make sure that they can reach you if there’s a problem with your order and they don’t get a response from email first. It won’t be sold to any other companies, and their storage of your data is secure.”
Recognizing the characteristics of a good friend will help you understand what makes a good user experience (UX). Good friends have your back, they wouldn’t recommend something that you shouldn’t do, they are trustworthy, and they’re clear. A good UX designer carefully considers how the design and function of your site or app create a sense of trust and transparency – like a friend.
Brand transparency is becoming a competitive bargaining chip that companies can offer consumers. A study done in 2016 by Label Insight found that 94% of consumers are more likely to be loyal to brands that commit to full transparency. Almost 40% said that they would pursue new brands to gain more transparency.
A few ways to improve user experience through brand transparency include:
1. Pricing Details
Consumers are seeking online shopping because they can quickly compare and price shop. Play into this by adding small tips throughout a user’s journey for how they can save money or why the pricing of your items is justified by the quality.
2. Customer Reviews & Ratings
Provide ratings on your products so that consumers can get unbiased opinions and feel that they aren’t being deceived by just taking your word for it.
3. Contact Information & Support
Provide consumers with clear ways to contact you if they have questions about the product or order. Provide polite and timely replies. Don’t have the resources for this type of customer service? Look into an automated chat bot that can answer some common questions.
4. Trust Seals & Privacy Statements
Be clear to users about why you need their personal information and what it will be used for. Show users that your site is secure through trust seals.
5. Product Specifications
Provide detail specifications so that users can learn the most about your product before having to commit to it. If this is hidden, then users are being asked to take a risk and hope for the best. Another site might provide these data points up front and give the user that extra comfort that they needed, even if it’s slightly more expensive.
These small changes help build trust, improve user experience, and increase conversions. Design to be constant, design for trust, and design for the consumer’s needs just like you would a friend’s.
