Avoiding the 4 Plagues to Providing a Poor Online Customer Experience

We all know the power of great marketing, but what about the power of great internet marketing, the resource that's underrated — at least by most business traditionalists — for its value within the marketplace?

The internet has adopted a pivotal position within the marketing industry, leveraging businesses on the verge of disaster. The internet is readily available and, when used strategically, has the potential to save any business, regardless of industry, from getting caught in the tangled web of failure.

It's no secret that a stigma has been attached to the internet, steering people clear of its claws. However, the internet serves as more of a helping hand than a merciless grip, especially when it comes to getting your brand exposed.

With millions of social media accounts being created on a daily basis, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are a lot more welcoming than they've been rumored to be. They're the perfect digital “mixer” to get your company in position to thrive. The internet realm is undoubtedly a commodity. It’s within these social media outlets and e-communication platforms that word about your company and its products and/or services can not only get recognized but, more importantly, sought out.

Afraid you’ll get lost in the sea of internet dwellers? Fear not. Incentive, no matter where it's presented, will get a rise out of consumers. You can thrill your customers through online means just as much as you can in person. The options for the wow factor are truly limitless when pairing your company with the internet. Who can turn down a free dinner just because they responded to your company’s tweet?

The key element to effectively using the internet within your business is recognizing whether your company is a victim of the four plagues:

• Rudderless leadership (or followership). Management has lost command and control of the business. The company's become a group of people working under the same roof but rarely, if ever, rowing the same boat. What to do?
• Lust to lax syndrome. When lusting after a new client or customer, many companies marshal all resources toward getting that new customer. However, once they land the customer, companies often relax and give mediocre service. They fail to thrill their customers.
• Complacency. When a business performs well, it's easy for it to believe it will always perform well through divine intervention. Companies must continue to innovate, invest back into the business and raise the bar on every product/service/process/skill.
• Belief in conventional wisdom. Here are some examples of that conventional wisdom: management by consensus (impossible); people should be awarded on the basis of seniority (wrong); and the 80/20 rule (an excuse).

Once you’ve sorted through the rifts of your company, you need to question how your website is luring people in and convincing people to return. What separates your website from every other online retailer or business? Is your company website an experience or merely a dull page with little to no awe?

Eliminating the four plagues and adding thrill to the customer experience aligns marketing and management in a fusion of promotion and execution that's poised to generate exponential results.

Mark Stevens is the author of "Your Company Sucks: It's Time to Declare War on Yourself." Mark can be reached at Mark@MSCO.com.