A Customer’s Online Journey 
You’re at your favorite lunch spot waiting to order and overhear a conversation about someone’s recent vacation to St. Augustine. You think it might be a spot for your next family vacation too. You take out your phone and start looking up hotels. “Excuse me ma’am, can I take your order” says the voice from behind the counter and you realize you have to stop your search to order. Before you know it, you’re back in the office and forget about the vacation. At home, something sparks your memory and you mention the possible vacation to your husband. You go to the home computer together and continue your research but before you make your decision you stop to help the kids with their homework. Later in the evening you casually continue your search on your tablet while watching The Voice. Saturday you finally book the hotel through your smartphone, while in the stands of your daughter’s soccer game.
Multiple Devices Are Used To Complete One Purchase
This is an example of a cross device, customer journey and it happens quite often. Gone are the days of searching and buying with one device. Today consumers are always on the go and face numerous distractions. It’s no wonder they thrive on the convenience that a seamless website experience delivers, one that makes completing online activities with various devices a breeze. Dividing time across multiple devices simplifies their research and purchase processes. That is why it is vital for business owners to have a website that is easily viewed on all devices; from desktops and laptops to phones and tablets. Websites that employ this type of design are called responsive, meaning they adapt perfectly no matter what device the viewer is using.
Smartphones and Tablets At Home
A recent study found that contrary to common thought, a great deal of time is spent on mobile devices inside the home. So you can’t always count on a certain device (home computer) to necessarily get the final sale just because it takes place inside the customer’s home. What does that mean for business owners? Let’s assume you’ve spent valuable time and money on your website. It looks great on full sized computers and laptops but, what happens when a customer visits it using a tablet or smartphone? Is their navigation hindered with pinching, zooming, scrolling side to side? If the experience becomes a nightmare they will ultimately choose a different website, one of your competitors, who already has a responsive website.
Changing Needs
Customers’ needs are ever changing and it is imperative that you keep up if you want to stay relevant. Investing in your website now is an excellent way to provide a better user experience; leading to happier customers and more sales in the months and years ahead! If your customers have to choose between taking extra time and hassles on your website or going to your competition’s website where the purchase process is much easier, who do you think will get the sale? Catering to the needs of your customers with a responsive website is essential for making your website easy to use across multiple devices. Since you are unable to predict your customers’ lives or device preference, responsive web design is a smart choice because it covers all the bases. Consider it your frontline defense against losing potential customers and sales online.
Remember: Price is not the only determining factor when it comes to purchase decisions. Customers have been known to pay extra for convenience. I know I have.
