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Professional Online Presence Wins Customers
SMEs should ensure their online presence is as professional as possible or they risk missing out on vital custom, Microsoft has warned.
Generate More Business
A Microsoft survey found that over half of all respondents felt a well designed website would generate more business for smaller firms. Nine out of ten respondents claimed they would be more likely to choose a local supplier that used a business email address, while nearly half admitted to shunning local firms that used a personal email address.
Professional Presence
In addition, website design could portray positive business attributes such as greater accessibility (53 per cent of respondents), professionalism (41 per cent) and greater clarity (51 per cent) on what the business offers.
"A local firm's online presence - be that through its website or email contact - is a vital factor in conveying professionalism, which is what attracts customers to that specific business," said Microsoft UK Office Live product manager Tim Kimber.
Personal Email Address
"It's particularly important that we look to rid the small business world of personal email, which doesn’t communicate the level of professionalism small firms need," he added.
However, while a professional looking online presence can draw customers in, retaining them is down to customer service and after sales care. Almost half (46 per cent) of respondents said good service is key when deciding to use a business again, while after sales care was a deciding factor for 63 per cent of people.
