Why Listening to Customers Can Transform Your Website’s Performance

In the fast-paced world of digital business, it's surprising how many website owners struggle to make quick, effective changes to their sites. The ability to adapt and update easily should be a fundamental principle for any website owner, yet many are still beholden to IT teams and their internal governance processes. But let’s not dwell on that frustration; instead, let’s focus on how you can gain valuable customer insights—even if your technology doesn’t allow for instant updates like popping a survey into your tag manager.

When I first started out in this field, we faced this exact challenge. Without the luxury of seamless digital tools, we turned to good old-fashioned listening. We spent time in call centers, spoke directly with frontline staff, and even stood in the doorways of branches to observe and understand customer behavior.

One story that stands out involves an account we were marketing online. It was a brilliantly simple instant access account with no restrictions—a dream product. Yet, online adoption was lackluster. The business team couldn’t understand why such a user-friendly product wasn’t flying off the (digital) shelves.

To get to the bottom of it, we took a step back and did something refreshingly simple: we showed the website to customers and staff. We asked them to read it and tell us what questions came to mind. Time and again, one question surfaced: “Will I lose any interest if I take money out?”

Our initial reaction? “Of course not—it’s an instant access account. Isn’t that obvious?” But the staff’s response was an eye-opener: “No, it’s not obvious to customers. We get asked this almost every time.”

That insight was a game-changer. While the answer to this concern was buried in the terms and conditions, we realized that wasn’t good enough. So, we added four simple words to the product’s strapline: “Without Loss of Interest.”

The result? A staggering 160% increase in conversion rates. Four words. That’s all it took.

What This Teaches Us About Customers

This experience drives home an important lesson: understanding your customers’ mental “shopping list” of concerns and questions is crucial. It’s not enough to assume that your audience will connect the dots or know what you know about your product.

As website owners, marketers, and business leaders, we often fall into the trap of believing we are typical customers of our own businesses. Spoiler alert: we’re not. We come equipped with insider knowledge, making it hard to view our websites or products through a fresh, unbiased lens.

To bridge that gap, you need to actively seek out feedback and insights. This doesn’t always require sophisticated tools or extensive surveys. Sometimes, all it takes is:

• Listening to frontline staff: They’re often the first to hear customer pain points.

• Observing customer interactions: Whether in a branch, over the phone, or through live chat.

• Asking direct questions: Show your website to real people and ask, “What’s unclear?”

Simple Changes, Big Wins

It’s amazing how simple changes—like clarifying a strapline—can lead to significant results. But these changes only come when you embrace curiosity and humility, acknowledging that you don’t have all the answers.

Customer feedback isn’t just valuable; it’s transformative. It gives you the keys to creating experiences that resonate, eliminate doubt, and ultimately drive performance.

So, the next time you’re tempted to believe you’re a typical customer of your business, pause. Instead, open your mind to feedback, listen carefully, and watch your results soar. Winning in digital isn’t always about complex strategies—it’s about understanding the simple truths that matter most to your audience.