The frontend is where customers interact with your website – and your business. But that doesn’t mean that it’s just an interface. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how it can be your best bet to stand out from the competition.
The how-not-to
Just the other day, a colleague of ours wanted to sort out a utility problem. Naturally, he pulled up the company’s website, where he was welcomed by a chatbot assistant, colorful animations and tons of suggested content, including blog posts and videos. It took him several minutes to figure out how to navigate the site but still couldn’t find the answer he was looking for. Having given up on his futile quest, he called customer service at the number provided on the website.
He was then redirected to another line, followed by a third one. That’s where he finally learned that the request he’d submitted 32 days earlier had been received by the company. He was reassured that an email had been sent to the relevant service team to speed up the approval process. In the end, it took him an hour to have his issue resolved. All’s well that ends well, granted. But surely that’s no way to build trust with today’s customers.
The lesson learned
This story perfectly illustrates how your digital frontend goes – or should go – way beyond your website. Had there been a well-designed interface supported by a robust CMS and chatbot application, our colleague’s saga could have ended three phone calls and many unnerving minutes earlier. In other words, using a digital frontend ecosystem instead of standalone solutions, service providers can connect customers with knowledgeable support agents right away, saving them time and frustration.
The frontend ecosystem, explained
In essence, frontend has three key components.
Any interface that’s used by your customers, whether it’s a website, a chatbot or a contact form.
Workflow management modules that supply the above interfaces with actionable information.
- A backend system that provides data to customers and customer-facing employees via a standard interface (API).
There are tons of products and modules to choose from, so it’s key that you weigh your options before committing to a solution. Carry out detailed assessment, plan the implementation process and train your staff on how to use the new system.
The how-to
Business customers are getting more and more involved in frontend development projects, breaking down operational silos to achieve better results cheaper and faster. For large and mid-size companies alike, we can provide support beyond CMS and website development so they can catch up to digital native competitors – and even get ahead of the game.