05/ 07/ 2008
by Judy Artunian
If you've ever scoured a Web site's frequently-asked-questions (FAQ) page without finding the answer to your question, you know firsthand that an incomplete FAQ has the power to taint a customer's impression of an otherwise well-meaning company.
When customers know they can rely on your FAQ page to get their questions answered, they're more likely to remain loyal to your brand and recommend your products and services to others. A user-friendly FAQ page also helps you reduce customer service costs because customers can turn to the Web to get the answers they need instead of making a phone call.
How do you make sure your customers' visits to your FAQ page are a satisfying experience? Here are a few tips:
Keep your FAQ current. That means answering questions that your customers are asking today and removing questions that were hot a year ago, but rarely get asked anymore. To get a read on what customers want to know, find out what questions they're asking your customer service representatives, sales team and others who work directly with them. Check back monthly for updates. Also, stay up to date on the questions that customers are posing on your Web site's customer feedback form. Make it easy for visitors to ask questions that aren't included in your FAQ list by providing a link from your FAQ page to the feedback form.
Help customers find answers related to new products or services. After you unveil a new product or service, consider spotlighting the questions related to the new offering by placing them in a box at the top of your FAQ page. Don't turn your answers into a sales pitch. If customers frequently ask how your latest software upgrade compares to previous versions, include on your FAQ page a straightforward answer about the new product's features. Conclude the answer with a link to a product-comparison page where customers can read about the new software's benefits, as well its features.
Keep your questions and answers simple. Your internal experts might provide you with questions and answers using terminology that only industry insiders would understand. Even if their explanations are clear to you, ask yourself how a friend who isn't in the business would interpret the information. Translate obscure words and complex concepts into everyday language. If you must use a technical term, provide a definition.
Put your questions in a logical order. You can list questions from newest to oldest, in the order of how frequently they are asked, or the most basic to the most complex. If your questions fall naturally into categories such as "set-up," "operation" and "advanced features" place them into categories and list the questions within each category alphabetically or from the simplest to the most complex.
