With most of the country in quarantine, people are more reliant upon digital applications like Netflix and Amazon than ever before. Netflix reportedly had 16 million new subscribers in the first three months of 2020 due to the coronavirus. It’s no coincidence that platforms with a good user experience like Netflix thrive while others don’t fare as well. User experience drives everything from digital products to the hardware that keeps them running.

Let’s take a look at some reasons why a good user experience (UX) is important for consumers and businesses alike.

Working from home has forced people to become expert multitaskers - especially those with kids in the mix. That means people are looking for a digital experience that allows them to complete tasks as fast as possible. A good UX allows users to get things done faster. As soon as a user hits a roadblock on a website or application, they are quick to dismiss it and move on to a competitor. And your competitors are mere fractions of an inch away in the digital landscape. According to a study from web usability research group the Baymard Institute, the global average online shopping cart abandonment rate is a whopping 69.57%. You get one shot. If you aren't helping that consumer get answers quickly or complete tasks as fast as possible, you’re out. A good user experience will help people get where they need to go faster.

A good UX helps users see that products are purposeful. Consider the applications you are personally using right now. When you need something but don't have the time or the ability due to lockdowns to physically shop at multiple physical locations looking for the best value, you look for something that can help. The choice between paying a small fee for grocery pick-up or delivery services or standing in a long line with your face covered in July heat becomes an easy one. That small fee provides time, convenience and comfort. A good UX is what levels up your product. It doesn’t matter how much it costs if it’s easy to use.

There is no excuse now. User experience is something that is essential to consumers. Technology has changed so much in the last 10 years that we may view UX as a luxury, but now with the sudden widespread adoption of technology, there is so much competition that consumers have endless options and they know it.

In today’s rapidly changing environment, having good UX is the key to customer retention and loyalty. The right user experience will create emotional connections with products. When you establish a bond of trust between a dealership and its customers, you forge and secure a relationship. In this technological era, people use mobile apps, websites, and in-store kiosks to interact with companies. This can estrange a feeling of intimacy, as we don’t really need to line up in banks anymore if we want to pay bills, or go to physical stores to buy something, when we can do the same things online.

Digital retail solutions with the best user experience in mind will cater to the online customer. If it does not it will damage the relationship and dealers can lose customers indefinitely.

Online shoppers' perceptions have changed, and the experience itself is more important than calls to action that are screaming for attention with empty results. A bad user experience can impact your bottom line today and well into the future. A good user experience creates emotional connections with products and allows users to get things done faster. It makes users feel like a product or service has a purpose and can push the boundaries of what we believe is possible.

A good user experience will encompass every touchpoint and interaction that a consumer has with the dealership. The less friction that a dealer can introduce into a digital journey – or even a hybrid physical/online journey, the more likely the consumer will continue on the journey that you want them to and end up with more sales.