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Newsletter #1009: The “Lessons from an Amazing Software Trial” Issue

[Welcome back to the Damn, I Wish I’d Thought of That! newsletter. This is text of the great issue all of our email subscribers just received. Sign yourself up using the handy form on the right.]

When we tried out Bigcommerce, an e-commerce software and shopping cart service, we were surprised by their remarkable customer service throughout our entire trial. Their welcoming process is something everyone should borrow from.

Here are three examples from our experience:

1. A real person contacts you
3. They don’t make you start from scratch
2. They don’t wait for you to ask questions
4. Check it out: Turn your handwriting into a font

1. A real person contacts you

When you start a trial with Bigcommerce, they send you lots of help from actual humans. Within 30 minutes of signing up for the trial, we received a call from a real person and an email with his direct contact information. He said he was our go-to contact, and we could contact him with any questions, any time. (And this was on a weekend.) No phone trees, no forms to fill out — just a real person, ready to help.

The lesson: For a software service, having a real person available is a big deal. When potential customers take your stuff on a test run, are you showing them the same customer service you would if they already bought it?

2. They don’t make you start from scratch

Even with all of these offers for help and tips for using their software, staring at a blank e-commerce site can be intimidating. To help you out, Bigcommerce gives you options with a bunch of pre-populated test stores. It’s seems obvious, but so many software tools give you a completely blank slate that takes hours to figure out.

The lesson: Your customers’ first impressions are so important. They shouldn’t have to work to make the most of your stuff. How are you giving them a great experience from the start?

3. They don’t wait for you to ask questions

In addition to the calls and contact information for real people, Bigcommerce also sent us invitations for a video tour that explains each of the features in detail as well as answers to frequently asked questions. We didn’t have to dig around on their site or call a rep — answers to a lot of our big questions were right there. (And all we had to do was watch a video.)

The lesson: It’s important to help your customers succeed right away. How are you helping your customers get to the good stuff?

4. Check it out: Turn your handwriting into a font

My Script Font lets you create a vector font from your handwriting. Just download a template, write some letters, and scan and upload it to My Script Font.

Check it out: My Script Font

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