Report Analysis Part 3—Factors that Influence Customers' Decision-Making

To understand the factors that influence the customers’ decision-making, it is necessary to sort out the entire process, which can more accurately locate the problems in the experience process of consumers and the opportunity to improve the experience. Placing orders on the online platform, whether it is offline store pickup and delivery or door-to-door pickup and delivery, the consumer decision-making process involves three modules: selection-transaction-performance. Through the following analysis of the consumption process of daily washing and dyeing users, we will understand the key decision points of typical users and the core methods to improve the experience.

The Primary Factor Customers Consider

The core processes of going to the offline stores and making an order online are different so customers have different choices under different circumstances. Taking offline services as an example, the distance from the stores to the customers has been the top considered factor. Then, the second high is price. Compared with online laundry, the first consideration for consumers in offline stores is the cleaning effect. Factors such as cleaning time, and door-to-door delivery are considered behind.

❑ Washing time

Another dimension the customers pay attention to is the washing time. According to the customer survey of Meituan, in the compliance process, customers pay attention to the washing time. 28 percent of customers want the laundry service to end in 3 days. Over half of the customers (52%) want the laundry service to end in 4-6 days. Only less than 20 percent can accept the 7-day washing circle.

❑ Urgent needs for washing

In small scenarios like business trips, weddings, and so on, customers may have an urgent demand for washing clothes. Many brands actively provide quick washing and quick laundry and care services to satisfy the customers’ needs, which is the core competitiveness of offline high-quality stores. After making an order, the delivery person picking up the clothes in 24 hours really satisfies the customers’ urgent needs.

❑ Requirements for service suppliers

Definitely, quick washing has a higher demand for the operators. Whether it is the efficient collaboration with logistics systems, the quick washing after receiving the package, or the console drying process, they all should be ensured by comparatively stable services. Meeting customers’ instant requirements can certainly increase customer satisfaction and goodwill with the company and platform. Once the customers’ needs can be satisfied in a short time, they will be apt to use this service again and recommend it to others.

Communication before Washing

The types of fabrics and stains are complicated so communication before washing is really important.

❑ Customers

By virtue of communication, customers can tell the service supplier about the materials, styles, and other special designs in detail. Some clothes from high-end brands or clothes with complex designs and special fabrics should be cleaned in a special way with additional matters needing attention. Points worthy of attention

❑ Stores

At the same time, for stores, different types of clothes and different stains correlate to different prices. As for clothes with additional stains, the communication can let the customers know the complexity of handling the fabrics and stains. Enough communication can help the store operators choose appropriate washing methods and detergents, achieving the best effects and reducing the risk of clothes being damaged in the process of washing. According to Meituan Customer Survey, 63 percent of customers want to communicate about the desired washing effect when the delivery person picks up the clothes at the door, while 32 percent of the customers can accept the additional phone call to communicate after the clothes are picked up.

❑ The complete process

Everyone has different expectations for the washing effects of the clothes. As a result, enough communication before washing is not only a requirement of the customers but also a core part of the laundry service by stores.

Taking online laundry as an example, after the laundry factory receives the package, a specially-assigned person carries out the unpacking inspection, and clothes checking, and scans the code to write the clothes into the data system. After that, according to the fabrics, washing label, and other information, the washing solution to choose can be decided initially. (Water cleaning, dry cleaning, washing by hand precisely) Then, the customer service staff needs to communicate with the customers in advance in terms of specific stains and risks of washing to make sure the final laundry solutions, including whether there is a need to make up the price difference or stop washing and return clothes. This can reduce a lot of complaints and negative comments resulting from insufficient communication.

Hot Points of Platform User Evaluation

In the after-sales stage, all the hard work the entrepreneur did to win the customers’ trust will be shown in the user evaluation. Degree of cleanliness, service attitude, and dispute handling are some hot angles of platform user evaluation.

❑ On the one hand, once customers find a good laundry store or experience a satisfying washing, they will have an impulse to share it with others, especially when the investments in laundry care have been a showcase of their life quality. Positive customer feedback will amplify the appeal of the laundry brands.

❑ On the other hand, once there is a conflict, customers tend to use the platform to tell everyone and urge the service suppliers to solve the problems as soon as possible.

Conclusion

All the above are conclusions in terms of online customers' decision-making factors for online laundry users. In the next article, we will share the last part of the report with you: the tendency and opportunity of the washing and drying of the daily clothing.