Think as they do, and not as they say

How do customers choose insurance policies? If you believe questionnaires and face to face interviews with customers, price is most important. But in the labs, customers rarely choose the cheapest option.

Research we conducted for an insurance company found that customers consider price before anything else, but that they used it just to check the product was in the right ‘ball park’ for them. After that, a complex mix of influences came into play.

Customers weighed up product features and the brand against their own past experiences. They would consider all these factors – in itself no mean feat – and would rarely pick the cheapest option at the end.

Knowing this enabled us to advise our client on how best to display these products to its prospects. Providing the customer with all the information needed to make a decision ensures that sales result.

The lesson is clear: Perform user research to discover what factors your customers use to make a buying decision, and ensure that your website is providing the information they need to make that decision.