“The difference between ‘try’ and ‘triumph’ is just a little ‘upmh’!” – Marvin Phillips.
Our website or our app is the face of our company. So, when it comes to customer behavior, the little extra oomph is a great UI/UX design. Yes, having an impressive marketing campaign or a compelling sales pitch is more than necessary. But it’s just not enough to drive our users’ buying decisions. Not anymore, at least.
Back then, companies used witty advertisement campaigns and clever packaging to convince their customers they were the best. And there is no better option on the market than their brand. And for the longest time, this strategy worked. But as time passed, we stopped believing everything we were told and started questioning whether this one-way communication form of advertising was legitimate.
Seeing is believing. We could have the most expensive marketing campaign with Mark Zuckerberg promoting your product. But without a well-established UI UX design that aligns with our message, our product might as well not exist at all.
So, what is the impact of UI/UX design on customer behavior? Let’s start by understanding what UI/UX design is and where UI/UX and CX meet.
“UI is the saddle, the stirrups, & the reins. UX is the feeling you get being able to ride the horse.” – Dain Miller.
UI design represents the visuals, the elements of a product, the buttons, the images – everything we can see. All of these in order to create an aesthetically pleasing product.
On the other hand, UX design represents the interaction we have as users with the product – everything we experience when using that specific product. It’s the seamless flow, the ease of navigation, and in a nutshell – it’s the product architecture. Not how a product looks like, but rather how it works.
There has been a massive difference between the companies that have embraced UI UX design and those that… well, haven’t.
Believe it or not, it’s this gap that could be the determining factor between the companies that are succeeding and those that fail miserably. Just ask MySpace! MySpace was once the dominant social media platform. But that was before Facebook brought something completely different. Well, not so different since they were both social media platforms. But Facebook did come with a minimalist layout, intuitive user interface, and an emphasis on creating real connections. Mark Zuckerberg recognized the value of UI/UX design and made Facebook more than just a social media platform – an experience.
“We either provide a customer-centric experience, or our competitors will.” – Christopher Penn, former VP of Marketing Technology at SHIFT Communications.
This is what happened between Facebook and MySpace. And this might happen with all the other companies that neglect their UI/UX strategy. But more often than not, business owners don’t quite realize its power. The reality is that 75% of users even base their judgment of a website’s credibility solely on how it looks and works. And if that’s not enough, 88% of users are less likely to return to a platform if they had a bad experience.
We are at a point where our customers want more than just good deals! They want experiences, too! And UI/UX design is all about understanding our users’ behavior. What they do on our platform, how they interact with it, if they enjoy using it, and so on.
And if we, as UI/UX designers, can master this concept, it can be the decisive factor that influences their choice to make a purchase. In fact, Forrester's research demonstrated that every dollar invested in UI/UX design brings $100 in return. So, on average, that’s a 9.900% ROI for each company that focuses on creating user-centric platforms.
Here’s why UI/UX design drives business success and impacts customer-purchase decisions:
Let’s face it – when we like something, we continue using it. And this applies to platforms as well. When we interact well with the platform, we find everything we need quickly, AND we like how it looks – we’re bound to come back. Positive experiences make memorable experiences.
- Higher Customer Satisfaction
Customer satisfaction is the core of all successful businesses. If we can’t keep our customers happy, they will go elsewhere. However, a satisfied customer is much more likely to become a loyal customer. And UI/UX design directly impacts this satisfaction because it determines how much our customers like using our products or services.
- Brings a Competitive Advantage
Yes, developing an innovative product is essential. Competitive pricing is even more crucial. But as businesses, we want to stick out. We don’t want to be just another product in the market.
We want our customers to remember us the way we think of Nike when we see “Just Do It!” or of Apple when we see that iconic half-apple logo. We want them to have that “aha!” moment when they see something that instantly reminds them of our brand. And most of the time, our UI/UX design might be just that.
- Positive Brand Perception
Subconsciously or not, as customers, we take into consideration how other people perceive a certain company. It’s normal – after all, we all look at reviews. So, the user sees, the user does. And when a product has a well-designed UI/UX, not only that it boosts our reputation, but more people are more likely to recommend us and bring in even more customers.
“Design is the silent ambassador of your brand.” – Paul Rand, Art Director and Graphic Designer of the iconic IBM logo.
Every color, every pixel, and every interaction in our product design tells our story. And our UI/UX design fills the gap between our users and us. But a platform that makes people come back must add value. It must be designed to their needs. And it must feel the gap between them and us.
But the more we invest in creating a great UI/UX design, the more chances our customers will be happy. And a happy customer is a happy business.
We at uinkits understand the importance of inputs in great user experiences and creating amazing UI designs. That’s why we’ve developed a Figma UI Kit with design components that include these essential UI elements that enable you to design intuitive and user-friendly interfaces effortlessly.
“You press the button, we do the rest,” – Kodak.
Inspired by this iconic tagline from Kodak, we believe in simplifying the design process for you. Our Figma UI Kit, uinkits, is a complete design system with UI components that allows you, as a UI UX designer, to create your products as quickly as pressing a button.
Our design system components, including variables, cards, buttons, and everything you need for your design process. All you have to do is take your UI design component needed, and you’re ready to use it in your designs!
