Most of the 2 billion web sites on the net today are losing customers by not responding to their needs. After all, most of these sites are not published by full time webmasters. The company spends most of its time working the business not the site. Filling orders, resolving corporate issues and daily operations. The web site is treated as static advertisement and not fulfilling the customers needs. When was the last update to your web site? If you have to look at the date on the file to recall it's probably out of date with your customers. In business, you know that the customer that comes back is a repeat customer. If they have seen your site and it never changes, then why would they come back? Most likely they will head over to your competitors. Even if they charge more for the same product, most of your customers will make this jump if they find any of the following on your site. (1) Old information, (2) ineffective communications of your services/products, and/or (3) it's too difficult to navigate your site and find the information they need.
The world is very small, when you can open a browser window on every continent in just a few clicks. The Internet is a world market! Let your site reflect that world market and it will be yours. Are you losing customers by not giving them the service they need? YES! The fastest way to throw your money and hard work away is to deny access to current information on your products and services. Only by keeping your site up to date and relevant to their needs can your clients get to your products or services when they are thousands of miles away. Don't put roadblocks in their way. Keep your site up to date. If they have to jump through hoops to get the information, and when they finally get there and they are presented out of date information they will not return. The disappointed client will make a concerted effort NOT to visit again or make a purchase. Remember your competitor is only a click away.
Keeping your site up to date is the real challenge. After all you're not in the web site business. Retaining a Webmaster full or part time is the best method of keeping your site up, and competitive. It allows you to focus on your business, while the Webmaster works on your site. Imagine just emailing your price changes or an update of product information to the Webmaster and getting back to work. The professional Webmaster will get the information integrated into the site and get it working. While allowing you to work on your business. This productive method of management is a more effective way of maximizing your income potential for your business.