So you arrive at a wesbsite and start along your merry way, browsing at will. Suddenly, you are confronted by a curious ‘error’ message, denoted by a big red exclamation mark. OK, so I have made a mistake by not including a valid username. But why is the error message in the bottom left of the page when the field for my username is in the top right?
At first, I did not even know what the red exclamation mark was telling me until I scoured the page for direction. Sadly, rather than being the only issue, this example is but one of the many error messages which contrive to frustrate online customers and exacerbate the mistake that should be easily rectified.
On any given website there are usability issues which range from minor to critical. When it comes to proper error messages, what needs to be realized is that they are not just important, they are critical to the user experience.
Whose Job is it Anyway?
In what seems an astoundingly odd move, some sites do not even concern themselves with delivering a proper error message, instead relying on the web or application server to throw up its standard — and uninformative — messages. At best, this seems nonchalant and at worst, entirely ignorant towards the user. It is up to the company to ensure that error messages are both timely and accurate.
Put simply, and this in no way diminishes the importance of the point, a good error message should tell you three critical things: what went wrong, why it happened, and what, if anything, you can do to fix it.
Unfortunately for web users, these excruciating experiences which exhibit a fundamental lack of awareness by the site designers are all too frequent. From jargon-laden messages which serve only to confuse to others which go no way to actually explaining where you have strayed, proper error messages appear to be conspicuously absent.
The Long and Winding Road
Inconsistent, misleading or just plain bad, this kind of error message can be an infuriating diversion on the road to completing your online goal or arriving at your ultimate online destination. In some worst case scenarios, they are so distracting that they arrest your desire to even complete the transaction if it is not imperative that you buy from that particular ecommerce site. For many users, time is very much of the essence. Time consuming navigation which often seems to lead to an online cul-de-sac is not desirable to anyone.
The sad thing is that, with foresight and an awareness of what your user needs to assist when a genuine error is made, it does not have to be this way. I am sure there are those who consider this to be much ado about nothing but I can assure those doubters, proper error messages matter.
We Can Work It Out
Of course, most online users can always work out what the error messages mean and navigate safely on; the question is, why should they have to? Many of the error messages, like the time-honored classic ‘404’ that we all love so much are clearly written by the technically astute, not for the benefit of the user. When an error occurs, it is imperative to guide the user back to the correct path by the employment of clear instruction, not infuriate them with techno-babble.
When the user has to expend more energy on working out the navigational weaknesses of a site rather than enjoying a seamless experience, you are in grave danger of losing that sale and any subsequent loyalty.
Too many ecommerce websites seem to be forgetting that high quality usability is key to the success of their sales. Considering the immense wealth of online competition in almost every business, seemingly simple things such as continuously irritating error messages can indeed make or break a sale and, ipso facto, lose future sales.
I Can’t Get No Satisfaction
Who among us has not enjoyed the dubious pleasures of error messages with no explanation as to what the mistake even was? All it takes is a clear and concise indication next to the error in question and, preferably, at the top of the page and eureka, the customer is satisfied and the goodwill factor is not eroded by unnecessary frustration. Consistency is a key here. Make sure that each and every conceivable error has an appropriate and easily understood solution.
Consumers do make errors, that is a fact; but it is the speed and accuracy with which these are addressed and corrected which shapes their experience, not the fact that they occurred in the first place. Errors do not mean a disgruntled customer but in many cases, a lack of help from the site most certainly breeds dissatisfaction.
A Hard Days Night
Such imminent frustration can also be found when the customer makes an error but instead of being returned to a form where the correct fields remain full, the entire form is emptied. Constant back and forth form completion and indeed having to click back rather than being directed to the screen where the error can be rectified is something which will test the patience of even the most virtuous and experienced web user.
Working hard to fill in forms is not what online purchasing is supposed to represent. Indeed, the whole idea of online purchasing is the convenience and efficiency it is supposed to deliver.
In Conclusion
When it comes to proper error messages, the conclusion I continue to reach on a regular basis is that not only do they matter, they are crucial. Customer experience is everything and that should never be underestimated.
Ignoring an error message is just like standing in a department store and when confronted with a lost customer, instructing them that you have no intention of directing them appropriately and hoping that a vague, uninformative reply will suffice. Surely, this is not something you would want to encounter in person, so why should you have to meet with such a scenario on the web?
VKI Studios is an Internet marketing and website usability company which has been helping customer experience since 1998.
