Shopping on Maltese websites is still a mixed bag
Going digital is the holy grail of many businesses trying to ensure they survive. Increasing global competition has given consumers the freedom to buy goods and services from virtually every corner of the globe.
Going digital in a way that enhances customer services is one surefire way for retailers to handle an existential threat. Some businesses and service providers have made the transformation to digital platforms successful. Others mislead themselves that their customers are unfairly failing to appreciate their efforts to provide digital services.
My experiences with obtaining goods and services digitally are varied. Over the past few months, with restricted mobility due to the medical emergency, I, like many others, have used online services to buy goods and get other services.
Some local businesses have excellent online facilities that are easy to use, even for people who are not tech buffs. Attractive websites with extensive product information available, easy contact processes when needed and prompt delivery services are fairly standard. They are mainly businesses that sell quite expensive household items that have invested smartly to have user-friendly websites.
Unfortunately, some other experiences leave much to be desired, even though service providers claim that they are committed to providing quality service to customers using their online facilities.
QANGO located in the south of the island will not send business certificates for security reasons. They ask their customers to call in person to collect them. Arriving at the modern office of this enterprise, a security officer with a sour face with Fawlty Towers attitude reminds me meticulously of the medical protocol and then asks you to fill in the details in the registration form on a mini-tablet attached to the reception desk.
The font size is too small for anyone trying to fill in the details on a fixed electronic device from a distance of 50 to 60 centimeters. It definitely takes a lot more time to fill out the digital form than registering manually. More importantly, no attempt is made to ensure that the details filled out by a visitor are correct. Wouldn’t it be safer and faster for the security officer to check the visitor’s ID card?
Another disappointing experience was trying to get my internet service provider to fix a connectivity problem after connecting to the fiber optic network. The chat facility available most of the time on all days of the week is simply not effective.
There are still quite a few large retailers in Malta that have unattractive websites.
I spent two long unsuccessful sessions chatting online and receiving technical insurrections from call center staff who think carefully about how to fix the problem myself. Finally, I asked for a technician to visit because it was clear that my internet problem was not going to be fixed through a remote tutorial on how routers work. When a friendly technician called, he solved the problem promptly. This is not what smooth quality services should look like.
Local retailers complain that they can never compete with global retailers such as Amazon, eBay and Joom. They have a point why economies of scale make a difference in the price of various goods that can be easily transported from one country to another.
With recent changes in how VAT is charged by suppliers outside the EU, many still find it more convenient to order various items from global online suppliers. These suppliers have quickly adapted their sales processes to deal with VAT changes and save their customers from the hassle of filling out forms.
One can still find quite a few large retailers in Malta that have unattractive websites. Some do not even quote prices for the items they sell. I have heard of cases where Italian businesses are advertising their services to install home furniture for Maltese customers. They even come to take measurements and then install within a reasonable time.
There was a time when local businesses were bound by import restrictions to protect them from the dynamics of competition. Those times will never go back even if changes are made in the processes of globalization. Consumers have a strong lobbying with politicians as they are now accustomed to bringing their goods and services from wherever and who offers the best customer experience.
The model of retail malls that took Malta by storm at the end of the last century may survive for some more years. Some people will still seek out the emotional experience of physical shopping, especially on special occasions like Christmas.
However, digital shopping will continue to grow. Only those suppliers of goods and services who invest in consumer-friendly digital experiences will succeed.
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