Wednesday, November 15th, 2006
Used Cisco router? Care to be more specific?
We often get website traffic with users looking in Google for the term “used Cisco router.” While most IT departments have specific hardware requirements to configure into their existing network, I often wonder if those looking for a generic term like mentioned have a specific router in mind when searching as well.
We know that consumers often follow many steps along the way to making a purchasing decision. In the above example, users may be generally looking for sites that offer “used cisco routers,” while having a specific model in mind. Some however, may still be searching for a comparison of various models and pricing in order to further refine their search query. Once they have a better idea of the model(s) they are interested in, they often return to the search engines to input a more specific phrase like “used cisco 7200,” as this implies a more targeted product search.
Once they’ve found a qualifying website, they may browse the various product listings within a product family and narrow their search to an even more specific model. At this point they have a good idea of what exact model they want, and the realtive price range. Savvy shoppers will visit more than one site, and make a decision based on a combination of price, guarantee, and ultimately customer service.
It’s at this point that we at TAG hope to engage the customer in a conversation. For beyond the sale of a single piece of equipment, we look to build an ongoing relationship with every customer inorder to become their single point of contact for any future network hardware needs. So, while most generic searches rarely result in an immediate purchase, over time they often evolve into a lasting realtionship.