Three Website Design Mistakes That Make Enquiries Harder

Your website looks presentable. The company details are correct, the images are sharp and the pages load. Yet customers still call to ask basic questions or cannot find where to enquire.

Before commissioning a new design, look at the journey from their side.

Three common problems are unclear information, a confusing route through the site and an awkward experience on smaller screens. Each needs a different fix. Changing the colours will not solve all three.

1. The Website Does Not Answer The Buying Questions

A page can contain plenty of words without helping someone make a decision.

“Quality solutions with excellent service” could describe almost any business. A customer usually needs something more concrete: what you provide, whether it suits their situation, what is included and how to take the next step.

Imagine someone comparing suppliers for office furniture. A polished company introduction is useful, but it does not answer whether you handle space planning, supply a small order or install outside your usual area.

Start with the questions your sales team hears repeatedly. Put the relevant answers on the pages where customers would expect them.

Try this check:

• Read the page without relying on the main image.
• Describe the offer in one plain sentence.
• Find the information needed to decide whether to enquire.
• Identify the next action without searching the footer.

If you struggle, improve the explanation before adding another banner.

Do not replace missing detail with long paragraphs. A short introduction, clear subheadings and specific examples often make the page easier to follow.

2. Useful Information Is Difficult To Find

Your team knows how the business is organised. Visitors may not.

A menu that mirrors internal departments can force customers to learn your structure before they can find a service. Vague labels such as “Discover” may also leave them guessing about what comes next.

Choose one realistic task and follow it from the homepage. For example: “I need to know whether this company services equipment it did not supply.”

Notice where you hesitate, encounter several similar pages or have to go back. Ask someone unfamiliar with the business to try the same task without coaching.

Possible fixes include clearer menu labels, better grouping and a relevant link at the point where a question arises. Not every problem needs a larger menu.

Give buttons a recognisable purpose. “Request A Quotation” and “View Product Details” describe different actions. Use the one that matches the destination.

Also check whether the destination works. A well-labelled button leading to a missing page or an unmonitored form still leaves the journey unfinished.

3. The Mobile Journey Has Not Been Tested Properly

A page fitting within a phone screen is only the beginning.

Try opening the menu, reading a long heading, comparing options and completing the enquiry form. Check that important content is not cut off, covered by a floating button or available only when a mouse hovers over it.

Use your own phone, not just a screenshot of the mobile design. Rotate it, enlarge the text and return to the page after opening another app.

W3C’s accessible-design guidance also highlights clear navigation, readable presentation and identifiable controls. These checks help make the website usable in more situations, not just attractive in a presentation.

Do not remove important information solely to make the mobile page shorter. Reorganise it so visitors can still make an informed choice.

Turn The Review Into A Small Fix List

Record each issue as a customer problem, not a design preference.

“People cannot tell whether installation is included” gives the team something to solve. “Make it more modern” does not.

Prioritise problems that block an enquiry or hide essential information. Then test the same journey again after the change.

A full redesign may still be the right decision, but this review gives it a useful brief. You will know what needs to become easier, rather than simply asking for a different appearance.