Companies of all sized are, quite rightly, looking to get more for the same (or less): car fleets are stretched another year before replacement, machinery is worked through the night to optimise its use and staff are 'requested' to work additional hours to save on salary costs (when in reality, we all know the inference is that unless staff actually work harder and put those extra hours in, they could be added to the list of potential redundancy candidates)
But what about your company website? How hard is it actually working for your business?
It's sat there day and night, designed & built with the aim of getting you more customers or keeping the existing ones serviced and engaged. But is it doing all it could?
Surely your website should be your hardest working employee?
If its not, then talk to your digital agency straight away and see what they suggest....
Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5
5 comments:
We think that the website is nothing more than a page that people can find your company details and a way for people to contact you. This changes of course if you have a blog based website and then you are starting to generate interest with relevant information to the industry. In regards to your point about it generating business I don’t believe many people would actually become a client just from a website. It needs to have a blog o show you are passionate about your market and you know you stuff.. Like the blog though so please do keep them coming... and check us out www.gcsdigitalmedia.blogspot.com
Thanks for the reply and glad you like the blog, it’s good to have your feedback.
However I’m going to politely disagree with your comments.
1. No site, even one page with company details is “nothing more… than a way to contact you”. Even doing this should be done well and efficiently (e.g. Are you details unambiguous? Is there a clear phone number and do you state the hours it will be answered? Is you page accessible? Is it coded well? Etc.)
2. Of course people become clients from “just a website”, that’s why so many internet-only ecommerce operations exist without physical stores and a handful of staff. It’s also often the first place that a new customer can look and understand more about your products and services – from here they will decide whether to take the matter further.
3. You don’t need a blog to show your passion. Sure, good content and imagery can convey your company qualities, but a blog is not mandatory (although its useful in many ways if its done well)
Of course, not all businesses need an ‘all singing & dancing’ website, but if you’re going to do it…. You should at least do it well and make it work as hard as it possibly can for you.
Hayden
I thought about this for a bit. I don't need a blog from my local McDonalds - far from it.
Whether people become your customer based just on a website depends very much on whether your site provides your actual business.
If you happen to be a consultancy company and all you do is provide contact details and snappy quotes, your customers will at best feel slightly more positive about you but they will still need to talk to you (and 17 others) before hiring you.
If however you could provide the actual consulting service on your web page... people would flock to you.
Consider having a site which shows the address of your restaurant with a site that allows you to make a reservation directly.
I'm convinced that if you OFFER actual valid business through your site, then you bet will it generate business. More than any blog or facebook page or tweet will ever do.
If you don't... well.
If it's true that nobody wants to read a blog from McDonalds, maybe that's because there is nothing much to talk about.
And I can't see very much difference between reserving a table at your favourite restaurant by telephone or doing it online. If you want anything slightly complicated, you'll probably have to speak to someone anyway.
Many transactions are hybrid. Last week I wanted to order a takeaway from Santa Maria Pizzeria in Ealing, so it was useful to be able to look up the phone number and view the menu online before I phoned them. (I wonder whether that link will trigger anything interesting?)
But where's the social in that? There are some far more interesting things that a small restaurant or chain could do with its website. I've just thought of several ideas that are much too valuable to give away, but your readers could probably think of some for themselves anyway. Or maybe ask their customers? (Damn, I just gave away one of my ideas.)
Thanks for your comments Richard and Bondscoach, I think you’re both heading towards the same point. Your website needs to work as hard as it can, but it is not the only way for customers to engage with you. We live in a multi-channel world where the relevant of the communication channel is chosen by the user and they need to be served regardless of where, when and how they are using the technology.
Let’s consider the topic of a restaurant website, since you’ve both mentioned it. This site needs to deliver exactly what the user wants, not necessarily what just the owner/manager wants (e.g. it doesn’t need to have a huge “welcome to my website” message, it needs to have the number for people to call and make reservations/bookings).
Take a look at this site which sums up my opinion:
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/restaurant_website
Post a Comment