Build a site and be prepared

Computer Industry Report, May 7, 1999

"It's imperative to make IT a key part of the team," she added. "While it is technically complex, some of what you are doing in e-business can be pretty straightforward. There is no need to overengineer what you want to do," Morris said.

"You can waste a lot of money redoing the site if you do not know what you are doing," admitted one executive.

SIMPLICITY - THE KEY TO SUCCESS

"Ease of use is the key to success," observed one veteran.

Others testified to the virtues of simplicity. "Simpler is better," declared one. Another claimed that the simpler the site, the more customers accrue to the site.

"Keep in mind Web site navigation from the customer's standpoint. Consistency throughout the site is very important; don't have different means" of navigation in different sections, added another.

"Make the site simple, easy to use and understand. Eliminate the guesswork that causes error. If possible, obtain e-mail and phone numbers to reach customers in as many ways as possible for quick problem resolution," said one retailer. Another site gave the following advice: "Error-proof, error-proof, error-proof - customers will make the most unimaginable mistakes and special requests."

Several respondents mentioned the need to appeal to the lowest common denominator and to simplify. Also, it's important to be sure pages download quickly - even for the masses that still have a slow connection. Making navigation easier for customers is an ongoing issue at one site. In constructing a site, one cannot "rely on the customer" but rather must make the system "foolproof" and "guide the customer through the process."

Speed is a virtue on the Web. "Design to the lowest common denominator as your customers are dialing in to ISPs from their home computers, not necessarily those high-end machines with huge bandwidth. A good site doesn't have to have Java applets and Flash screens and overbearing graphics. A good editor/good content is far superior to the 'whistles and bells' approach to Web site design," added Ken Evans, Webmaster at Books.com.

"Start small - you don't need to boil the ocean! Show results quickly. Stay customer focused - they should give the priorities," advised Mike Tonnesen of Cisco Systems.

"Instead of trying to include everything, survey the marketplace for what's out there. Build out instead of trying to be all encompassing at initial launch. Keep your requirements slim and build those requirements on an expandable structure rather than trying to encompass everything. If you take too much time to build something with too much functionality, it's guaranteed to be obsolete once you finally launch!" added Robert Linehan, Marriott International Inc.

THINK INTERNATIONAL

The advice from several sites is that one should plan from the start to make the site suitable for international use. "Localization of product information and pricing is key to customers," said one executive. "Be ready to handle international business - it took off very fast and we were not prepared. Do not use American buzzwords - others don't" understand them, said another.