Contact Centers, CRM And VoIP Dominate Relevant Search Results On Google

Customer Inter@ction Solutions, Sep 2007 by Tehrani, Nadji

2,210,000,000 Relevant Search Results For Contact Center Services Further Evidence That The Industry IS Alive And Well

Why Are Web sites Vitally Important?

Because if you are not on the first page of the leading search engines, you don't exist.

When people need to research anything or need to compare products and services or get complete information about any subject matter, the first thing they do is they log on to Google or Yahoo or MSN and check the search results. The fact is, most people do not go beyond the first page. It should be crystal clear that if you are not on the first page of the search engines in question, you simply do not exist.

The Importance of Online Presence and Your Web site

More and more, companies are realizing that in order to be perceived as industry leaders, they must be on the first page of the search engines. Furthermore, it is equally important to have a professionally prepared sophisticated Web site that would explain the company's core-competency, mission statement, and management vision.

What is the Meaning of Your Web site?

In today's new media, modern thinking, your Web site is what represents your company. One might even consider it your company's resume. Before you hire a candidate, you would, of course, like to see the resume of the candidate and then further question the information provided on the resume. By the same token, when you are looking to hire an outsourcing company or purchase a technology or service product, you also would like to read a resume of the company. In today's new media, that Web site acts as your company's resume.

Your Web site is Your Business Card

In the traditional way of introducing yourself, your company and your Web site, you used to exchange printed business cards. Although, this practice is still in existence, the business card can only serve as a vehicle to invite interested customers to go to your Web site to get more information about your company.

Your Web site is the Raison d'Etre of your Company

In today's highly competitive global marketing environment, your customers and prospects would like to have an idea of what your company stands for and what your products, services and quality items are before they make any purchasing decision. In today's high-technology world, no company can acquire technology without thinking about follow-up services. Your Web site gives you a chance to describe such services.

Your Web site Can Be Your Differentiator

Once again, as I have stated in many of these editorials, differentiation is the single most important factor that gives your prospects a reason to do business with you as opposed to your competition. Your Web site provides an excellent opportunity to clearly differentiate yourself from the competition by offering a clear and comprehensive "value proposition" of doing business with your company, which is something you need if you want to attract seriously prospects and customers.

Your Web Site Can Be the Industry's Barometer of Success and Identity of Your Company

Today, hardly any business is initiated without someone first looking at your Web site. If your Web site is poorly prepared, it creates a negative perception about your company. On the other hand, if your Web site is professionally prepared and is userfriendly and offers high-quality educational content, men you are creating a positive perception that would help your prospects and your customers choose to conduct business with you. Once again, widiout dedicating die resources to create a professional Web site, you cannot expect seriously interested prospects.

Your Web Site Can Be Your Positioning Statement

In numerous editorials in the past, including, "Every Company Wants to be a Peacock in the Land of Penguins, But Few of them Know How to Do It" (September 2002 Customer Interaction Solutions, http://www.tmcnet.com/callcenter/0902/0902po.htm), I clearly explain the reason and methodology that can help any company stand above the crowd by effective differentiation and positioning of their company and products. It is vitally important to include your Web site as part of your company's overall positioning statement.

What Your Web Site Can't Do

While your Web site can do many things for you and for your company, it can not, however, do everything. One of the more important aspects of marketing is branding. To the best of our knowledge, the most effective way to brand your company is to use print media and white papers and various other means of marketing through education in order to improve the branding of your product and services.

Still, Integrated Marketing Remains Vitally Important

As I have indicated in a number of editorials such as "The Golden Triangle" (http://www.tmcnet.com/articles/ccsmag/0999/0999pubout.htm), in order to dominate your market, you must first dominate the media. This strategy of course includes integrated marketing, where you will dominate print, online, and trade shows or events in order to complete die media cycle. There is no shortcut for an effective job of dominating your market without following every aspect of integrated marketing as I have described in several editorials during the last two to three years.