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PUTTING THE WEB TO WORK FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Article appeared in MiBiz West on August 29, 2001
Written by Charles McGrath

Turns out Jack Welch was wrong. The Internet is not about destroying your business. In the past year, the only things destroyed were the stock valuations of the companies that thought the old rules didn’t apply. For the businesses that really "got it," the Web is having a powerful effect. For those companies, interactive technology has not changed the way they do business — it has strengthened the way they do business.

For a business, the Internet is like steroids. If you are good, it can make you great. But like steroids — and this is the part the new economy evangelists forgot to mention — interactive technology could have both positive and negative effects. The Web enhances everything it touches. The good becomes better, but the bad is magnified as well.

How? Let’s talk about what the Web can do. It allows you to give extremely targeted information to your customers. If your customer needs information on using a polymer in injection molding, your Web site can, in a few clicks, provide exactly the information necessary to educate the customer to the benefits of your product. You can provide online tech support, letting a customer "talk" to your product expert or search a database of frequently asked questions. With interactive technology, your customers can give you feedback that could lead to new products or more efficient operations. If your site allows, they can buy, sell and track orders, whenever and wherever they want.

If you have a customer-facing organization, the Web makes it more so. If you value open lines of communication with your customers, the Web makes that communication richer and more focused.

So what’s the downside? Although the Web enhances the things you do well, it also magnifies your weaknesses. If your product strategy or customer focus is muddled, that will be highlighted on your site. If your site is cluttered and poorly maintained, your customers will draw conclusions about the rest of your operations.

One local company wanted to move toward e-commerce, but didn’t want to disrupt its existing distributor relationships. That’s understandable, but rather than find a solution, they created a site that was ideal for everyone but the customer. The result? They lost credibility in the marketplace, were savaged in the industry press and lost ground to their largest competitor. Strategic problems that had been masked before they went on the Web were laid bare, and the company was worse off than if it hadn’t had a site at all.

Just as you wouldn’t commit to a new plant without making sure you had a clear business need and the resources to build and maintain it, so you shouldn’t commit to a Web site without a compelling strategy and the resources to execute it properly.

If your business is to thrive on the Internet, it is important to keep five rules in mind:

  • Know your company. More than one business has been forced to re-evaluate itself as it started to develop its Web site. If you think of yourself as a global company, but your product offerings are clearly defined by region, then your site should be broken down by region, too.
  • Listen to your customer. Most online marketplaces failed because they assumed that they could force a new model on the customer. They were wrong. You have the advantage of knowing your market and knowing your customer. Use the Web to refine that relationship, not pre-empt it.
  • Set realistic expectations. Your sales will not grow 500 percent overnight. You will not suddenly start selling in Kazakhstan. Focus on measurable benefits, like reducing literature or phone support costs. Make sure that you are willing to commit the resources necessary to maintain and improve your site.
  • Don’t be seduced by glitz. Even practical businesspeople get carried away on the Web. Your customers will not be impressed by the animated welcome from the CEO if it means that they have to wait three minutes before they can see your home page. Only use technology when it helps you to deliver your message more effectively.
  • Focus on usability. The Web has not been around for very long, but it has been around long enough to develop best practices for Web site development. Copywriting, layout and design all have to be adapted to provide the best experience for your users. Make sure that your site follows established guidelines, and test to make sure it works for your audience.

The hype is over. The venture capitalists have moved on. The e-evangelists who promised that the Internet would cure sick corporations and rejuvenate lame business models are wondering where their stock options went. For the Web, it’s time to get down to business — your business.

Charlie McGrath is Internet director and creative director at Structure:Interactive. He has won numerous awards for interactive media, and is in demand as an Interface Design consultant. In addition to his work for Structure:Interactive, he has been involved with interactive projects for the Walt Disney Co. and Mattel.

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