Web customer-centricity: save time and money
The absolute essence of being customer-centric on the Web is a relentless focus on saving customers time and money.
In the Internet world, being customer-centric is not a like-to-do. It is a must-do. On the Web, only the customer-centric will survive. Why?
Because on the Web the customer is in control. Offline marketing treats customers […]
Your website: Just words?
Words are the building blocks of every website. But then, words are the building blocks of modern civilization.
Presidential candidate, Barack Obama, was recently accused of being all words and no action, of being lots of rhetoric and little substance. Here’s how he replied:
“Don’t tell me words don’t matter. ‘I have a dream.’ Just words? ‘We […]
Some customers are not worth caring about
Website success has as much to do with figuring out who is NOT your customer, and the information you will NOT provide, as anything else.
Some customers are not worth the effort. They say that the customer is king, but on the Web the customer is dictator. The customer is impatient and demanding, with their finger […]
How I came to love Ryanair
The Web customer is increasingly immune to marketing hype and advertising dream-making.
Ryanair sells cheap flights. Over 40 million people bought cheap flights from them in 2007. But Ryanair is a company that many love to hate.
It’s partly an Irish thing. Ryanair was this tiny Irish company and now they’re hugely successful. They’ve become too big […]
Is the organization the enemy of the customer?
What is good for the organization and what is good for the customer are not always the same thing.
Organizations are used to saying to customers: “Here’s what we have. If you like it, you’re going to have to adapt to how we do business.” But on the Web, the customer has much more control. The […]
Web professional: Are you ready to serve?
Those who enjoy serving customers will be the ones who create successful web careers.
A website is self-service. Customers do things on websites that they would otherwise have needed help doing. Self-service is attractive to organizations because it reduces staff costs. It is attractive to customers because it is convenient, fast and generally discounted.
Self-service is […]
When search words are misleading
The words people use when searching are not always a true reflection of what they’re really looking for.
Millions of people search for cheap hotels but are they really looking for a cheap hotel? Or are many of them in search of a five star hotel at a cheap price? And even if they are looking […]
Great websites do, not say
Never tell people what you’re going to do for them on the Web. Just let them do what they came to do as quickly and simply as possible.
“Welcome to our website.” What? I’m in a hurry. I don’t want to pass meaningless pleasantries with your website. I don’t want to shake its hand. Or talk […]
The first corporation was built on content
Sears Roebuck was one of the very first large corporations. It was in the mail-order business. It used content to make the sale.
In 1906, Sears Roebuck opened a mail-order plant in Chicago. It was the largest business building in the world. The Sears catalogue stated that the plant was using “every known mechanical appliance for […]
Web history: middle of the beginning
The Web has only just begun to make its mark. As we approach 2008, we are only in the middle of the beginning of a revolution that is transforming humanity.
I often meet web professionals who are frustrated with their websites. This is quite understandable. Change can seem quite slow at times. I have even […]
