Customer Interface — Today’s Objective

Last Updated: 10/03/01Copyright 2001 by Marketspace LLC

Customer Interface — Today’s Objective

Develop an understanding of the technology – mediated customer interface


The 7Cs of the Customer Interface

Context

Site’s layout and design

Commerce

Site’s capability to enable commercial transactions

Connection

Degree site is linked to other sites

Communication

The ways sites enable site-to-user communication or two-way

communication

Customization

Site’s ability to self-tailor to different users or to allow

personalization

Community

The ways sites enable user-to-user communication

Content

Text, pictures, sound and video that webpages contain


Fit and Reinforcement of the 7Cs

ContextContext ContentContent CommunityCommunity CustomizationCustomization CommunicationCommunication ConnectionConnection CommerceCommerce

Business ModelBusiness Model

ReinforcementAre each of the 7Cs consistent with one another?

Supporting FitDo each of the 7Cs individually support the business model?

The success of a business depends on the extent that all of the Cs work together to support the value proposition and business model:



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Form vs. Function — The Design Context Frontier

Integrated

Aesthetically Dominant

HighLow

High

Low

Function

Aesthetic/ Form

Functionally Dominant

Frontier is gradually moving

outward as technology advances

The age old argument of form vs. function is being changed by the Web:


Aesthetic Example — KMGI.com

High form, low function: The KMGI approach used to make heavy use of visual elements, but lacked performance capability.

Now, KMGI has integrated more functionality into its site, while still maintaining some of the strong visual elements.

BEFORE AFTER


Functional Dominant — @Brint.com

Low form, high function: Brint.com assumes its users have little need for visual elements or themes and instead seek ease of use and plentiful information:

Notice the plethora of

links

The site is also text-

laden


Integrated Approach Example — Patagonia.com

Patagonia’s integrated approach is a balance of form and function that creates an attractive and easy-to-use interface:

The links, for instance, are both textual

and graphical



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Dimensions to Content

Content refers to all digital information included on the site. There are four key dimensions to content, each carrying choices about how to convey the site’s content::

Dimension

Choices

Offering Mix Appeal MixMultimedia

MixContent Type

Products

Services

Information

Cognitivefunctional, low price,

availability,etc.

Emotionalhumor,warmth,stories,

etc.

Text

Audio

Video

Image

Graphics

Current

Reference


A Framework for Understand Offering-Dominant Archetypes

Superstore

CategoryKiller

SpecialtyStore

Number of Market Offer Categories

Multiple

Single

Shallow Deep

Depth of Product Line

Classifying content archetypes on two dimensions:


Superstore Example — Amazon.com

One-stop shop where the customer can find a wide range of goods in multiple product categories:

Note the array of product

categories on the site.


Category Killer Example — Petsmart.com

Exclusively provides products and services by specific product or by a customer-needs category:

Again, note the

categories; rather than

being broad, they focus on a

single vertical.


Specialty Store Example — Frontgate.com

Focuses on exceptional quality and exclusivity while selling single or multiple categories of products:

The site offers a broad

array of products, but they are all

high-end, premium quality

products.


Information-Dominant Example — Business 2.0

Organize and house vast archives of information and provide tools to the customer to explore areas of interest and find answers to specific questions:

“New economy, new rules,

new leaders” — this site is

focused entirely on providing

timely information to business

leaders.


Market-Dominant Example — PlasticsNet.com

Create markets where buyers and sellers congregate to conclude transactions:

This site creates an

online market for the plastics industry; note the supplier information and product

specs available.


Content Archetype

Physical Product

Information Service

Superstore

Walmart.com Amazon.com

CEOExpress.com IBMSolutions.com

Category Killer Petsmart.com DowJones.com

CNNfn.com Schwab.com

Specialty Store Frontgate.com Forrester.com Tradex.com

Information Dominant Census.gov IFilm.net Digitalthink.com

Market Dominant PlasticsNet.com VerticalNet.com Monster.com

Content Archetypes vs. Offering TypesEach of the content archetypes can be illustrated with a product, information or services example:



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Intro to Six Community Archetypes

BazaarBazaar

Theme ParkTheme Park

ClubClub

ShrineShrine

TheatreTheatre

CafeCafe

Each archetype will be defined and an example of each will be given:


Bazaar Example — Yahoo Games

Community that allows users to wander through a vast number of interest areas but does not provide any means for users to interact:

The site offers a wide collection of games that can be played

with other users, but community is not a

priority; the elements of community are not

present (cohesion, effectiveness, etc.).


Theme Park Example — VoxCap.com

Community that focuses on a finite number of interest areas that are organized by categories and subcategories:

This site encourages activism on world and

community issues, but

it is activism

that is the theme.


Club Example — Gillette Women’s Cancer ConnectionCommunity that is highly focused on one area of interest and promotes a considerable amount of interaction among members:

The most prominent link

on the site encourages

member communication

on message boards.


Shrine Example — The Unofficial Cheers Website

Highly focused community with minimal interaction between members:

This site allows comprehensive exposure to a

single topic (in this case, a TV show) with no

interaction among users.


Theater Example — iFilm.com

Community that is focused in a particular area but allows for moderate interaction among members:

Not as focused as a “shrine,”

this site concentrates on

film, but still allows for little

interaction among users.


Cafe Example — Bolt.com

Community that focuses on a common area of interest but also provides for considerable interaction among members:

“Everything you need to speak your mind, hang out, hook up...

whatever” — this teen site allows for a high level of interaction among its users.



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Dimensions of Customization

Customization of a site can occur in many different ways:

PERSONALIZATION

Log-in Registration The site recognizes return users and

configures itself accordingly

Cookies Temporary files that track and gather

data about user’s behavior

Personalized E-Mail Accounts Provided free-of-charge to site users

Content and Layout Configuration Users select layout and content based

on their interests

Storage Sites provide virtual hard-disk storage

Agents Programs designed to perform simple

tasks

TAILORING

Based on Past User Behavior Many sites adjust themselves

dynamically based on a user’s past behavior and preferences

Based on Behavior of Other Users With Similar Preferences

Some sites make recommendations to the user based on preferences of other users with similar profiles


Personalization by User Example — Mylook.comEnables the user to modify site content and context based on consciously articulated and acted-upon preferences:

The first step in this site’s

customization process is to choose the

category with which you are

the best fit; content will

then be customized accordingly.


Tailoring by Site Example — Amazon.com

Enables the site to reconfigure itself based on past behavior by the user or by others with similar profiles:

Without consciously articulating

preferences, users find that

Amazon.com makes

recommendations based on their past

buying habits.



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Dimensions of Communication

Communication between a site and its users can occur in many different ways:

BROADCAST

Mass Mailings Broadcast transmissions of large

volumes of e-mail targeted at large audiences

FAQs Answers to frequently asked questions

E-Mail Newsletters Inform site subscribers of site changes,

special offers, etc.

Content-Update Reminders E-mail reflecting user interest in a

particular content area

Broadcast Events Events can be broadcast from a website

(webcast) that allows limited user control over such things as camera angle

INTERACTIVE

E-Commerce Dialogue Organizations and users trade e-mails

regarding order placement, tracking and fulfillment

Customer Service Organizations can provide customer

service through trading e-mails or live online dialogue

User Input User-generated content such as

supplier ratings and user feedback to the site


One-to-Many, Non-Responding Example — CNN.comCommunicates with users through mass mailings targeted at defined audiences:

CNN.com sends out breaking news

e-mail alerts to interested users.


One-to-Many, Responding Example — BizRate.comCommunicates with a mass user group logged on as registered users or through e-mailings targeted at specific users:

Customers rate their experience

with online merchants; these

ratings are gathered and communicated to registered users

of BizRate.com.


One-to-Many, Live Interaction Example — Accrue 2000 Web

SeminarAllows users to interact with the site live, with information exchanged back and forth in real time:

This site recently broadcast a live

seminar; registered users were able to

participate by asking questions via chat in

real time.


One-to-One, Non-Responding User Example — Hallmark.comSends personalized messages to users to address specific user interests or needs, but there are no means for customer response:

Hallmark.com allows users to manage their schedules by

reminding users of important upcoming

dates (birthdays, anniversaries, etc.).


One-to-One, Responding User Example — Amazon.comSends users personalized messages that address specific user interests or needs with the opportunity for users to respond:

Users can create their own storefront

using Amazon’s zShops. Users post

all information related to the

products they wish to sell on Amazon’s site; they can also check order status on the site and be

notified of sales via e-mail.


One-to-One, Live Interaction Example — LivePerson.comSends and receives personalized user messages or carries on chat sessions that address specific user interests or needs:

This site offers online customer

support in real time via chat sessions.



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Intro to Six Connection Archetypes

DestinationDestination

Each archetype will be defined and an example of each will be given:

HubHub

PortalPortal

AffiliateAffiliate

Meta-SoftwareMeta-Software

Outsourced ContentOutsourced Content

PATHWAY-OUT

Links lead the user outside the environment of the site; links are absolute in that the user’s click causes an exit from the original website.

PATHWAY-IN

Links are hybrid; the user’s click causes the retrieval of material from the same or

other sites without exiting the current website.


Destination Site Example — NYTimes.com

Exclusively provides site-generated content with very few links to other sites:

NYTimes.com not only includes the

daily content of the newspaper, but also publishes exclusive

feature stories online.


Hub Site Example — IndustryCentral.net

Provides a combination of site-generated content and selective links to sites of related interests:

This is a motion picture and

television industry site, a hub that

provides external links to various

local film commissions,

production studios and film festivals.


Portal Site Example — Yahoo.com

Exclusively provides links to a large number of other sites:

Yahoo is the classic example of a portal; users can

search the Web and find links to

thousands of other websites related to

their topic of interest.


Affiliate Programs Example — Onhealth.com and

Proflowers.comDirects users to affiliated websites through general links, links embedded in site banners, or other advertising materials:

Onhealth.com provides a link to

Proflowers.com so users can have

access to supplemental

offerings, including those that the home

site cannot fulfill.


Outsourced Content Example — Real.com

Contains content generated by third parties:

Everything users find on Real.com is generated by a third party; Real.com is

simply a distributor of Web-based

media.


Meta-Software Example — RUSure.com

Consists of utility and plug-in software applications created to assist users in narrowly defined tasks:

Note: RUSure.com is out of business.



Context


Commerce


Connection


Communication


communication

Customization


personalization

Community


Content



Dimensions of Commerce

There are many tools that sites provide to originate and facilitate commerce:

TOOLS FOR ENABLING COMMERCE

Registration Allows the site to store information about users and user preferences

Shopping Cart, One-Click Shopping Facilitates online shopping by making it more user-friendly

Security, Credit-Card Approval Enables online transactions by allowing users to securely share credit-card

information

Orders Through Affiliates Sites must be able to track orders that come from and go to affiliates

Configuration Technology Users can test product compatibility, and price trade-offs and product substitutions

online.

Order Tracking, Delivery Options Once orders are placed on the site, users can choose how they would like their

products delivered and track those orders from the site to their front door.


The 7Cs of Lands’ End

ContextLandsend.com utilizes both aesthetic and functional design elements to communicate its core benefits

ContentLandsend.com includes content pertaining to its product offerings, services and offline support. The content is conveyed through a combination of text, photographs and graphics.

Community“Shop with a Friend” allows two users to shop simultaneously, creating a virtual shopping experience.

CustomizationPersonal shopping accounts are used to facilitate use of the site and tailor future visits to the customer’s individual needs.

Communication“Lands’ End Live” allows users to talk directly to a customer service representative via phone or live text chat.

ConnectionLandsend.com does not link to any other sites; their affiliate program, however, links other sites to Landsend.com.

CommerceLandsend.com has typical transactional capability, providing the customer with a confidential and convenient way to shop online.

How does Landsend.com utilize the 7Cs?


The 7Cs of Schwab.com

ContextSchwab.com is largely

functional; the only graphics used are those that display

market behavior.

CommerceSchwab is essentially a broker

with a transaction-based revenue model. There are also

fee services that Schwab offers.

ConnectionSchwab.com’s content and

information is largely generated in-house; there are no links to

outside sites.

CommunicationSchwab.com provides e-mail news alerts. User response is limited. Basically, the site is a one-to-many, non-responding

site.

CustomizationSchwab.com is highly

customizable. Users can personalize the site’s content,

layout, communication and access.

CommunityThere is very little interaction

among Schwab.com users. The site focuses primarily on the

financial needs of the individual.

ContentSchwab.com is an information-dominant site that generates all

of its own material.

Customer Interface — Today’s Objective

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