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Warum der Kunde König ist – Benutzerfreundlichkeit und Kundenfokus im Internet

by on 14. Aug, 2011 in Usability, User Experience

Artikel für den BAKOM Newsletter

Websites werden immer komplexer, Benutzerinnen und Benutzer zusehends erfahrener und anspruchsvoller. Benutzerfreundlichkeit (Usability) und Markenbildung (Branding) sind zu entscheidenden Erfolgskriterien einer Website geworden. Doch was macht eine Website mit hoher Usability und starkem Brand aus?

Vera Brannen, Geschäftsführerin Brannen Usable Brands

 

Die erfahrenen Benutzerinnen und Benutzer

Kundinnen und Kunden lassen sich heute nicht mehr durch schönes Design und Werbeversprechungen überzeugen. Ihr Urteil über eine Marke wird immer stärker auch von der Bedienbarkeit der Website und dem Online-Kundenservice beeinflusst. Wird er durch lange Ladezeiten, komplexe Navigationsstrukturen oder unverständliche Bestellvorgänge verärgert, wird leicht das gesamte Produkt oder gar die Marke abgelehnt: Der vermeidbare Frust der Kundschaft kann mit keinem noch so grossen Marketingbudget wettgemacht werden. Aber wie kommt es, dass nach wie vor so viele Sites mangelhaft sind?

Betriebsblindheit versus Kundensicht

Häufig reflektieren Websites die interne Sicht des Anbieters. Zum Beispiel werden interne Unternehmensstrukturen nach aussen gespiegelt, Texte sind im Fachjargon formuliert oder hochkomplexe Strukturen werden abgebildet. Dabei müssten in allen Bereichen der Brand, die unternehmerischen Ziele sowie die Kundenbedürfnisse in den Fokus aller Aktivitäten gestellt werden. Doch wie gestaltet man eine effiziente und effektive Website, mit der die Kundinnen und Kunden zufrieden sind?

Fokus auf die Kundinnen und Kunden

Funktionalität und Struktur der Website müssen sich an den Bedürfnissen des Kunden ausrichten. Je besser sie ihre Kundschaft kennen, desto gezielter kann die Website konzipiert werden. Wer sind die Kundinnen und Kunden genau? Was sind ihre Bedürfnisse und welche Fragen müssen für sie auf der Website beantwortet werden? Wichtig ist auch, die Anforderungen der Kundschaft im gesamten Produktlebenszyklus zu kennen. Hierzu ein Beispiel einer Versicherungswebsite:
  1. Ein Neu-Interessent sucht Informationen zu einer Versicherung, will Vorteile klar erkennen, Konkurrenzvergleiche durchführen können und Vertragsbedingungen einsehen;
  2. Der informierte Benutzer möchte rasch und sicher online seine Transaktion abschliessen oder Kontakt zum geeigneten Berater aufnehmen können;
  3. Der Versicherte möchte im Schadensfall schnell seine Meldung einreichen, unterstützt und beraten werden.

Dieselbe Person, dieselbe Website und verschiedene Bedürfnisse, denen die Website allen gerecht werden muss.

Der Brand

Doch auch wenn Funktionalität und Usability gut gelöst sind, reicht dies heute nicht mehr aus – notwendig ist zudem auch eine passende Marke. Denn der Auftritt im Internet muss nahtlos zum Firmen- und Produktimage passen und Erwartungen und Bedürfnisse der Zielgruppe an die Marke erfüllen und verstärken. Online Branding hat eine zweifache Integrationsaufgabe: Erstens muss der Internetauftritt auf dem Produkt- und Geschäftsprofil sowie der Corporate Identity aufbauen. Und zweitens muss berücksichtigt werden, dass auch Dienstleistungen, wie die Informationsbereitstellung, Bestellungsabwicklung und Kundenbetreuung einen Teil der Corporate Identity darstellen und die Wahrnehmung einer Marke stark beeinflussen.
Ob Kundinnen und Kunden also z.B. spielerisch in einem Irrgarten Punkte sammeln können, und dann mit Überraschungseffekten zum Produkt geführt werden, oder ob den Benutzerinnen und Benutzern plakativ und nach Art eines Beipackzettels “Information pur” präsentiert wird, hängt nicht nur davon ab, welcher Kundschaft ein bestimmtes Produkt präsentiert wird, sondern auch mit welchem Brand-Inhalt, welcher “Corporate Identity”, die Gesamtleistung präsentiert wird.

Kurzum: Die visuelle und emotionale Markenkommunikation kann von der Bedienbarkeit der Website und den angebotenen Dienstleistungen nicht getrennt werden. Erst gute Usability und zielgruppenkonformes Branding schaffen oder verstärken das Markenbild bei der Kundschaft. Sind die Kundinnen und Kunden zufrieden, gewinnen sie Vertrauen. Und Vertrauen ist eines der stärksten Kundenbindungstools, um Image und Umsatz zu fördern.

Checkliste zum Online-Auftritt von KMU
Wie muss ein Online-Auftritt gestaltet sein, damit er sicher und vertrauenswürdig ist und dies von den Kunden auch so wahrgenommen wird? Diese Frage wird in der Checkliste “Online-Auftritt von KMU” beantwortet, die Brannen Usable Brands im Auftrag des Staatssekretariates für Wirtschaft (Seco) und dem BAKOM erstellt hat. Die Checkliste bietet Hilfestellung für Konzeption, Design und technische Implementierung eines Online-Auftritts.

 

Warum der Kunde König ist – Benutzerfreundlichkeit und Kundenfokus im InternetBild-Quelle: Roland Stahel, Brannen Usable Brands
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“Vertrauen und Sicherheit von Seiten der Kunden fördern Image und Umsatz”

by on 26. Mar, 2011 in Branding, Usability, User Experience

Interview mit Vera Brannen, auf dem KMU Portal der schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft
http://www.kmu.admin.ch/aktuell/00524/02098/02138/index.html?lang=de

“Starke Marken, Brands, werden immer mehr zu einem entscheidenden Differenzierungsmerkmal”, sagt Vera Brannen. Mit ihrer Agentur Brannen Usable Brands setzt sie sich für einfach bedienbare und den Brand stärkende Websites und Software ein.

Weshalb ist gutes Branding auch für kleine und mittlere Unternehmen eine Notwendigkeit?

Vera Brannen: Ein starker Brand, eine vertrauenswürdige Marke steht für Qualität und schafft Vertrauen. Die meisten Produkte und Dienstleistungen heute sind Commodities – austauschbare Massenware. Wir leben in Zeiten der Informationsüberflutung, wo die Empfehlungen von Freunden, Familie und Geschäftskollegen zunehmend stärker die Kaufentscheidung beeinflussen. Daher wird der Brand zu einem entscheidenden Unterscheidungsmerkmal. Der Kunde ist bereit, für einen Markenartikel mehr zu bezahlen, wird ihn weiterempfehlen und auch Folgekäufe tätigen.

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Usability and e-commerce Part 6: Shopping basket

by on 02. May, 2008 in Usability

Access to the shopping basket
The shopping basket link or summary should show at least the current sum of products bought. Ideally the customer can see the number of items, product name, price, additional costs such as VAT or shipping/handling fees. Some companies even show the delivery time.

Shopping Basket linkusability_shopping_basket_3.jpg

The shopping basket page
Ideally a thumbnail picture of the product is displayed and a short product description, which are both linked back to the product page. (This is helpful, in case the customer comes back at a later point in time and wants to easily review his order). The page needs to summarize:

  • The cost per product
  • The VAT per product
  • The shipping/handling fee
  • The total payable fee

The user also needs to be informed of shipping time and links to warranty and exchange policy need to be available.
usability, shopping basket
The customer also needs to be able to delete a product or change the number of products.

Also make sure that the customer has both options: to continue shopping and to check out. This is missing in the Tchibo examle.

This was the last part of our 6 part Usability and e-commerce series.

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Usability and e-commerce Part 5: Check out process

by on 30. Apr, 2008 in Usability

The worst that can happen to you is to lose your customer during the check-out process.
How to avoid the most serious obstacles:

  1. Availability
    Inform the client before the check out process that an item is currently not available. There is nothing worse than filling in several forms and being informed in the last minute, that you currently can not purchase the product. Show the availability status on every product page.
  2. Payment methods
    Offer several payment methods such as PayPal, Visa and MasterCard. This increases your chance that the client will continue the check out process. Inform him that the data is transmitted secured. In case you have received a “Trusted Shop” certificate, display it prominently. It increases trust.
  3. Back Button
    You just quickly wanted to go back one step to check one entry field and then all your previously entered data was gone. Make sure that the customer always can go back and forth without loosing any entered data. It is tedious enough to type in your card number once.
  4. Credit Card rejection
    Imagine your credit card is rejected. That is always a very unpleasant moment. Tell the client with a friendly easy to understand error. Inform him of what might have gone wrong:
    - The address needs to be the same as on the credit card.
    - The name needs to be the same as on the credit card.
    - What is the CVC Code and where can he find it.
    - Could it be that there is a daily limit on the card? (in case you are selling expensive items)
    - How can he reach the hotline in case it still does not work.
  5. Forced registration
    Don`t force your customer to register in order to simply buy something. To remember his contact and financial data is an extra service you can offer and the return client can benefit from. However, many customers might not be return customers and some simply hate to have to recall login data or to have their data saved and accessible online.
  6. Cross selling
    Cross selling is great, we all agree. However, don’t be too pushy during the check out process. Customers might either get confused or really turned off. Do your cross selling when show casing your other products or after the check out.
  7. Hidden costs
    Honesty always pays off. Show your customer as early as possible fees for shipping, taxes, handling fees and so on. Nobody likes unpleasant surprises at the very last minute.

Check out the entire series:
Part 1) Navigation and homepage
Part 2) Product overview
Part 3) Product detail page
Part 4) Search
Part 5) Check out process

To come:
Part 6) The shopping basket

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Usability and e-commerce Part 4: Search

by on 15. Apr, 2008 in Usability

Having a powerful search engine within your site might be the best investment of your money.

The most difficult task is to define the technical requirements your search engine needs to fulfil. Once you have decided on those, 3 major points for the design of your search interface are:

  1. Place the search clearly visible and offer the search entry field on every page.
  2. Make the general search interface as simple as possible. You might want to add an additional filter option such as availability, gender or product category.
  3. Don’t go overboard with defining the detailed search. Studies show, that not too many people ever use it.

And what are people looking for in the result page. 5 points

1) Inform the users of what they typed into the search field.
2) How many results were produced
3) The results should have a clear title and a short summary
4) Show where the result is placed within the site (URL)
5) Let the customer filter the results (i.e. from cheapest to most expensive)

e-bay for example lets you filter the search results, shows an image and a title and in addtion even offers the option to save the search criteria.

Usability and e-commerce: e-bay search results

Check out the entire series:
Part 1) Navigation and homepage
Part 2) Product overview
Part 3) Product detail page
Part 4) Search

To come:
Part 5) Check out process
Part 6) The shopping basket

 

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Usability and e-commerce Part 3: Product detail page

by on 08. Apr, 2008 in Usability

Once your customer is on a product detail page he made it half way. Now it is important that the customer can get an understanding and feeling for the product, try to make it tangible. 5 points which are important for product detail pages:

  1. Good product visualisation is crucial. Show the products from different angles, the front and the back and allow the user to zoom in. Show different colour versions. Close ups are especially important where the texture or surface of the product is important such as clothing or jewellery – make the product as tangible as possible. Let the user “touch” it.
  2. The presentation on all the product detail pages should follow the same pattern throughout the site so that the user can learn your site and get accustomed to it.
  3. The most important product details need to be in the visible area without having the user to scroll down.
  4. This is also a great time for cross-selling: Show the customer what other users bought and make pro-active recommendations. It is better to make recommendations on behalf of the behaviour of other users than by yourself. Say: Customers who bought A also bought B instead of We recommend B for people who are interested in A.
  5. The user needs to be informed about the availability of the product. (in case this has not happened on the overview page yet).
  6. If your delivery times are much faster than business standards or much longer mention it.

One really good example is again Esprit.

Sizes, colours, product illustration including zoom and front and back images, addtional product information, availabilit, cross-seeling all is in place

Usability & e-Commerce: Product Detail Page EspritCheck out the entire series:
Part 1) Navigation and homepage
Part 2) Product overview
Part 3) Product detail page

To come:
Part 4) Search
Part 5) Check out process
Part 6) The shopping basket

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Usability and e-commerce Part 2: Product overview page

by on 04. Apr, 2008 in Usability

After you have defined your product categories and how to structure them (see Usability and e-commerce Part 1) you are ready to define the product pages. Let’s start with the product overview page:

  1. It is recommended, that the product overview pages follow all a consistent structure. This gives the user the chance to learn your site and with continuing navigation he can orient himself faster.
  2. The amount of products presented should allow the user to gain a quick overview.
  3. The most relevant questions the user has at this stage should be answered. This allows faster scanning of the products and saves the user possible disappointment on the individual product page itself. This includes the listing of the price and availability.
  4. Especially with rather technical or complex products, an online product comparison option is essential to avoid lots of work for the call centre.
  5. In addition, sorting functionalities support the user to “customise” the results to his personal needs, such as price, distance, weight, colour etc.

Let’s have a look at two examples buying a Sony Laptop and a new Esprit Jacket:

On the Sony Laptop overview page, the user receives all the essential data he needs.
They even consider the two target groups returning and new customer. The returning one can add the product directly to the shopping cart the new one can add the product to a wish list.
There is the option for product comparison and a sort option.

Usability Sony Product Overview Page

And the product comparison site: The user can delete rows or columns, start over, get the product advisor and create a PDF for print out and later use.

Usability Sony Product Overview Page

On the Esprit page as well, the product overview page answers the main questions such as: material, prize, availability, colour selection and new arrivals.

Usability Esprit Product Overview Page

Check out the entire series:

Part 2) Product overview

Part 3) Product presentation

Part 4) Search

Part 5) Check out process

Part 6) The shopping basket

 

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Usability and e-commerce Part 1: Navigation and Homepage

by on 01. Apr, 2008 in Usability

The real shop

Imagine you are in a convenience store such as Sainbury’s and you are looking for batteries. Where do you start to look for them? Kitchen supplies, the area where the stationary is, where could they be? Where the garbage bags are? You might walk around for a while and then ask a sales person for assistance.

Now online

Image the same scenario online. You click here, you click there. However, there is no sales person that can help and the competitor’s site is just one click away. That is why especially for e-commerce sites good usability is so crucial.

Usability E-Commerce

The above study shows, that a bad online shopping experience does not only mean that you have lost this one sale. The customer is also rather likely not to buy from you at all.

You suffer from:

  1. Lost sales,
  2. a weakend reputation and
  3. it harms the perception of your overall brand.

Some common issues on e-commerce sites are:

Navigation and start page

You need to consider that you have to types of people visiting your online shop:

  1. The ones who already exactly know what they want. They need to be guided directly to the product they are looking for. Structuring and clustering of the shop items in a clearly visible navigation bar is essential for them.
  2. The others are the users who just want to browse your site or inform themselves. They might be looking for the special offer, new products or seasional trends. Visual teasers and images usually guide those the best.

Give the visitors also a chance to concentrate on your main items. Cluttered sites are likely to overwhelm the user. In an online shop users prefer structure and visual guidance and do not want to feel like being on a flea market.

Creating the right structure

  1. Competitors’ analysis: Do you know what they are doing?
    Your users are very likely to also use other e-commerce sites. Over the last years, patterns of structuring, organising and labelling content have evolved. Your users have learned those patterns. Therefore we recommend not to re-event the wheel and to stick to conventions. The best way to find those patterns and conventions is a competitors’ analysis. In addition, a regular competitors’ analysis gives insight in new trends and strategies. You can only become the benchmark by knowing what your are up against.A competitors’ analysis can be done at any stage of the project. We recommend to perform it in regular intervals. Depending on the market every 1-3 months to at least once a year.
  2. Card sorting: How would your clients structure the content?
    One basic method is card sorting. Card sorting is used to develop the structure of Web sites. How does it work?
    Product categories or product names are written down on individual cards. Then (potential) users of the site are asked to structure the cards into groups or to sort them into predefined metacategories.

    • Structure: This gives valuable insight into how your customers would structure the content and therefore where they would be looking for the information when navigating through your site. This aids to define the ideal placement of individual products and how to create useful product categories. Recall the example with the matches from the beginning? Where would customers look for them the most likely?
    • Wording: Though it is not always the wrong structure that misleads customers. Equally important is to find the right wording for the individual categories and navigation items.

In the next entries the following topics will be covered:

Part 2) Product overview

Part 3) Product presentation

Part 4) Search

Part 5) Check out process

Part 6) The shopping basket

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Personalized start pages: Why I fulfil my information needs otherwise

by on 18. Feb, 2008 in Branding

Have you heard of those great Web sites, so called “Personalized Start Pages”, which will make life so much easier? There was a big hype starting in 2005, and almost all the big portals and news providers jumped on the band wagon – now we can see more failures.

The idea behind the concept sounds tempting at a first glance:
Personalized start pages allow their users to get all of their favorite websites, blogs, news, weather, maps, events, address books, to do lists, email accounts, social networks, search engines, video and photo networks – you name it – in one place, and users then can share the page with their friends.

What are the flaws
Have a look at the screenshot below: E-Mail, Flickr, Youtube, maps, etc.
Now consider the following scenarios and the users’ needs:

  1. He wants to check his E-Mail: Where does he go?
    His start page or his E-Mail account?
  2. He wants to check out the news on Youtube: Where does he go?
    His start page or Youtube?
  3. He wants to upload some images to Flickr: Where does he go?
    His start page or Flickr?
  4. He needs directions: Start page or Google maps?

You get the pattern.

So what are the benefits?
That is the big question. Users will fulfil their needs directly. The obstacles of configuring the start page and the loss of time do not match the benefits. A simple start page where a user can assemble all his favorite RSS feeds can offer a quick overview of all the sites’ news, and weather info is a feature many users appreciate. However, most features offered on those sites only mean a click more for the user, and therefore the user would rather go directly to the desired target such as Youtube, the E-Mail account or Flickr.

This is also why Flickr, Youtube, delicious, Facebook and many others got sold or received substantial venture capital. Despite the fact that several Personalized start pages got impressive media coverage, there is little business hype heard.

Lessons learned:
One of the most important factors for being successful is creating a business strategy that fulfils a concrete user need.
And yes, I am still wondering about the business models of today’s personalized start pages.

Who are the players?

Live

http://www.live.com/ Yahoo

http://my.yahoo.com/ Google

http://www.google.de/ig Netvibes

http://www.netvibes.com/ Start

http://www.start.com/ Protopage

http://protopage.com/v2 Pageflakes

http://www.pageflakes.com/ Inbox.com

http://inbox.com/ My AOL

http://feeds.my.aol.com/ My Lycos

http://my.lycos.com/ My Netscape

http://my.netscape.com/ My Earthlink

http://my.earthlink.net/Who has stopped their services? Mein T-Online http://mein.t-online.de

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