The document discusses designing effective customer interfaces (websites) and provides guidelines for doing so. It emphasizes that the website is a firm's visual representation and should effectively answer questions and engage visitors. It then outlines the "7Cs" of building world-class websites: context, content, community, customization, communication, connection, and commerce. For each C, it provides criteria for maximizing customer engagement and experience through coherent presentation of content, easy navigation tools, and other factors.

1. Designing theDesigning the
CustomerCustomer
INTERFACEINTERFACE

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3. First, some unrelated
things to ponder…

6. VersusVersus Delias.comDelias.com

7. For Discussion
HowHow technologytechnology
changes the way marketerschanges the way marketers
engage customersengage customers

8. TheThe 7Cs7Cs to Buildingto Building
WORLD-CLASSWORLD-CLASS
WebsitesWebsites

9. IS Your WebsiteIS Your Website
Worth Visiting?Worth Visiting?

10. • The interface (website) is the visual and virtual
representation to communicate the firm’s value
proposition.
• Provides significant information to existing and
prospective clients.
• Successful design is critical to answer
questions, engage visitors, and create
compelling online experiences.
• Should attract target segment customers AND
deter non-targeted visitors.
TheThe 7Cs7Cs

12. • CONTEXTCONTEXT: Captures the aesthetics and
functional “look and feel” of the website.
• CONTENTCONTENT: All the subject matter contained on
the site.
• COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY: A set of interwoven
relationships built upon shared interests. Can
create content or services that attract
consumers to the website.
• CUSTOMIZATIONCUSTOMIZATION: a site’s ability to modify
itself to– or be modified by– each user.
TheThe 7Cs7Cs

14. • COMMUNICATIONCOMMUNICATION: the dialog that unfolds
between the site and visitors takes 3 forms:
– Firm to user (ex. email messages)
– User to firm (ex. customer service request)
– User-to-user (ex. instant messaging)
• CONNECTIONCONNECTION: All of the links between
the website and other sites.
• COMMERCECOMMERCE: the transactional capacity
of the site. The selling of products,
shipping, payment options, check out
and order confirmation.
TheThe 7Cs7Cs

15. CONNECTION

17. Context

18. • The “look and feel” of the ‘screen-to-face’
engagement.
• Aesthetic and functional criteria are
reflected/captured to provide the maximum
customer engagement.
• Content must be presented in a coherent,
logical way.
• Visitors must be able to move easily around the
site.
Context

20. • Factors for maximum layout efficacy:
– Section breakdownSection breakdown: how your organization
your website into sub-categories. Sections on
a page
– Linking structureLinking structure: How sections of the site
are linked together, so visitors can move
back and forth effortlessly
– Navigation toolsNavigation tools: Ways for users to move
throughout the website (can be by types of
search, linking, site maps, e-commerce
engine)
Context

22. Examples…

30. Content

31. • Offering MixOffering Mix: the content includes products,
information, and services.
• Appeal MixAppeal Mix: Has to do with the promotions
and communications messaging projected by
the organization.
• Multimedia MixMultimedia Mix: involves the variety of
media, from text to video, audio, images, and
graphics all incorporated into the website.
• Content TypeContent Type: The information has a degree
of time-sensitivity...unless its “reference
content” which has a longer shelf life.
ContentContent

33. Examples…