SKILLSWARE E-COMMERCE CASE STUDY

Skillsware provide a comprehensive service designing dynamic web sites, custom-built to serve clients' needs.

The efficient organisation of data on any web site is crucial to its success and many sites don't function as effectively as they could. This case study examines how one company's web site has been transformed.

Outlined here is the new design of the web site for the company Conference Communication. However, much of the expertise developed for this site can be mapped into other sectors to help you maximise your business potential on the world wide web.

The new site has already seen cost savings for administrative costs to the client and importantly is generating revenue from online sales. Lets look at how this has been achieved and examine some key elements of the site.

THE COMPANY
Conference Communication is a company which has been established for over 27 years providing services to the maintenance industry. The company has a major exhibition (MAINTEC) every year and organises conferences, seminars and publish a journal and books.

For the past year Skillsware has been working closely with the Conference Communication team to develop the new web site. The previous site, designed by another company, suffered the problems common to many 'first edition' web sites. It had begun as six pages but grown uncontrollably until it had become stretched beyond its capabilities.

Attempts were made to revitalise the old site with a search engine and other features but more radical reform was needed. As Skillsware designer Simon Lovesey said "it was like a house designed to be two bedrooms which had become twenty bedrooms. The chaotic structure which had evolved gave us major problems every time we tried to upgrade any aspect of the old site."

Starting Over
The solution was to start again with Skillsware offering a completely new site incorporating a host of new benefits. To begin constructing the site Skillsware needed to understand intimately the company they were working for and the markets it served. Armed with this knowledge and Conference Communication database they could begin structuring the site. To build the new site they have used a combination of well-proven systems and developed new facilities tailored specifically for Conference Communication.

The new site is straightforward to navigate, fully interactive and easy to maintain. There's a search engine to search all the web pages on the site. You can look for a specific topic or word. Also work has been done to make sure this site is friendly to the external search engines.

Conference Communication has control of the site and can develop it as required. This means the company can take full advantage of new places to capture data. This latter point is crucial as one of the most important things for a web site doing its job properly is to build up the database. This involves bringing in contacts and swapping links to other sites.

Skillsware also help maintain the site and provide a rapid response trouble-shooting service should any problems occur eg corrupt data. Intrinsic to the Skillsware philosophy is that they establish ongoing relationships with companies.

The Online Shop
A major development of this new site is the Shopping Cart providing 24 hour shopping. Here a customer can order products and services on line. This database of Conference Communication products forms a catalogue and a stock ordering system. Because customers can browse all the products on offer they are encouraged to buy more.

Using the 'shopping cart' allows users to select one item or number of items. The system does the rest of the work calculating prices, postage or shipping costs. Payment is by credit card and details are processed using a secure server.

A pivotal role of the shopping cart is that Conference Communication can download orders for processing and accounts. They can also easily enter the system to add products and change prices, incorporating special offers where appropriate.

Transactions are speeded up because on-line 'paperwork' is generated electronically. The customer can even print out a receipt. The on-line billing system means that the money goes straight into Conference Communication account.

The Online Show Guide
Conference Communication hold a major exhibition every year which has been a key part of the company's development. www.maintec.co.uk contains a comprehensive show guide which can be searched in a variety of ways.

On the website, exhibitors enter their own data. As soon as Conference Communication approve an entry, it appears on the web site . As the entrant does the work, huge administrative savings are achieved. The On-Line Exhibition provides the information for printing the show catalogue.

Maintec have spent more money in the past on temporary staff processing paperwork than they have on Skillsware devising this new system. Also, on going costs have also been substituted by a one-off cost.

The Online Directory
The Online Directory lists over 500 companies and is like a Yellow Pages for maintenance-related services. Here you can find everything from health and safety products to specialist engineering companies. For example, you might want software written for a maintenance programme on an oil rig - or to source the right tools for a specific job.

The Directory is not only an information bank but is also a revenue stream. Each company gets a free listing then pays for enhanced entries. To be included in the Directory all details are taken on-line.

Another way the Directory helps is that by having listing information available as well as products, people will visit the site more often. The directory opens up Conference Communication' potential customer base by dint of the international nature of the Internet and lower costs.

The Noticeboard
In this area of the site visitors can interact with each other and post messages. The bulletin board provides more traffic and creates interest. Because the new site is much more interactive than it was before, users are encouraged to take part in it.

The "Tell a Friend' facility is there so you can suggest the site to someone else. Hopefully the word will spread and they'll tell someone else in turn. When someone new is introduced they are automatically sent a personalised message inviting them to look at the site. This generates more traffic.

You can also put your email into a database to get updates on news etc and emails are uniquely created to be more personalised. Smaller companies don't have an army of people to market their goods but Skillsware can provide them with a "virtual army' by effective use of their database.

Verdict
A static site is a dead site. The key elements of the Directory, On-line Shop and Noticeboard make this web site a global communication network with built-in marketing tools.

By having overall control of their web site, with Skillsware support, Conference Communication can continue to develop it saving huge administrative costs. New products and services can immediately be put on-line.

A dynamic fresh forum has been created by contracting the specialist expertise of Skillsware.
Web addresses: www.maintenanceonline.co.uk   www.maintec.co.uk
info@skillsware.co.uk