Strategy Formulation: Customer Interface

Transcription

1 The 7Cs of Customer Interface Context Content Strategy Formulation: Customer Interface Site s layout and design Commerce Site s capabilities to enable commercial transactions Text, pictures, sound, and video that webpages contain Community The ways sites enable user-touser communication Connection Customization Based on Chapter 5 of Jeffrey F. Rayport,, J. F. & Jaworski,, B. J. (2003). Introduction to e-e Commerce: with e-commercee PowerWeb.. 2nd Edition. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Copyright 2004 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Degree site is linked to other sites Communication The ways sites enable site-touser communication or two-way communication Site s ability to self-tailor to different users or to allow users to personalize the site 3 Introduction The customer interface is the virtual representation of a firm's chosen value proposition Seven design elements of the customer interface (7Cs) Context Content Community Customization Communication Connection Commerce 2 Context Fit and Reinforcement of the 7Cs Content Community Business Model Individually Supporting Fit Customization Consistent Reinforcement Communication Connection Commerce 4

2 Context: the Determinant the Look-and and-feel of the Design The CONTEXT of a website captures its aesthetics and functional look-and-feel Context Classifications Aesthetically Dominant: Emphasis is on the look-and-feel of the site. Functionally Dominant: Emphasis is on the display of textual information. Integrated: Balance of form and function. 5 7 Dimensions of Context Function Refers to the organization and accessibility of information Section Breakdown Linking Structure Navigation Tools Speed Reliability Platform Independence Media Accessibility Aesthetics Refers to the visual characteristics of a site Color Scheme Visual Themes 6 Form vs. Function -The Design Context Frontier High Low Aesthetically Dominant Low FUNCTION Functionally Dominant Integrated High Frontier is gradually moving outward as technology advances 8

3 Aesthetically Dominant Example - KMGI.com Integrated Example - Patagonia.com 9 11 Functional Dominant -Brint.com Content: Deciding What Information to Include (1/2) The CONTENT of a website refers to all the digital information on the site Dimensions of Content Offering Mix Appeal Mix Multimedia Mix Timeliness Mix Current Content Reference Content 10 12

4 Content: Deciding What Information to Include (2/2) Content Classifications Category Killer Example - PetSmart Product Dominant: Encompasses store sites that primarily sell physical goods Superstore Category Killer Specialty Store Information Dominant: Encompasses store sites that focus heavily on information Service Dominant: Encompasses store sites that focus on the services offered, often for a fee A Framework to Understand Content Classifications Specialty Store - Frontgate.com Multiple Superstore NUMBER OF PRODUCT CATEGORIES Specialty Store Single Category Killer Narrow DEPTH OF PRODUCT LINE Broad 14 16

5 Information-Dominant Example - Fast Company 17 What Makes A Community? Community includes a feeling of membership in a group along with a strong sense of involvement and shared common interests Five components determine the shape of online communities: Characteristics Member Motivation Member Participation Member Benefits Interaction Tools 19 Service Dominant Example - PlasticsNet 18 Characteristics The more evolved the community the more likely it is to have these six characteristics Cohesion- the community develops a group identity Effectiveness- the group has impact on members lives Help- members feel comfortable asking for and receiving help from other members Relationships- interaction between individuals leads to friendships Language- members develop a specialized language and/or abbreviations with unique meaning within the community Self-regulation- the group sets rules for its own interaction and develops a system for policing itself 20

6 Communities - Elements, Types, and Benefits Limited Community Example - Gillette Women s s Cancer Connection Why members are motivated to join the community How members participate in the community Community Characteristics Cohesion Effectiveness Help Relationships Language Self-regulation Interaction Tools Member Benefits Need fulfillment Inclusion Mutual influence Shared experiences/ information Community Classifications Strong Community Example - Bolt.com Nonexistant- sites that have no community offer no way for users to interact with one another, on either a one-to-one basis or one-tomany basis Limited- sites that offer features such as reading and posting information, stories, or opinions Strong- sites that offer interactive community functions such as chat rooms and message boards 22 24

7 Customization: Creating an Individualized Website (1/2) Customization refers to a site's ability to tailor itself to each user or to be tailored by the user Dimensions of Customization Personalization: The user initiates and manages the customization process Tailoring: Software dynamically publishes unique versions of the site to address specific user's interests, habits and needs more appropriately 25 Personalization by User Example - MyLook.com 27 Customization: Creating an Individualized Website (2/2) Tailoring Example - Amazon Homepage for Two Users Commonly used customization features: accounts Content and layout configuration Storage Agents 26 28

8 Communication: Keeping in Touch with Users (1/2) Communication refers to the dialogue between a site and its users One-to to-one, Live Interaction Example - LivePerson.com Dimensions of Communication Broadcast Interactive Communication: Keeping in Touch with Users (2/2) Communication Archetypes One-to-Many, Non-Responding User: Site messages are announcements that users receive without needing to respond. One-to-Many, Responding User: Site messages are invitations to users to submit their comments and responses. One-to-One, Non-Responding User: User receives personalized messages to address specific interests or needs without a need to respond. One-to-One, Responding User: User responds to personalized messages sent by the site. 30 Connection: Linking with Other Websites Connection is the degree to which a given site is able to link to other sites Dimensions of Connection Outside Links Framed Links Pop-Up Windows Outsourced Content 32

9 Outsourced Content Example - Real.com Destination Site - NYTimes.com Connections Classifications Hub Example - Industry Central Destination Site: Provides almost exclusively site-generated content with very few links to other sites Hub Site: Provides a combination of sitegenerated content and selective links to sites of related interests Portal Site: Consists almost exclusively of links to a large number of other sites 34 36

10 Portal Site Example - Yahoo 37 Commerce: Enabling Financial Transactions (2/2) Commerce Classifications: Low: These websites have the ability to process transactions, but with few of the tools that enable e-commerce. Medium: Some websites have no need for all the commerce bells and whistles and contain financial transactions as a necessary feature but not as their main purpose. High: These websites are fully equipped with all or almost all the functional tools that enable e-commerce. 39 Commerce: Enabling Financial Transactions (1/2) Commerce refers to the sale of goods, products or services on the site. Dimensions of Commerce Functional tools that are the commerceenabling features of a website Registration Shopping Cart Security Credit-Card Approval One-Click Shopping Orders Through Affiliates Configuration Technology Order Tracking Delivery Options 38 Context Content Community Customizatio n Communicati on Connection Commerce Map of 7Cs Framework Aesthetically dominant Informationdominant Productdominant Nonexistent Generic One-tomany, nonrespondi ng user Destination Low One-tomany, responding user Functionally dominant Servicedominant Limited Moderately customized One-to-one, nonrespondi ng user Hub Medium Integrated Strong Highly customized One-to-one, responding user Portal High 40

11 41 MarketWatch.com MarketWatch.com ( High Medium Low Commerce Portal Hub Destination Connection One-to-one, responding user One-to-one, nonrespondi ng user One-tomany, respondin g user Communication Highly customized Generic Customization Strong Limited Nonexistent Community Service-dominant Productdominant Content Integrated Aesthetically dominant Context Functionally Dominant Information -dominant Strong Moderately customized Strong Low One-to-many Nonresponding user